Portugal is launching a new €20 a month national rail pass as an ‘investment in the environment’

Lisbon: Announced by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in August this year, it will allow passengers to travel on nearly all urban, regional, inter-regional and inter-city services operated by state-owned rail company Comboios de Portugal (CP). The pass was approved by the country’s Council of Ministers on Friday.

Premium high speed tilting Alfa Pendular trains will not be included in the ticket and it isn’t valid on other forms of public transport like metros or light rail systems.

The new pass is less than half the price of the previous €49 unlimited monthly rail pass introduced last year which covers all regional trains. It is also less than half the price of other similar European national transport passes like the Deutschlandticket which will increase from €49 to €58 in 2025.

Not everyone is happy with the idea behind the new rail pass, though, with the CP Workers’ Commission saying it will be a financial disaster for the state-owned rail company and reveal its lack of capacity to respond to an increase in demand.

“To give you an idea of ​​the financial impact of this National Pass, €20 is less than a 2nd class ticket on an Intercidades train from Lisbon to Coimbra (€21.30 in 2nd class; €26.85 in 1st class),” the Workers’ Commission said in a statement.

The pass also won’t be valid on urban trains in the Lisbon and Porto Metropolitan Areas. This means it will be an additional cost for passengers who already pay for intermodal public transport passes in these areas – €30 for the Navegante Municipal in Lisbon or €40 for the Navegante Metropolitano in Porto.

A document seen by the Portuguese news agency Lusa suggests that on intercity services advanced seat reservation will also be mandatory at least 24 hours in advance. Passengers will be able to make two free seat reservations on two separate trips each day.

Montenegro said it was “an investment in people, an investment in the environment, an investment in the future”.

The Portuguese Prime Minister also added that the initiative was part of the country’s wider green mobility plan which aims to make the use of sustainable transport easier.

“Those who live in Braga and want to go to Porto or Aveiro, those who live in Aveiro and want to go to Leiria or Lisbon, those who live in Leiria and want to go to Lisbon or Faro, will have the opportunity, for €20 per month, to take advantage of the possibility of travelling on the Portuguese railway and, with that, be able to move around, protecting the environment,” he said in August.

There aren’t yet many further details about exactly when the pass will be available or who will be able to buy it. More information about how it will work is expected as part of a more extensive package of mobility measures from the government.

Previously scheduled to launch before the end of September, the government has now said it will be introduced before the end of the year following negotiations with CP to ensure an effective, safe implementation that guarantees the quality of the service.

Germany introduced its €49 Deutschlandticket in April last year, which allows for unlimited rail travel on regional services across the country’s network for a month. This led to an uptick in rail passengers during the first two months after it launched.

Deemed the “biggest public transport reform in German history,” questions have been raised over the long-term financial viability of the pass, and its price is set to increase by €9 from next year.

France launched the monthly France Pass this year which offers But it is only available to French residents age 27 and under and it doesn’t include high speed TGV trains or the Ile-de-France region.

In Austria, the €1,095 Klimaticket is accepted on all public transport throughout the country for one year. There are discounted prices for travellers under the age of 25 and over the age of 65 as well as people with diabilities. If you don’t need a ticket for the whole country, there are also regional Klimaticket’s valid in one or more named provinces.

Hungary offers a similar scheme through two types of travel cards. The national travel card allows you to use every bus and train line in Hungary operated by railway companies MÁV-START, MÁV-HÉV and GYSEV as well as services by the Volánbusz bus company. The only exception is municipal services. It costs around €49 for 30 days with students receiving a massive 90 per cent reduction in the price.

Hungary has also introduced county travelcards which allow you to use bus and rail services in one of the country’s 19 counties for around €25.