Zagreb announces free public transport for over 65s 

(Photo credit: Sandra Tralić)

ZAGREB, 27 March 2024 – The City of Zagreb has today announced in a statement that public transport in Zagreb will be free for residents over the age of 65. 

One of the most popular social measures in Zagreb for many years has been the Zagrebački električni tramvaj (ZET), the transit authority responsible for public transporrt in Zagreb, subsidies for retirees, serving as an important measure that facilitates mobility and reduces living expenses. 

The city administration of the City of Zagreb, led by Mayor Tomislav Tomašević, raised the threshold for qualifying for free passes for individuals over 65 to 560 euros last year, thereby extending this right to over 20,000 fellow citizens.

With this decision to provide free ZET transportation for individuals over 65, approximately 159,000 people living in Zagreb will be covered, a number comparable to the total population of the city of Split.

“I am pleased to announce that, thanks to the recovery of the city’s finances, this year we are able to offer free ZET transportation to all Zagreb residents aged 65 and above. With this decision, we join a series of European cities such as Lisbon, Madrid, Ljubljana, Prague, or Budapest, which facilitate mobility for older people and reduce their cost of living,” said Mayor Tomašević.

This decision also aligns with the green orientation of this city administration, which aims to strengthen public transportation.

“During my tenure, 65 new buses have been purchased, along with 20 new and 11 used trams. Currently, there is a public tender process for the purchase of used buses and ZET vehicles for people with disabilities, and we intend to buy an additional 40 new trams and 100 buses powered by renewable energy sources. After more than 20 years, construction of new tram track sections will commence this year in Sarajevska and Heinzelova Street. Also, starting from May this year, riding the Sljeme cable car will be free for Zagreb residents,” Mayor Tomašević added.

Free ZET transportation for Zagreb residents aged 65 and above will be enabled through amendments to the Social Welfare Decision, which will be open for public consultation by the end of this week. 

The decision will be presented to city councillors in May, with the planned implementation starting from June 1st. To access free transportation, individuals will need to obtain a free ZET pass, which will be possible to obtain starting from April 15th. 

ZET will communicate all necessary details in a timely manner.