Sánchez announces the extension in 2026 of transport aid and a single pass for Cercanías and regional trains but without Metro or bus
The President of the Government, Pedro Sanchezannounced this Monday the extension during 2026 of current aid for public transport and that as of January 15, a “single subscription”which will allow travel throughout the country on trains Cercanías and Media Distancia and in buses of state competition but which, however, leaves out the Metro or urban bus networksbecause at the moment it has not been possible to add the regional and municipal administrations to this program.
As explained in the balance sheet press conference for the year, it will be a “flat rate” of 60 euros per month for the general population and 30 euros for “young people” and it could mean for those who can use it on the included means of transportation up to a saving of “almost 60%” per month of what they spend on transportation.
Furthermore, he added, in the Council of Ministers on December 23, “transport aid will be extended”. According to government sources, it is a extension for all of 2026 of current aid, which the Ministry of Transport is still fully outlining to include in the royal decree law that the Government will approve next week and which must then be validated by Congress.
If all transport aid is extended as it currently exists – since the last reduction that came into force on July 1 – the discount on transportation would be extended in 2026. up to 40% of transport passes and 50% for youth passes, for which the central government will be able to provide 20%, which must be complemented with another minimum reduction of 20% by the regional governments. will continue to be free subscription up to 14 years old, in this case, until now financed entirely by the Ministry.
In the same way, the monthly pass to travel on the Cercanías for 20 euros per month and discounts of between 40 and 70% on state-owned interregional buses.
The decree that will be approved next week will also foreseeably extend the 50% discount for the Avant train pass and others from Media Distancia and also 50% in the case of 10-trip tickets.
Single decaffeinated subscription
Although it is foreseeable that the current aid for public transport will be extended to next year, what has remained The “unique subscription” has been more decaffeinated. Initially, the idea of the Ministry of Transportation was to create a tool in the image and similarity of the one that exists in Austria or the one that will come into full force in Germany on January 1, which allows travel for a fixed amount per month throughout the country on any means of public transportalso excluding high speed.
In Spain, however, it will be seen limited to state-owned means of transportation, that is, trains Renfe of Cercanías and Media Distancia -not high speed- and of the buses that travel the State lines under the jurisdiction of the MinistryThat is, they make routes between different autonomous communities. The networks are excluded from this flat rate. Metro or city busesbecause at the moment there is no agreement with the autonomous communities to integrate them.
Sánchez assured this Monday that the single pass is “a very strong commitment to sustainable mobility and to the middle and working class, because it is a saving for the pockets of many families”, but he has estimated “two million” citizens who will be able to benefit of it, those who frequently move between different provinces. “A worker who goes every day from Vigo to Santiago or from Jerez to Seville You can save up to almost 60% of your monthly spending on public transport thanks to this pass,” he said.
In this context, the president has launched an appeal “to the autonomous communities” so that they “adhere” and that the Spanish single pass is like the one that works in Germany or Austria, including urban transport networks, the responsibility of regional governments and city councils.
