Cologne residents to enjoy free public transportation next Saturday

News

Residents of the German city of Cologne will be able to use public transportation for free next Saturday, it was announced on the city’s official website. The campaign is financed by the Swiss insurance company Zurich Versicherung and aims to raise awareness about environmentally-friendly mobility, while at the same time providing an impetus to the local economy following the Covid-19 lockdown.

“At the start of the spring season, we as a Cologne-based company want to send out a positive signal for the local economy and at the same time for climate protection. That’s why we invite the citizens to rediscover the charms of their city as a place for shopping and pleasure,” says Jawed Barna, a member of the board of Zurich Versicherung. “At the same time, March 26th will be a ‘CO2 Reductions Day’, in which we whet the appetite for using public transport and help to significantly reduce CO2 emissions”.

The initiative includes free use of all buses, trams, and local trains, as well as Isi electric vehicles (on-demand public transport service). Locals and visitors will be able to enjoy free rides from Saturday at midnight to 03.00 on Sunday. Furthermore, they will also be able to bring a bicycle on board completely free of charge.

Zurich Versicherung relocated to Cologne-Deutz in 2019 and now employs over 2,100 people in Germany’s 4th largest city. Being an employer that highly values sustainability, the Cologne-based insurer aims to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 70% by 2030. By 2050, Zurich Versicherung hopes to have a climate-positive impact, it was stated in their press release.

The free public transportation campaign is made possible through the collaboration of the City of Cologne’s Transport Authority (KVB) and Zurich Versicherung.

“We are delighted about this great campaign, which sends a visible signal for climate protection and the importance of our offer for the transport turnaround,” says Anja Höhn, Head of Sales at KVB. (photo credit: Mika Baumeister/Unsplash)