Free train travel in Spain: to tackle Spain's cost-of-living crisis, the Spanish Government is introducing 100% discounts on commuter and medium-distance train routes. From 1st September 2022, regular passengers on Madrid's Cercanías trains, Rodalies trains in Catalonia and on conventional "Media Distancia" (medium-distance trains) provided by Renfe will be able to benefit from the measure announced by the government that will make all travel cards completely free of charge. The measure will be in place until 31st December 2022. These are the details on how Spain is making some train journeys free from September.
Free train travel in Spain
According to MITMA, Spain's Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, some 75 million journeys will be made between all journeys during the period of free train tickets in Spain which will run until 31st December, "although it is expected that this figure will be even higher due to the effect of users switching to public transport thanks to this unprecedented measure", added the ministry headed by Raquel Sánchez.
Cercanías, Rodalies and Media Distancia will be free of charge
The services and tickets benefiting from the measure can be divided into two main groups:
- Train tickets will be free on Cercanías and Rodalies commuter trains in Madrid and Catalonia respectively, for all multi-journey tickets, excluding standard return journeys. The same will apply to Renfe Media Distancia trains, also for multi-journey tickets.
- Avant regional services will receive a 50% discount and transport that depends on the autonomous regions will receive a 30% discount on multi-journey tickets, in both cases. "The Government's measure aims to concentrate its effects on daily journeys to work or study", according to politicians.
Difficult economic context favouring a return to public transport
Representatives for Spain's Ministry of Transport have stated that "progress is being made in determining the details that will make it possible to define how season tickets can be purchased for frequent passengers. In addition, all the tools and systems have been activated so that it can be carried out in an agile, convenient and fast way for passengers".
The government has been highlighting the current economic context of high inflation, as the CPI rate reached 10.2% in June 2022, and in view of the extraordinary situation of sustained increases in energy and fuel prices, it is trying to boost the use of public transport.
According to the experts' calculations, and as reported by the Executive, for every journey from private vehicles to public transport, between 73% and 80% of CO2 emissions are saved, on average, if the journey is made by metro or train, "without forgetting other improvements in terms of pollution, congestion or greater road safety".