Partygoers advised to plan ahead and enjoy free public transport

(Transport for London)

Revellers in several large cities will enjoy free travel home Thursday night, with extended or complimentary transport in operation to try to ensure members of the public get home safely.

In New York, CIROC vodka and rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs have partnered to distribute thousands of $15 (€10) prepaid cab fare cards, redeemable in any of the city's 13,000 taxicabs for partygoers trying to get home after the ball drops. The cards' value is approximately the cost of a single cab fare within New York City and MTA cards will also be handed out, providing a one-way subway or bus fare valued at $2.25 (€1.56). For the first time this year, the taxi cards will also be handed out in Las Vegas. CIROC representatives will act as distributors at key venues and high traffic locations in both cities between 20:00 and 23:00. The New York subway will run until 3 AM on January 1.

"New York stands as the world's icon for a New Year's Eve celebration and Las Vegas is the biggest party destination in the country," said Sean "Diddy" Combs. "By bringing this program to both of these great cities we will continue to show the rest of the country that a sophisticated holiday celebration doesn't end when the ball drops, but when everyone gets home safely."

In London, buses, Tubes, trams and overground services will be free between 23:45 until 04:30, with London Underground "Tube" services expected to run all night on New Year's Eve. The Mayor of London has announced that bus services on the night will be enhanced with 55 routes running throughout the night, which normally only run during the day.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: "Because we want everyone to be able to get home safely, we are making travel free. Unless you're going by bike, public transport will without doubt be the best way to travel."

Paris will also offer free travel on the metro, buses, trams and RER services operating from 17:00 on New Year's Eve to 12:00 on New Year's Day.

Authorities in all major cities expecting celebrations are advising party-goers to plan ahead and use public transport to get to and from events safely.

http://www.cirocvodka.com
http://www.mta.info/
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/
http://www.ratp.fr/