From 26 February the city of Vienna will trial a new app that’s designed to reward people who travel without a car. The app will enable users to log trips that involve walking, cycling and public transport, incentivising greener journeys with tokens that can be put towards tickets to the theatre, concerts, museums and art exhibitions.
Vienna is far from the first city to nudge its denizens towards planet-friendly transit. The Italian city of Bologna, for example, reduces pollution and congestion from April to September by encouraging the use of sustainable forms of transport – participants can enjoy free beers, ice creams and cinema tickets by using the Better Points app. Similarly, Silicon Valley’s Miles app launched in 2018 and has since been trialled in San Francisco and Pierce County, Washington, partnering with brands from Amazon to Starbucks to provide rewards. Of course, walking and cycling is good for your health and wellbeing – but it doesn’t hurt if it leads to a cultural bonus too.
Source: Monocle Minute / Image: Vienna Now Foever
