In Spain, all Cercanías (commuter train), Rodalies (commuter routes in Catalonia) and Media Distancia routes (mid-distance regional lines, covering journeys of less than 300km) run by Spanish rail operator Renfe will continue to be free of charge at least until December 2023. The measure, which was taken by Pedro Sánchez’s government and announced in the Council of Ministers on December 27th of last year, extended free travel available since September of 2022.
The government’s latest moves are aimed at favoring the use of public transport (long-distance buses of state competence will also be subsidized), while attempting to see a reduction in the use of private vehicles, which will no longer be subsidized and does not contemplate aid for the lowest incomes either.
Renfe had already announced measures to prevent the recurrence of images of empty trains which, according to reservations, should be full. Since the free travel on trains was launched in September 2022, users have responded with a flood of reservations that has ended with some trains and platforms overcrowded and panic buying to avoid the dreaded empty trains. And all this despite the fact that the launch was absolutely chaotic, generating significant doubts among users as to when, how and which trains could be booked.
In addition to the extension of free trains, the government will subsidize 30% of the multi-journey tickets in local and regional public transport in those autonomous communities and city councils that commit to complement this aid and raise it up to 50% of the ticket price (until now providing the extra 20% was voluntary). A measure that also began to be applied in September and that, once again, it is in the hands of each regional transport consortium.
The government’s decision is one of several initiatives which will spend 100,000 million euros of public resources, with the aim of mitigating the rise in inflation and protecting the most vulnerable groups.
Renfe passes in 2023 are free, but the user must pay a deposit of 10 euros in the case of Cercanías and Rodalies and 20 euros in the case of Media Distancia. Renfe recommends payment by credit/debit card. The deposit will be refunded automatically at the end of the four months of validity of the pass, provided that the user has made a minimum of 16 trips.
In the case of payment by credit/debit card, the refund will be made automatically by the same means. If payment is made in cash, the refund will be made at the station ticket offices.
