The matter in summary The price for a single ticket by bus or light rail in Bergen increases from NOK 44 to NOK 47, an increase of 6.8 per cent. This is the second price increase this year, and makes Bergen the most expensive city in the country for public transport. The price increase may affect people who can’t afford it, but many people understand that increasing bus operating costs leads to higher ticket prices. Vestland County Council has approved the price increase, and says that increased costs lead to increased ticket prices. The county director does not think the price increase will have a big impact, as the frequency of departures matters most to customers. Researchers at the Institute of Transport Economics (TØI) support this, and say that the demand for local public transport is relatively insensitive to price. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. From 1 August, you have to shell out NOK 47 for a single ticket by bus or train in Bergen, and for other journeys within a zone in Vestland county. This is an increase from NOK 44, which corresponds to 6.8 per cent. It will also be more expensive for period cards. This is the second price week this year. Until 1 February, the single ticket costs NOK 40. On 1 February, the price was raised to NOK 44, and now to NOK 47. Thus, they take over the top position among the big cities: There are different discount schemes, duration of the ticket and area of validity in the different cities. As the table shows, the price in Trondheim has actually decreased, after the county council has taken money from the so-called Environment Package. – Goes out on those with bad advice Among the passengers we met in Bergen today, there are different reactions. But many people understand that increased costs with bus operation lead to higher ticket prices. Stian Prestø is an avid user of the bus, both to and from work and in his spare time. – It’s just a matter of paying what they need. I have no problem paying it. But it affects people with bad advice. They are the ones who get hit. We have to be considerate of them, we can’t just think of ourselves, says Prestø. USES THE BUS OFTEN: Stian Prestø uses the bus several times a day. He has no problem paying a little more for his period card, but feels sorry for people who can’t afford it. Photo: Åge Algerøy / news Ida-Marie Kathenes has just moved home from Sweden, and intends to use the bus for some time in the future. – There are many things to consider when it comes to ticket prices. It’s fine for me to pay a little more, but it would probably be cheaper, she says. Pensioner Gunnar Bordvik thinks it has become expensive. But he has found that traveling by bus with a monthly pass is anyway much cheaper than driving a private car. – It is of course better if it had been cheaper. But the expenses for cars and tolls are also increasing, so it takes a lot before it pays to take the car, says Bordvik before he jumps on the bus. Ida-Marie Kathenes says that there are many considerations to be made when setting the ticket price, but that it is fine for her personally to pay a little more. Photo: Åge Algerøy / news – The most important thing is how often the bus runs Vestland county council has approved the price increase, following a proposal from the administration in the county. County director Rune Haugsdal says that increased costs lead to increased ticket prices. – It is the general price increase in society, which we all experience. Costs for personnel, drivers and fuel go up. We have to charge higher user fees when we have such a price increase as we currently have, says Haugsdal. He admits that the price increase may affect how many people use buses and light rail, but does not think the price increase will have a big impact. – It can turn out negatively, but all experience suggests that it is the frequency of departures that matters most to customers. Now it is not the case that we will thus have to adjust the rates up, almost continuously and indefinitely. But I still think that traveling by public transport is quite favorable in terms of price, says the county director. County director in Vestland, Rune Haugsdal, defends the price increase. Photo: Oddgeir Øystese / news – Can’t have galloping prices The Green Party (MDG) is not impressed that ticket prices keep getting higher. – If we are to solve the climate crisis, we must strengthen public transport, and then we cannot have galloping prices. Now it will pay off for more people to choose the car for work, and that means queues and worse city air, believes Thor Haakon Bakke, group leader in Bergen MDG. He wrote in an e-mail to news that both public transport prices and good and punctual travel offers are important for people to choose public transport over private cars. – This also has an important social aspect. One must be able to take the bus and participate actively in society regardless of the size of one’s wallet. Price is not everything The county council receives support from the Transport Economics Institute (TØI). – In general, the demand for local public transport is relatively insensitive to price. In other words, the use of public transport changes to a relatively small extent as a result of price changes, writes researcher Fredrik A. Gregersen at the institute in a comment to news. He also says that single tickets are normally considered to be slightly more price sensitive than monthly tickets. In other words, if the price increases by the same percentage, you will get a bigger drop in the number of single tickets than monthly tickets. Good reasons for price increases The researcher at TØI believes that it is understandable that some public transport companies have to increase ticket prices. – There is a general inflation of goods and services. That is why most public transport companies and county councils are debating how to cover increased expenses, writes Gregersen. He points out that it varies between different areas how much the ticket price makes up of the total revenue of the public transport companies, and how much is subsidiary. – For areas where the ticket income is a small part of the total income, the ticket prices may have to increase very much to cover higher expenses. Published 03.08.2024, at 10.27
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Bergen has more expensive bus tickets than all the big cities – news Vestland
