Overview of Transport Discount Initiatives Across Regions
Millions of public transport users across urban and intercity networks — metro, bus, and trams — will see fare reductions starting this Thursday through year-end. Discounts range from 30% to 50% of monthly pass prices, supported by national funding and regional contributions in places like Madrid, Barcelona, Galicia, and Bizkaia, with some areas offering up to 100% in specific cases such as La Palma and Palma. These reductions apply to monthly transport passes and, in many instances, to a set of travel bonuses as part of a broader effort to cushion households from the economic impact of the war in Ukraine.
The initiative includes central coordination for Renfe Cercanías and Rodalíes in Catalonia, as well as media-distance multi-trip passes. It is designed to assist residents as part of the National Plan to mitigate the social and economic consequences of the crisis, ensuring that transport remains affordable while continuing to serve daily needs.
Overall, discounts exceed 30%, with some regions reaching 40% or even 100% in particular cities such as Malaga. The program extends to affiliated cities under this state-backed scheme, including Seville, Zaragoza, Valladolid, A Coruña, Granada, Santiago de Compostela, Cáceres, and Toledo, with Palma and La Palma benefiting from a concerted effort among different levels of government.
Madrid
Within the Community of Madrid, which operates under a unified fare system, the discount reaches 50% for monthly transport passes. For the youth segment, those under 26 can access a 30-day Youth Pass for as little as 10 euros, enabling travel across the entire region.
Officials explain that Metro de Madrid will implement the fare reductions while maintaining regular service. The discount applies to monthly subscriptions rather than individual travel tickets, contingent on ongoing government authorization.
Catalonia
The Barcelona Metropolitan Transport Authority ATM will offer 50% off the T-Usual monthly pass for metropolitan services and the T-Young option, while T-Casual, which covers ten individual trips, will see a 30% reduction.
Municipalities such as Sant Cugat del Vallès have also reduced the price of multi-journey city buses by half, reinforcing the regional commitment to affordable mobility.
Galicia
The Galicia region will provide up to a 50% discount on public transport fares as part of the regional response to rising costs and reduced ridership. The decrease applies to road passenger transport, sea crossings in the Vigo estuary, and the Ferrol area’s proximity trains, restricted to users of Xunta metropolitan transport cards or multi-trip passes.
Basque Country
The Bizkaia Transport Consortium CTB approved a 50% discount on all temporary titles and on cards such as Bafir, Creditans, Gizatrans, and Bidai. An additional government contribution of 20% to 30% will be matched by the Basque Government and the Bizkaia Provincial Council, with reductions also extending to Renfe services where applicable.
Balearic and Canary Islands
The government reached an agreement to boost discounts for Balearic and Canary Island residents, potentially raising them to 50% on various fares and multi-trip tickets for buses given the unique isolation challenges faced by these communities.
In the Balearic Islands, the Ministry of Transport and regional government will support up to a 100% discount on transit and multi-trip tickets for the Mallorca train network. For Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera, support will gradually extend to reach discounts up to 50% as conditions allow. Palma and Menorca will see further enhancements with the city council stepping in to cover part of the difference for local bus subscriptions from September onward, ensuring users face little to no cost increase.
On the Canary Islands, the protocol includes enhanced government assistance to boost discounts on subscriptions and multi-trip tickets to 50%, with the exception of El Hierro, where public transport remains free. The Cabildo de La Palma will add a further 50% to the national subsidy for bus and tram fare reductions on the island, reinforcing the regional commitment to affordable mobility.
Asturias
Asturias introduces a new pricing framework through the Conecta platform, offering unlimited train and intercity bus travel within the community for 30 euros per month. This program delivers an 86% fare reduction and is designed to provide stable, predictable costs for travelers in the region.
Other regions
Across at least twenty-six Andalusian municipalities with routes operated by the Autonomous Administration, a 30% state-funded discount will be applied to fares. Seville’s Tussam network will see a 30% reduction, enabling millions of trips at a now more accessible price and a typical ride cost around 0.39 euros.
Across the Valencian Community, a 30% reduction will apply to subscriptions and multi-trip tickets managed by Generalitat, including Valencia Metropolità Transport Authority, SUMA tickets, Alicante TAM region, Castelló TRAM, and TRAM d’Alacant. Additionally, the government subsidy will extend to money and temporary tickets for urban transport in Pamplona, aligning with the winter schedule and benefiting roughly 45,000 residents.