Stockholm public transport pass sales soar after price cut, but travel remains flat

Stockholm's public transport system, SL, has seen an unprecedented surge in monthly pass sales following a halving of prices on July 1. In July alone, over 503,000 monthly passes were sold, a substantial increase of nearly 220,000 compared to June. This price reduction, part of the Tidö parties' initiative, is set to last until the end of the year.

The dramatic rise in pass purchases, particularly in the week the price was lowered, indicates a strong public interest in using public transport. However, this sales boom has not translated into a proportional increase in actual travel. SL's validation data shows only a marginal rise in passenger numbers, with weekly validations hovering around eight to nine million, only slightly above last year's figures for the same period.

In contrast, sales of single tickets, which were not subject to the price reduction, have plummeted. In the first 28 days of July, only 5.2 million single tickets were sold, a sharp decline from 9.7 million in June. This suggests that many commuters are opting for the more economical monthly passes, even if they do not travel frequently enough to justify the cost.

Region Stockholm's transport administration anticipates a four percent increase in travel this autumn but acknowledges the uncertainty of this forecast due to the unique circumstances. The administration has allocated 100 million Swedish kronor to potentially expand services where demand increases. Traffic region councilor Jakop Dalunde (MP) stated that SL's ability to manage the consequences of the price cut has been hampered by its temporary nature and short notice.

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It is positive that more people have bought monthly passes for public transport. It shows that many people want to travel with public transport and then it is our job to meet that desire with expanded traffic.