Spain launches free, discounted public transportation

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - The price of taking trains, metros, and buses in Spain was dramatically reduced on Thursday as part of a government package to counteract inflation and encourage the use of public transport.

Frequent travelers can now travel for free on short and medium-distance trains operated by the public company Renfe, which is also slashing the cost of some high-speed routes by 50%.

Most cities and regional governments across the country are also applying at least a 30% discount on public transport, with the details varying in each city.

In Madrid, for instance, the price of monthly public transportation passes is being cut in half. In Barcelona, all public transportation, including single passes, will be sold at a 50% discount.

Government calculations suggest that the discounted train travel alone would save a family living on the outskirts of major cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia between €150 ($151) and €250 per month.

“This measure helps people save money, it helps Spain become more energy independent by not consuming more energy than needed, and it helps fight climate change,” said Spanish government spokesperson Isabel Rodriguez on Wednesday.

Germany just ended a similar three-month program that offered unlimited travel on regional public transport networks for just €9 per month.

The highly popular program saw some significant success.

Not only did it reduce headline inflation by around two percentage points, according to estimates by the German Economic Institute in Cologne, but it also significantly reduced pollution and the use of fossil fuels.