Free Penang Bus Rides To Continue In 2025 - Exco

The Penang government has announced an expansion of its popular Pas Mutiara initiative, providing RM7 million to fund 280,000 passes by 2025. This program assures that Rapid Penang bus services remain free of charge throughout the state for another year.

The Pas Mutiara My50 unlimited travel pass, which was issued in March 2021 with an allotment of 100,000 passes (equivalent to RM3 million), was renewed in 2022 and has been in force since then, intended to alleviate commuter burdens during the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the New Straits Times, as of November, 194,497 passes had been registered for or renewed for 2024, with an average of 17,682 new subscriptions every month.
In addition, Penang would continue to operate 15 complimentary CAT Bridge buses in 2025. Five buses will run the CAT 14 route from Bukit Mertajam to Komtar, and ten buses will run the CAT 13 route from Seberang Jaya to Bayan Lepas.

The initiative is a component of Penang's larger initiatives to encourage public transit, lessen traffic, and cut down on commuting expenses. Zairil Khir Johari, the member of the state infrastructure and transport exco, stressed that subsidies for public transport not only lessen the financial strain on locals but also help them save money on tolls, parking and petrol.