Thursday, 12 June 2025, 13:17
Public transport in Spain has experienced a spectacular rise in use since the end of the coronavirus pandemic. State aid to encourage the public to return to this mode of transport after two years of decline due to the health crisis has increased the number of passengers on urban, intercity and inter-regional transport. The Spanish government’s Ministry of Transport has prepared a new plan that will come into effect on 1 July, but the universal subsidies in place since September 2022 will no longer be accepted as before.
These subsidies are about to end at what has been a golden moment for public transport, although industry sources are confident that the various state aid schemes – more targeted at, and directed by, age group – will continue to maintain positive figures. Public transport use fell by 4% in April, but in the first four months of the year it had increased by 2% compared to 2024. A total of 1.92 billion passengers travelled by different modes of public transport in the first four months of the year, 13% more than before the pandemic.
Urban public transport (metro and bus) has seen its passenger numbers grow by 14% since 2019, with a 2.6% increase in the last year. Meanwhile, Cercanías (commuter) trains have also increased their journey numbers, thanks to state subsidies, to 204 million passengers from January to April, slightly lower than the figure for 2024 but 5% higher than pre-pandemic figures. Medium-distance trains (formerly called the regional rail service) have soared by 48% since 2019 thanks to season tickets that allowed travel for 20 euros for four months between communities. In total, 15.7 million people travelled on a ‘Media Distancia’ train in the first four months of the year.
The situation will change starting 1 July. On the one hand, transport managed by regional and local authorities (primarily urban and intercity services) will continue to offer a discount on single and multi-trip tickets, but the subsidy will drop from 60% to 40% of the price. It is up to each region to decide, but now the region will finance 20% of this aid (until 30 June it was 30%) and the community will finance the other 20% to achieve the 40% reduction in each case. The Ministry of Transport will activate a package of 355 million euros to finance this new discount scheme. For example, in the region of Madrid, the monthly season ticket for zone A will go from 21.80 euros to 32.70 euros as of 1 July.
The big news from 1 July is that urban and intercity journeys will be free for children up to the age of 15 throughout Spain.
Inter-regional travel will also have a different discount and there will be different discounts for bus travel instead of rail travel.
Train travel
For rail travel, the thousands of passengers who have been travelling free of charge on certain routes since the end of 2022 with Renfe season tickets will now see fare changes. The new model will mean paying for each journey again, but with discounts on the original cost.
– Conventional medium-distance trains: 40% discount on the standard fare with a season ticket valid for one month from first use. Young people aged 15-26 will receive a 50% discount and those under 15 years of age will receive a free six-monthly season ticket until the end of 2025.
–Avant trains: The 50% discount on the ticket price will remain in effect until the end of the year.
– Cercanías (commuter) trains: A single ticket is being created for all areas and stations used in Spain, with a monthly fare of 20 euros for regular users. Young people aged 15 to 26 will pay 10 euros and children under 15 years of age can take out this pass completely free of charge.
To be eligible for these, you must obtain the ‘Renfe&tú’ (Renfe & You) card with a photograph of the cardholder. This can be acquired on Renfe’s website or at Cercanías stations.
In addition, multi-person passes for 10 medium-distance journeys will receive a 40% discount and will be valid for one year from first use. This discount will also apply to Avant services between Madrid-Salamanca, La Coruña-Ourense and Murcia-Alicante.
Bus travel
There will be different types of bus passes depending on the number of journeys and passenger age.
– Young people up to 15 years old: A personal pass for free bus travel between regions for the entire second half of this year.
– Young people aged 15 to 26: A personal pass with a 70% discount for 30 days of travel with a single origin and destination.
– Monthly adults: A personal pass with a 50% discount for 30 days travel with a single origin and destination.
– Adult annual: A season ticket for ten journeys to be used over 12 months with a 40% discount on a single origin and destination. It is not a named pass, so several people can join together and use this pass even on the same trip.
These passes are purchased on the website of the relevant bus company. You must register because most of them are personal passes. When asked, the bus companies’ association said that they do not yet have the numbers on how many passengers have already bought these discount passes that will come into effect on 1 July.
