Aarhus fare cut could threaten regional bus services

Aarhus residents will be able to ride the city’s yellow buses for 15 kroner next year, a change that could cost regional bus services passengers and funding, DR reports.

Region Midtjylland, which operates blue buses across municipal boundaries, says the cheaper city tickets could lead to fewer departures and, in the worst case, the closure of some routes elsewhere in the region.

At present, city buses and regional buses cover many of the same routes in Aarhus Municipality, and fares are the same. A trip from Sabro to Aarhus, for example, costs 44 kroner on either regional bus 114 or city bus 14. When the city fare falls to 15 kroner, passengers could save 29 kroner by choosing the city bus.

Regional council member Jakob Fuglsang Andersen of the Socialist People’s Party said a loss of passengers would reduce revenue for the blue buses. He said the region would rather maintain its bus departures than lower fares across the region, which he said would require substantial service cuts.

The region has no precise estimate of the financial impact but expects it could amount to millions of kroner. It plans to seek compensation from Aarhus Municipality, said Per Møller Jensen, chair of the regional council’s committee for regional development.

Aarhus Mayor Anders Winnerskjold said the city had held constructive discussions with the region and was confident they could agree on a solution. He pointed to Herning, where free bus travel has been introduced for some groups, including young people and residents over 67.