As of this Tuesday, public transport becomes free in the municipality of Viseu for residents aged 24 and over. The measure covers the MUV, STUV and MOBI Viseu Dão Lafões services, provided that the journeys are made within the geographical limits of the municipality. The initiative was created by the Viseu City Council and joins other regimes already in force at national level for young people up to 23 years old and veterans.
The free use of transport is not automatic. To benefit from the support, passengers must have the Passe Residente Viseu, created specifically for this purpose. Although they do not pay for journeys, users are still required to validate the pass whenever they board buses, which serves to record usage and adjust the transport supply to the population's needs.
Anyone who does not yet have a transport title should go to a service point of the operators, presenting an identification document and proof of tax domicile in the municipality of Viseu. Tax Authority certificates, electronic proof of address associated with the Citizen Card, or residence certificates from parish councils are accepted. The issuance of the pass has a one-time cost of five euros.
There is also an important detail: anyone who wishes to use services from more than one operator needs two separate passes, which raises the cost to ten euros. The Passe Residente Viseu is valid for one year, with automatic monthly renewal, and at the end of that period beneficiaries will have to prove again that they maintain their tax domicile in the municipality. The council hopes the measure will help reduce the burden of household expenses, encourage the use of public transport, and improve mobility in the municipality.
