Government Extends Free Travel and Launches New Pass
The Spanish Council of Ministers has approved this Tuesday an extension of public transport subsidies for the whole of 2026. This includes funding for the Canary Islands to maintain free travel on urban and intercity buses (‘guaguas’) and trams for regular commuters. Furthermore, it has given the green light to a new single travel pass, which integrates interregional buses, commuter trains, and medium-distance trains into one flat monthly fee of €60.
Major Investment in Sustainable Mobility
The Minister for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, explained in a press conference after the Council of Ministers that €1.371 billion will be allocated to finance both measures. The new single pass will be launched in the second half of January. It will be valid for state-run interregional buses, commuter trains, and medium-distance trains, with a flat fee of €60 (€30 for under-26s), as previously announced by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez.
Subsidies Extended Across All Transport Networks
The subsidies extended for 2026 establish that on state-run bus services, free travel for children (up to 14 years) will continue, alongside a 10-journey ticket with a 40% discount, and a monthly pass with a 50% discount (70% for young people up to 26). For regionally and locally managed public transport, state aid is extended, covering free travel for children, 50% discounts for young people up to 26, and a 20% discount on all other passes. Here, the government will fund the discount regardless of whether the competent regional or local authority decides to fund an additional 20%.
Specific Support for Island and Regional Commuters
Specific aid for regular commuters in territories like the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands is also maintained, guaranteeing free land-based public transport for frequent users. Similar support continues in Asturias and Cantabria with free commuter train travel for regular passengers. On Renfe services, current measures are extended, including the unlimited monthly pass for €20 (€10 for young people) and completely free travel for children under 14. Medium-distance and special Avant services will be free for children, while monthly passes and 10-journey tickets will have a 40% discount. On general Avant services, the 50% discount on 10-journey tickets is extended.
New Flexible Fares and Increased Discounts
Minister Puente also announced the new quarterly ‘Pase Vía’ pass for Avant services, which applies increasing discounts the more you travel, and the ‘Cronos’ system for commuter trains, offering 40% discounts from the fifth journey when paying with a bank card at the ticket barrier. The ‘Pase Vía’ will allow users to avoid paying upfront; instead, they pay for each ticket they buy, and the more journeys they make, the greater the discount. Discounts will range from 45% to 72%, preventing the loss of unused pre-paid journeys and ensuring payment only for trips actually taken. On medium-distance services on the metric gauge network, return journey discounts will increase from 7% to 20%, bringing them into line with the rest of the conventional network.
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