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Concert tickets used as incentive for car-free travel in Vienna

Concert and museum tickets are being used to incentivise people living in Vienna, Austria to use car-free travel via an app launching its trial period next month.

The test will begin on February 26 and will track 1,000 users on whether they take public transport, cycle or walk in the city.

The app works through a tracking system that recognises the mode of transport used and calculates the CO2 savings in comparison to taking a car.

When people save 20 kilograms of CO2, which equates to an average of two weeks of commuting without a car, they are awarded one token.

The tokens can be exchanged for free tickets at four participating cultural institutions, including the Vienna Museum of the city’s history, an art exhibition space, a theatre and a classical concert venue. In the initial test phase the participating institutions will not be compensated.

“We want to reward CO2 reduction with a cultural experience,” Vienna city council member Peter Hanke told a press conference, AFP reports.

Following the six-month test, the app could be rolled out to the broader public of 1.8 million inhabitants in the autumn.

Vienna currently issues annual travel cards for public transport for just one euro per day.