Sales of 30-day public transport tickets have risen sharply across Sweden after prices were temporarily cut in half from July 1. In Västra Götaland, sales in July were 294 per cent higher than a year earlier, while Uppsala recorded an increase of 148 per cent.
Stockholm has seen the same pattern. More than 573,000 monthly tickets were sold there in July, more than twice as many as in July 2025. However, the figures do not necessarily mean that passenger numbers have increased at the same rate, as many existing travellers may simply have switched from single tickets to much cheaper 30-day passes.
Västra Götaland records a 294% increase
TV4 Nyheterna contacted regional public transport authorities after the first full month of the temporary price reduction.
The largest increase among the regions highlighted by TV4 was in Västra Götaland, where sales of 30-day tickets in July were 294 per cent higher than during the same month in 2025.
Uppsala recorded an increase of 148 per cent. TV4 also reported higher sales in regions including Kronoberg, Sörmland and Värmland.
The size of the increase comes after a major reduction in what regular passengers have to pay.
At Västtrafik, a standard adult 30-day ticket for one zone currently costs SEK 445, compared with SEK 890 before the temporary reduction.
A ticket covering all three Västtrafik zones, ABC, has fallen from SEK 2,040 to SEK 1,020.
People registered as residents of Gothenburg can receive an additional municipal subsidy on a Zone A ticket. This brings the price down further to SEK 305 for an adult 30-day pass purchased under the scheme.
Uppsala monthly ticket now costs SEK 575
The price difference is similarly large in Uppsala.
A standard adult UL 30-day ticket currently costs SEK 575, down from the regular price of SEK 1,150.
The combined UL+SL 30-day ticket, used for travel involving both Uppsala and Stockholm public transport, has been reduced from SEK 2,080 to SEK 1,040 for an adult.
Discounted UL tickets are also included. A standard discounted 30-day ticket currently costs SEK 425.
The temporary prices apply to eligible tickets activated no later than December 2, with their validity ending no later than December 31, 2026.
More than 573,000 monthly tickets sold in Stockholm
The effect of the price reduction is also clearly visible in Stockholm.
Figures from SL published by local news site Mitt i show that 573,458 monthly tickets were sold in July 2026.
That compares with:
- 279,299 in July 2025
- 278,069 in July 2024
- 271,442 in July 2023
The change was immediate. On July 1 alone, 117,600 monthly tickets were sold, according to the same SL statistics.
At the same time, sales of single tickets fell sharply.
SL sold 6,055,236 single tickets in July 2026, compared with 7,383,918 a year earlier. That is a decrease of almost 1.4 million tickets.
This makes the sales figures important to interpret carefully. A person who previously bought several single tickets each week may now find a monthly pass cheaper. In that case, monthly ticket sales increase without necessarily representing a new public transport passenger.
The current adult price for a regular SL 30-day ticket is SEK 530. The discounted price for eligible pensioners, students and young people is SEK 325.
Stockholm prepares for more passengers in autumn
A clearer picture of the effect on actual travel is expected after the summer holiday period, when more people return to work and schools and universities reopen.
Region Stockholm is already preparing for the possibility of higher demand.
Jakop Dalunde, the Green Party transport regional councillor in Stockholm, told TV4 that the region had previously decided to expand public transport by around 100,000 additional departures during 2026.
He also said another SEK 100 million is being added to help deal with the increased travel that the lower prices are expected to generate.
Earlier information reported by Mitt i said the regional transport administration had estimated that the price reduction could increase travel by around 10 per cent. No comparable rise in passenger numbers has yet been confirmed.
TV4 also spoke to passengers with different views on the temporary offer. Some said they intended to use public transport more while prices remain low, but would not necessarily continue after the discount ends. Others said the lower price was not enough to persuade them to stop using their cars.
Sweden is spending SEK 6.5 billion on the discount
The price reduction is part of a temporary national support programme introduced on July 1.
According to the Swedish government, SEK 6.5 billion has been allocated to the scheme.
Regional public transport authorities receive compensation based on the actual number of eligible monthly tickets sold at the reduced price. Naturvårdsverket, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, is responsible for assessing applications and paying the grants.
To qualify, eligible monthly tickets must be sold at 50 per cent of the price that had been decided on May 1, 2026.
The support also applies to reduced-price monthly tickets, including tickets for groups such as students and pensioners.
Ordinary single tickets are not included.
The programme is temporary. Monthly tickets supported by the scheme must start no later than December 2, or otherwise have a validity period ending no later than December 31, 2026.
The first month therefore shows a clear change in what type of tickets people are buying. Whether cheaper monthly passes also produce a lasting increase in the number of people choosing buses, trains, trams and other public transport should become clearer as normal commuting patterns return during the autumn.
