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STAVANGER

Everything you need to know about Stavanger’s free public transport scheme

Public busses, trains and boats in Stavanger, Sola, Randaberg and most of Sandnes municipality have become free for residents, with some 40,000 people registering for the scheme already.

Published: 26 June 2023 15:58 CEST
Updated: 3 July 2023 10:27 CEST
Pictured is Stavanger.
Stavanger will make all public transport free for residents. Pictured is Stavanger. Photo by Gunnar Ridderström on Unsplash

Up to 200 million kroner has been put aside by Stavanger Municipality to make public transport in the city, in southwest Norway, completely free for its residents. 

The system came into force at 7am on July 3rd.

Stavanger Municipality has introduced the scheme to try and ensure that 70 percent of all journeys in the area take place on foot, by bicycle or on public transport. 

Who can take advantage of the scheme? 

The scheme is for residents of Stavanger Municipality only. While the offer covers transport to other municipalities, neighbouring municipalities to Stavanger did not wish to partake in the scheme. For those required to pay still, a single ticket in Stavanger costs 46 kroner, and a monthly ticket sets travellers back 630 kroner. 

Those with an official residential address in Stavanger can register with the municipality to be eligible to use and collect free tickets. The municipality will be using information from the National Population Register. Therefore, your address in the population register will also need to be correct and up to date. 

Unfortunately, this means tourists will not benefit from the scheme. Those travelling with bicycles, regardless of whether they get a free ticket for themselves, will need to buy a separate ticket for their bike using the Kolumbus ticket app. 

How will it work? 

Despite public transport being free, users will still need a valid ticket. This is done so the travel company responsible for the region, Kolombus, knows how much to charge Stavanger Municipality in lost ticket revenues. 

Those who qualify for free tickets can travel across the Nord-Jæren travel zone. This covers Stavanger, Sola, Randaberg and most of Sandnes. Forsand is not part of this zone. Kolumbus has an overview of its travel zones online. 

Tickets are available via the municipality’s website. The municipality offers free monthly tickets, youth tickets, week passes, and day passes for up to 2 adults and three children. 

To sign up for the scheme, users must log in once with a MinID/BankID electronic ID. After users have registered and the scheme is live, they will only be required to enter their phone number to log into the free ticketing solution. 

Users will then receive a link via text and will need the Kolumbus Billett app to access the ticket. Those without a smartphone can opt to use a Kolumbus travel card, which costs 50 kroner to buy. 

Travellers who cannot show a valid ticket to inspectors, free or paid for, can expect to face a fine for failing to produce a ticket. 

A number of places will be showing residents with or without smartphones how to register for tickets. These are, Kolumbus’ customer centre at Byterminalen (until July 14th), Sølvberget July 3rd – July 7th, 11:00am – 2:00pm, Innbyggerservice in Olav Kyrres gate 23, Monday–Friday 08:30am–3:00pm and Innbyggertorget in Vikevåg, Monday–Friday 08.30am–3:00pm.

How long will the scheme last? 

Stavanger Municipality hasn’t set an end date for the scheme. Instead, it will run the scheme until the money it has set aside to pay for it has been spent. 

Currently, the local authority estimates that there is enough money in the pot for the scheme to last between eight and 12 months. Stavanger Municipality advises that the scheme will last longer if people only buy the tickets they need. 

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EES PASSPORT CHECKS

EES border checks could undergo ‘soft launch’, UK says as app concerns mount

The UK government is preparing for a "soft launch" of the new EU border system – the Entry/Exit (EES) system - in October but authorities are still waiting for European Commission to confirm the start date, amid concerns over the delay of a new app.

Published: 4 May 2024 09:30 CEST
EES border checks could undergo 'soft launch', UK says as app concerns mount

The government is working on the assumption that the system will go live on October 6th, ministers told a hearing at the House of Commons European scrutiny committee this week.

But the European Commission is expected to confirm the exact launch date of the new biometric checks for non-EU travellers entering the Schengen area at some point this summer, they added.

“We are very much working on a basis whereby this policy will go live on the 6th of October. It is important that we plan for that eventuality. We are expecting to hear definitively from the European Union that ‘go live’ arrangement in the summer,” Tom Pursglove, UK Minister for Legal Migration and the Border told the committee.

The parliamentary committee is conducting an inquiry on the disruptions the system will cause in the UK.

Pursglove also said that “precautionary measures” have been agreed by the EU, that will be put in place in certain circumstances after the start of EES, for example if delays at the borders exceeded a certain length of time.

Guy Opperman, Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, said that in practice this meant a “soft launch” of EES for 6 months before “a full go live”. During that soft launch EU member states and the UK could deploy flexibility measures should problems occur.

“The likelihood is, after multiple delays, that the 6th of October will proceed” and the implementation looks “very different” compared to previous scenarios considering the flexibility allowed in the first 6 months, he argued.

No details were given on what these “flexible” measures would involve however. 

READ ALSO: Your questions answered about Europe’s EES passport checks

He conceded that “a lot of work” still needs to be done but the UK “should be as ready as everybody” and “better be at front of the queue”.

App not ready

During the meeting, it also emerged that a much-anticipated app that would allow remote pre-registration of non-EU citizens subject to the checks will not be available for testing until August “at best”, prompting concerns about the EES launch date.

“You don’t need to be a sceptic about future projects to think that the provision of the app in August for going live in October is optimistic,” Opperman said.

Ministers confirmed that the app will not be ready in time for October and the committee previously stated it might be delayed until summer 2025.

The app will facilitate pre-registration, but photo and fingerprints will still have to be taken at the border in front of a guard, the committee heard.

READ ALSO: How do the EU’s new EES passport checks affect the 90-day rule?

Several MPs asked whether the entry into operation of the EES should be delayed again if technology is not ready. But Under-Secretary Opperman said the app “is not going to be a panacea to fix all problems”.

The main aim of EES is to increase security and to ensure that non-EU nationals visiting the Schengen area for a short-term do not stay more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

The entry into operation of the system has already been delayed several times and there have been calls from certain travel companies and national authorities to delay it again.

Under the new scheme, non-EU/EFTA travellers who do not need a visa will have to register their biometric data (finger prints and facial images) in a database that will also record each time they enter and exit the Schengen area.

Instead of having passports manually stamped, travellers will have to scan them at self-service kiosks before crossing the border. However, fingerprints and a photo will have to be registered in front of a guard at the first crossing and there are concerns the extra time needed will generate long queues, especially in Dover, Folkestone and St. Pancras station in London, where there are juxtaposed French and UK border checks.

Progress in preparations

Minister Pursglove also updated MPs on ongoing preparations. He said some testing of the system will take place within days, 5 kiosks have been installed at St. Pancras station and are available for testing. “You are beginning to see the physical infrastructure appear,” he said.

Kiosks and extra lanes are also being created at the port Dover and it was agreed with the EU passengers travelling by coach will be checked away from the Eastern dock, where controls usually take place, allowing to gain space. The vehicles will then sealed and drive on the ferries.

MPs also discussed the infrastructure cost linked to the introduction of the EES. Opperman said all EU countries will have to make “huge investments” in their ports. In the UK, he argued, this will help “address problems that have existed for some time”. Because of this “massive investment”, in a few years time “Dover will be totally transformed,” he said.

This article is published in cooperation with Europe Street News.

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