Sustainable mobility, eco-responsible travel in Luxembourg

Soft mobility, eco-mobility, sustainable mobility,… Behind these terms lie modes of transport that are less polluting for the planet and more eco-responsible. Hybrid or electric vehicles, use of bicycles or other non-polluting means of transport, what is the state of play in Luxembourg on this subject? What measures are in place to support the ecological transition in Luxembourg’s transport sector?

Are you planning to relocate to Luxembourg or have you just arrived? You can see for yourself just how much Luxembourg is committed to soft mobility. So why not try your hand at sustainable mobility, all the more so when the measures put in place are incentive-based? Find out more here.

Financial incentives for sustainable mobility

With an ever-increasing population due to the large number of expatriates and cross-border commuters, transport in Luxembourg is at the heart of the political debate. The challenge is not only to develop the region to make it easier for residents and visitors to get around, but above all to develop more environmentally-friendly forms of transport.

Up to 8,000 euros in government bonuses

As part of sustainable mobility, the government offers incentives of between 500 and 5,000 euros for the purchase of an electric or hybrid vehicle. This bonus can even go up to 8,000 euros under certain conditions.

Citizens with a rental or leasing contract can also take advantage of incentives for the purchase of an electric vehicle.

Buy an electric vehicle with the “Clever fueren” bonus

This government subsidy benefits buyers of new electric vehicles, to promote more eco-responsible mobility. Regularly renewed, this incentive demonstrates the government’s determination to continue promoting ever gentler mobility.

At a time when fuel prices are skyrocketing in Luxembourg and elsewhere, residents are very enthusiastic about this financial aid. Almost 43 million euros have already been paid out under the “Clever fueren” measure. 60% benefited electric car buyers. The bonus also benefits new bike buyers!

Any individual or legal entity can benefit, provided the vehicle purchased is registered in Luxembourg. The aid also applies to holders of a vehicle under a rental or leasing contract. The only condition is that the financial company that owns the vehicle waives this premium.

Electricity bonus of up to 8,000 euros!

This grant of up to 8,000 euros is for the purchase of a new electric vehicle:

a 100% electric car or van, not exceeding 18 kwh per 100 km,
an electric car, not exceeding 20 kWh per 100 km, with a maximum propulsion power less than or equal to 150 kilowatts,
a pure electric car for large families, with 7 to 9 seats
a pure electric van
or a hydrogen fuel cell car.

The vehicle must be put on the road before the end of 2024, and you must commit to keeping the electric vehicle for a minimum of 12 months.

Purchasers of 100% electric motorcycles, scooters and other quadricycles can benefit from a bonus of up to 1,000 euros (50% of the purchase price, excluding VAT).

The purchase of a bike or an electric bike can also give rise to a bonus of up to 600 euros.

Electric vehicles

Today, Luxembourg is more and more involved in an eco-responsible approach with a growing number of electric and hybrid vehicles.
As in the rest of the European Union, all new cars (except rare vehicles) will be compulsorily electric from 2035.

Charging electric vehicles with the Chargy and SuperChargy network

To support the development of electric cars, Luxembourg is building a comprehensive network of charging stations, including on the freeways.

To date, more than 700 Chargy and SuperChargy charging stations for electric vehicles are in operation across the country. The aim is to achieve a network of 1,600 sites for all types of electric vehicle.

Every municipality in Luxembourg is now equipped with Chargy public charging stations to promote electromobility. Parking lots, including the free P+R parking lots, are also equipped with electric charging points for vehicles.

After signing a contract with a charging service provider, users have access to the charging stations via the Chargy card and the chargy.lu website. They can then pay at the kiosks using a multifunctional Chargy mKaart smart card or a credit card.

The chargy.lu website offers various services, including locating and/or reserving charging stations.

Private charging stations for electric vehicles

People wishing to equip their homes with a private charging station can also benefit from a financial incentive of up to 50% of the investment.
To benefit, they must apply no later than 12 months after the last invoice issued in connection with the investment.
To find out more, visit Guichet.lu.

So, are you ready to act for the planet? You can also travel in an eco-responsible way with the carsharing and carpooling. Click here to learn more.

Think about the planet: get around by bike

Bike sharing

More and more Luxembourg cities are making self-service bicycles available on the “bike-sharing” principle. Users can borrow the bikes for urban journeys in complete freedom. For a fee, the user borrows the bike from an identified station. He can then drop it off at another station at his convenience.

Electric bikes with Vél’oh in Luxembourg City

In Luxembourg City, the company Vel’oh which offers self-service bicycles 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This makes iteasy and flexiblefor users to getaround the capital of Luxembourg . Vél’oh stations are located all over the city, close to shopping areas, places of interest and public transport zones. Today, over 1,000 bicycles await users at more than a hundred stations in Luxembourg City and the surrounding municipalities.

