Ferry prices to and from the island have increased by more than 50 percent since 2017, and permanent residents have protested.
The state pays for parts of Gotland's ferry traffic with several hundred million kronor each year. Now more money is being allocated in the spring budget amendment, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) and Minister of Infrastructure Andreas Carlson (KD) announced during a ferry trip to the island.
Our ambition is for this to be a permanent solution. We can't say exactly how much cheaper it will be, but we expect it to be a couple of hundred kronor, says Kristersson.
“Historic message”
The support will go to those who are registered on Gotland and the ambition is that it will result in lower ticket prices starting this summer.
This is historic news - good news for Gotland, says Andreas Carlson.
When traffic was given an extra 20 million kronor in 2024, the average ferry ticket became 100 kronor cheaper. The government is also looking at how ticket prices can be reduced in the long term, through a review of the tonnage tax system.
Important for the defense
We want to make it attractive to live permanently on Gotland. But Gotlanders must also be able to travel to the mainland, says Ulf Kristersson.
Everyone else who visits Gotland for other reasons will have to pay a slightly higher fare.
The Prime Minister also mentions the island's strategic defense importance.
At the same time, the price of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has increased sharply after the war in Iran, but Destination Gotland CEO Håkan Johansson has said that the increased energy prices should not affect ticket prices.
