Almost like Groundhog Day, the announcement of a public transport pass to move around the country hits the headlines. He does so because Pedro Sánchez, in his press conference this morning, announced that in a month this single ticket for all of Spain will be active, which was already advanced in January of this year and about which there had been no further news.
All over Spain. It will be approved in the last Council of Ministers of this year, according to Pedro Sánchez, President of the Government, in a press conference this morning. The Price will be 60 euros per month but will be reduced to 30 euros for those under 26 years of age.
In his presentation, Sánchez confirmed that this pass will be available to travel on Cercanías and Media Distancia trains and on public buses. That is, high speed is out.
Some doubts. The Government has indicated that it will be available in “the second half of January” and that it will be used, as we said, for the aforementioned trains and buses. However, in the appearance, Sánchez indicated that “he calls on the Autonomous Communities to progressively join all regional and local public service networks.”
What does it mean? Although the Government has to give more details, everything indicates that the holders of these passes will only be able to travel on the Renfe trains that provide public services (including here Cercanías and Media Distancia) and the buses that also provide these public services defined by the State.
Therefore, it is not explicitly mentioned but everything indicates that municipal buses or metro or tram services, dependent on the cities or, in any case, on the Autonomous Communities, are excluded from this subscription. The same happens with the bus services provided by the latter.
Aids. In his statement, Pedro Sánchez assured that aid for public transport will be maintained. This aid has been active almost all year. They were announced in the last days of 2024 specifying that they would cost 1.6 billion euros. A few days after their application, they fell because the Congress of Deputies did not approve an Omnibus Decree that included the aid. Weeks later it was approved again after a new negotiation.
The point is that the aid was only maintained where the Autonomous Communities and municipalities confirmed that they co-financed the user aid. And the State only maintained the discount on the price of season tickets at 50% if the municipal or regional entity contributed 20% of that reduction.
The question is whether these aids will now be part of the negotiation so that the passenger continues to access the discounts. It remains to be seen whether the Government will use it as a pressure measure to get regional or municipal public transport to join the single ticket for all of Spain if they want to continue receiving aid to lower the ticket price for their travelers.
Background. Although it has been announced and a specific date has been set for its arrival, it is not the first time that the Government mentions the entry into force of this ticket. In January of this year, Óscar Puente, Minister of Transport, already indicated that the intention in 2025 was to define this new transport pass and have it prepared for its activation in 2026.
The measure is no exception in Europe, which has seen how this type of proposals gained strength with the Covid-19 crises and the economic damage caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In Germany this note has become available for 9 euros and after dying of success it has ended up settling at 58 euros. Austria has a very similar pass although in this case there are no restrictions on the chosen means of transport. Its price is 79 euros per month and a subscription of 110 euros/month allows you to travel with up to three children.
The main doubts that have been raised with this type of transport passes were collected Financial Times. And it is not entirely clear that increased travel will take drivers off the road. They point out in the economic newspaper that the increase in journeys was due to greater mobility of those who already used the train but that after the first call effect, drivers stayed in their cars.
Photo | European Union and Juan Enrique Giraldi
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