The Vel’oh bike-sharing systemworks exclusively on a subscription basis. For short periods of one week, users can take out a subscription directly at the Vél’oh terminal. For long-term subscriptions, you’ll need to register in advance online on the Vel’Oh website, with a deposit and direct debit from your bank account.

The first half-hour of each trip is free. The service is charged by the hour (€1/hour and €5 maximum per day) beyond the first 30 minutes.

Véloh stations are now equipped with electric bikes. The City of Luxembourg is thus the first European city to be equipped with electric bicycles. This is much appreciated on the climbs from the Pfaffenthal or the Grund…

By 2021, over 800,000 Vel’Oh rentals had taken place.This equates to a 400% increase since the service was introduced in 2018. Nearly 21,000 long-term subscribers were using Vel’oh for their daily commute in February 2022.

Bike rental at ” Vélo en ville “.

If you’d like to rent bicycles of different types and sizes, go to Vélo en ville in the Grund. Bikes can be rented by the day, weekend or week. Groups of 4 or more, children and young people under 26, are entitled to a 20% discount on bike hire.

More and more Luxembourg cities are equipping themselves with on-demand bicycle services. You will find all the information on the stransports portal .

Mbox, secure bike parking with mKaart

MBox offer secure spaces to protect bikes from vandalism. You’ll find“Mbox” bike cages near railway stations , including: Bettembourg, Colmar-Berg, Dudelange, Ettelbruck, Parking Däich, Kleinbettingen, Lorentzweiler, Luxembourg Gare centrale (North and South), Mersch, Noertzange, Roodt-sur-Syre, Schifflange and Wasserbillig.

Users can access these bike parks with the mKaart transport card. In the format of a credit card, the mKaart allows you to load your tickets electronically, valid on the entire Luxembourg public transport network.

The mKaart also provides access to public charging stations for electric cars.

Bicycle lanes and priority bicycles on certain streets

Today, 660 kilometersof cycle paths criss-cross Luxembourg’s national territory . Consult the geoportail. to find the bicycle paths for a bucolic visit of Luxembourg.

Local authorities are increasingly committed to improving cycle paths in their urban areas.

Some streets in the capital are now priority for bikes. Formally identified by road markings and signs, these streets give priority to cyclists. These can circulate on the whole width of the lane. Motorists must be patient and cannot pass bicycles.
These cycling zones are located in the districts of Bonnevoie, Gare, Belair, Pfaffenthal and Pülvermühl. Let’s hope that these priority routes for bicycles will be developed in the near future to promote and facilitate bicycle travel in urban areas even more.

Roads are increasingly equipped with special features to promote bicycle safety: continuous or crossing sidewalks at junctions for greater comfort, special traffic lights for bicycles, cycle lanes limited to 30 km/h where cyclists cannot be overtaken. These streets are identified by a wide colored stripe.

Rules of conduct for cyclists

The use of headphones (MP3, cell phone etc…) is prohibited. Do you know that? Wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injury by 75% and the risk of brain damage by 85%.
Riding a bike on the sidewalk is allowed for children up to 12 years old. An adult may also accompany them.
Make sure your bike is equipped according to the law. Your bike must be equipped with a bell, 2 brakes, front and rear, a yellow or white light at the front, a red reflector and a red light at the rear, reflectors on the wheels (2 per wheel) and on the pedals. The offender risks a fine between 49 and 74€.
Between dusk and dawn and during the day in case of poor visibility, the lighting of your bike is mandatory.
The sign with the bicycle symbol accompanied by “Except Frei” indicates the possibility to use one-way roads or to go on the bus lane.
Wearing a helmet is mandatory for children under 12 years old. A little advice: remember to wear a helmet even for children over 12 years old, and above all to fasten it properly! Buses and cars in Luxembourg drive very fast!

In addition, cars must maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 meters when overtaking a bicycle. Do you know the driving rules for cars?

Eco-responsible public transport

Free public transport in Luxembourg makes a major contribution to more responsible travel behavior within the country. Residents largely favor this mode of transport when they can.

Since 2007, all CFL passenger trains have been powered by electricity from renewable sources. Today, they run with zero CO2 emissions.

For its part, the City of Luxembourg is investing heavily in electric buses. The aim is to rapidly achieve a 30% electric bus fleet.

The tramway and the Mobility Plan 2035 encourage sustainable travel. The tramway now handles almost 80,000 passengers a day on the route between LuxExpo and Bonnevoie.