National €60 transport pass will launch on January 19, offering unlimited travel on state-run commuter trains and buses.
The flat-rate monthly ticket, announced by the Spanish government, will cost just €30 for those under 26.
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Furthermore, the Council of Ministers has approved extending existing public transport discounts throughout 2026.
National €60 Transport Pass Excludes Local Urban Services
Transport Minister Óscar Puente confirmed the new pass will not include local metro, bus, or tram services. Consequently, users will need two separate tickets for urban and intercity travel. “This is just the first step,” Puente explained. “We are far from the final objective of incorporating all urban centres and local transport into this pass.”
Meanwhile, current subsidies for regional and local transport will continue. These include free travel for children, 50% discounts for young people under 26, and 20% discounts on other passes. The ministry will now fund this 20% discount regardless of whether regional governments choose to add further subsidies.
New Flexible Passes Reward Frequent Travel
The government has also introduced two innovative new passes. The first is the ‘Pase Vía’, a quarterly pass for Avant high-speed services. It offers increasing discounts based on journey frequency, starting at 45% and rising to a maximum of 75%. Secondly, the ‘Sistema Cronos’ for commuter trains provides a 40% discount from the fifth journey onwards.
Both systems operate via credit card payments, eliminating upfront costs while rewarding regular use. This approach represents a significant shift towards more flexible, user-friendly ticketing. The measures follow other recent developments in Barcelona’s transport network, including the reopening of the metro train tender to manufacturer Alstom.
According to El Periódico, the discounts and passes will cost public coffers €1.371 billion this year. This adds to €9.290 billion already allocated since 2018. Minister Puente described this as “a historic, sustained budgetary effort with a direct impact on the daily lives of millions of people.”
Subsidies Drive Increased Public Transport Use
Since subsidies began in 2022, public transport use has increased by 23%. Monthly users now average over 420 million, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Moreover, more than 14 million free or discounted passes have been issued for commuter, medium-distance, and Avant services.
This represents approximately €1.5 billion in savings for rail users. Families have reduced their public transport spending by 75% compared to pre-discount levels. Some households have saved up to €5,000, according to Puente. The extended subsidies also maintain specific regional benefits, including free travel for regular commuters in the Canary and Balearic Islands.
The national €60 transport pass forms part of broader efforts to make sustainable travel more affordable. These initiatives complement local measures, such as the ongoing review of Catalonia’s low emission zones aiming for extension until 2030. Together, they represent a coordinated push towards greener urban mobility across Spain.
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