Free Train Journeys for All Passengers? Coming Right Up!

As of September, and for the remaining of the year, it will be possible to travel for free across Spain in trains operated by the state-owned transport company, furthering the government’s desire to make public transport as accessible as possible.

“This measure encourages to the maximum the use of this type of collective public transport to guarantee the needed daily commute with a safe, reliable, comfortable, economic and sustainable means of transportation, amid the extraordinary circumstances of the steady increase of energy and fuel prices,” says the Spanish Ministry of Transport.

Riding the public train network Renfe will be completely free of charge, given that customers buy multi-journey tickets – the equivalent of local and medium-distance journeys – which include a minimum of 10 return trips. The measure doesn’t cover single-journey tickets or long-distance travel. Spain joins fellow European Union members state Germany and Austria with its measures to reduce public transport costs. Indeed, as part of its government energy relief package, Germany launched an unlimited monthly public transport ticket for $9.50 applicable for local and regional journeys across the country. As for Austria, it proposed the Klimaticket, a heavily discounted climate ticket – at $1,267 a year, or $3.50 a day – valid on all modes of public transport.