Currently, public transport in Tartu is free for certain groups. For example, people aged 65 and older, as well as people with disabilities, can travel for free.
The Center Party's Tartu mayoral candidate Anneli Ott said that public transport in Tartu should be free for all residents. Ott said that this has worked in Tallinn and brought more people there.
The EKRE Tartu mayoral candidate Merike Lumi does not support the idea of completely free public transport. However, the free travel option could be extended to all school-going children in Tartu.
The Social Democrats' Tartu mayoral candidate Elo Kiivet said that not everyone needs free public transport. But it could be free for young people because Tartu is a university city.
The Isamaa Tartu mayoral candidate Tõnis Lukas said that the quality of public transport is more important. Lukas said that free public transport in Tartu is not currently planned.
The Reform Party member and current mayor Urmas Klaas said that public transport needs to be developed. Klaas said that the city needs investments to extend bus lines to neighboring municipalities.
The Eesti 200 Tartu mayoral candidate Kristina Kallas does not believe in free public transport. Kallas said that this could lead to a rise in land tax for Tartu residents in the future.