Just like for schools, healthcare, roadwork and every other _public_ systems/infrastructures in most European countries.
Everyone is better off that way, I pay for roads and public transport I very seldom use, but other people paid for my education and my medications. At least I won't die because I can't afford insulin or go bankrupt if I have any semi serious disease/accident.
At the end of the day that's exactly how any insurance work, everyone give in all the time and a very small portion of the population gain from it at any point in time.
Public transportation is a public good you receive benefits from even if you don't directly use it; cleaner air, less congestion reducing transit times, and a happier populace.
Or anotherway to put it: now public transport receive the same subsidies as private cars. With cars hogging free public roads, polluting the air with their inefficiency, and filling cities with subsidies parking
The current ticket sale only covers 8% of total cost.
"Luxembourg's public transport system covers the whole country and costs $562 million (€508 million) per year to run. Each year, it generates around $46 million in ticket sales, according to the ministry."
$46 mil is still a lot given the gov't tax revenue is only $25 billion / year, but I'm sure they also calculated plenty of upsides when they made the decision.
In Europe, you might use a car if you're out in the country, but you still use transport. Historically car transport was subsidised anyway - because it makes sense to do so.
The number of people who walk everywhere is minuscule (and even then you're using maintained footpaths).
Most transit systems are taxpayer subsidized as it is.
SV's VTA has never gotten more than 15% of operating costs from fares, with zero going to fixed cost or interest.
Everyone is better off that way, I pay for roads and public transport I very seldom use, but other people paid for my education and my medications. At least I won't die because I can't afford insulin or go bankrupt if I have any semi serious disease/accident.
At the end of the day that's exactly how any insurance work, everyone give in all the time and a very small portion of the population gain from it at any point in time.