Euro 2008 ticket holders to get free travel

GENEVA (AFP) - Ticket holders at Euro 2008 will enjoy free public transport throughout Austria and Switzerland, the first time that such a step has been taken at a major sports event, the organisers said Thursday.

Tickets will cover free rides on buses, trains and lake ferries in both countries on their match day and for 12 hours thereafter, even over long distances, Euro 2008 SA said in a statement.

"It is important to manage the enormous amount of traffic that will be generated by Euro 2008 in the most environmentally-friendly way possible," Austrian Transport Minister Werner Faymann said.

The organisers are aiming to get the majority of fans, officials and the media onto public transport in June 2008.

Fans without match tickets will be able to buy special cut price passes during their stay.

Services on local and national transport networks in Austria and Switzerland will also be expanded during the tournament, including overnight services which are normally sparse, the organisers said.

The tournament from June 7 to 29, 2008, will be spread out over eight venues in the two countries, ranging from the western Swiss city of Geneva to the Austrian capital, Vienna, some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) further east.