GUIDE: Where in Spain will local transport be free or cheaper in 2023?
Following discounted travel across Spain in 2022, many regions are offering reduced or even free local transport services heading into 2023, but not all of them. Here's where and everything else you need to know.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Tuesday December 27th a new packet of measures to help people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, including handouts, the reduction of VAT on basic food products and the extension of aid on public transport.
Rather than offering so-called 'inflation busting' pay rises, as we have seen in many other countries, the Spanish government has focused its intervention more on measures to help with the rising costs themselves.
Much of this has been on transport, whether it be a 30 percent discount on local travel, free bus and train travel, or a 20 cent discount on fuel, which has since ended.
READ ALSO: Spain ends fuel discount for almost all drivers
Heading into 2023, however, state subsidised travel savings will be focused on public transport rather than reducing fuel costs.
Multi-journey tickets on Cercanías, Rodalíes and medium-distance trains will continue to be free, and the government will also reduce public transport fares by 30 percent in those areas where the regional and local governments have agreed to pay an additional 20 percent, Sánchez announced, meaning that some commuters will benefit from a 50 percent discount on local buses, metro, and tram services.
READ ALSO: Spain’s free train tickets to continue throughout 2023
The Spanish government also announced that many long-distance buses will go from being half-price to free in 2023 to help people with the rising costs of inflation. The scheme was originally supposed to run until the end of December but has now been extended throughout 2023 with the addition of many tickets being completely free.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Spain’s free long-distance buses in 2023 and how to get tickets
The 30 percent government discount on local transport had previously been given out regardless of the regional policy, but from 2023 will now be conditional on the regions agreeing to boost the discount up to 50 percent by paying the remaining 20 percent.
This means that discounted local travel may not be available in all regions of Spain, and that accessing it (and how much the discount is) depends on where you live.
The Local has broken down which regions will offer the discount, which won't, and which haven't said (or decided) yet.
Andalusia
As of yet, La Junta has not commented on the transport subsidies recently announced by Pedro Sánchez. It should be remembered, however, that Andalusia did not implement the discount offered by the national government back in September. Therefore, unless something changes, it seems unlikely that Andalusians will not benefit from the 50 percent discount.
Valencian Community
Valencia's regional executive, La Generalitat, will maintain the 50 percent discount on all local travel during during the first half of 2023. The Valencian government has been particularly pro-active when it comes to public transport subsidies, announcing recently that travel for under-30s will be free until July 2023.
READ ALSO: Transport in Spain’s Valencia to be free for under-30s until July 2023
Murcia
Murcia's regional government announced back in August that it would extend its own 30 percent discount on public transport until June 2023, but is yet to comment on the conditional 'top-up' agreement offered by Sánchez.
Balearic and Canary Islands
Fortunately for the those of you living on the Spanish islands, both the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands will offer entirely free public transport throughout 2023 for regular travellers. Each autonomous government will specify exactly what the criteria will be to qualify as a 'regular' traveller sometime in the future.
Catalonia
Catalonia's regional government will top-up the 30 percent state discount make it 50 percent. Both T-Usual and T-Joven will maintain 50 percent discounts, but note that the T-Casual will not benefit from the 30 percent subsidy.
Madrid
There is already a 50 percent discount on monthly local transport tickets in Madrid, 30 percent subsidised by the national government and the remaining 20 percent by the regional. Madrid regional President Isabel Díaz Ayuso has since confirmed that from February 2023 the discount will be increased to 60 percent.
Aragon
The Aragon regional government has not made a decision on the state subsidy, but did criticise its conditionality as "blackmail," something that makes the prospect of it putting up the remaining 20 percent unlikely.
Asturias
In Asturias the 30 percent discount has been applied public transport, but the regional executive has not yet said whether it will complement it to reach 50 percent.
Cantabria
In Cantabria, the 2023 budget had already been approved by the time Sánchez announced the subsidy offer. The regional government said it will study the proposal. So far, the 30 percent discount had been applied but did not extend to the community's intercity lines.
Castilla-La Mancha
In Castilla-La Mancha the pre-existing 30 percent discount has been applied, but a decision on boosting it to 50 percent in 2023 has not been announced.
Castilla and León
Similarly, in Castilla y León the 30 percent subsidy from the national government was applied at the back end of 2022 but whether it will be boosted to 50 percent remains to be seen.
Extremadura
The 30 percent discount is currently applied to local journeys in Extremadura, but it remains to be seen if the regional government will boost it to 50 percent in 2023.
Galicia
Similarly, in Galicia it is unclear if the 30 percent discount will be boosted to 50 percent by the Xunta.
La Rioja
In La Rioja, the regional government has announced that it will keep the 50 percent discount on public transport during 2023.
Navarra
Navarra will also maintain its 50 percent discount on public transport during the first half of 2023.
Basque Country
In the Basque Country, the regional government will supplement the 30 percent discount offered by the national executive, so public transport users will enjoy a 50 percent discount on local travel though it is unclear how long into 2023 this will last.
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Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Tuesday December 27th a new packet of measures to help people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, including handouts, the reduction of VAT on basic food products and the extension of aid on public transport.
Rather than offering so-called 'inflation busting' pay rises, as we have seen in many other countries, the Spanish government has focused its intervention more on measures to help with the rising costs themselves.
Much of this has been on transport, whether it be a 30 percent discount on local travel, free bus and train travel, or a 20 cent discount on fuel, which has since ended.
READ ALSO: Spain ends fuel discount for almost all drivers
Heading into 2023, however, state subsidised travel savings will be focused on public transport rather than reducing fuel costs.
Multi-journey tickets on Cercanías, Rodalíes and medium-distance trains will continue to be free, and the government will also reduce public transport fares by 30 percent in those areas where the regional and local governments have agreed to pay an additional 20 percent, Sánchez announced, meaning that some commuters will benefit from a 50 percent discount on local buses, metro, and tram services.
READ ALSO: Spain’s free train tickets to continue throughout 2023
The Spanish government also announced that many long-distance buses will go from being half-price to free in 2023 to help people with the rising costs of inflation. The scheme was originally supposed to run until the end of December but has now been extended throughout 2023 with the addition of many tickets being completely free.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Spain’s free long-distance buses in 2023 and how to get tickets
The 30 percent government discount on local transport had previously been given out regardless of the regional policy, but from 2023 will now be conditional on the regions agreeing to boost the discount up to 50 percent by paying the remaining 20 percent.
This means that discounted local travel may not be available in all regions of Spain, and that accessing it (and how much the discount is) depends on where you live.
The Local has broken down which regions will offer the discount, which won't, and which haven't said (or decided) yet.
Andalusia
As of yet, La Junta has not commented on the transport subsidies recently announced by Pedro Sánchez. It should be remembered, however, that Andalusia did not implement the discount offered by the national government back in September. Therefore, unless something changes, it seems unlikely that Andalusians will not benefit from the 50 percent discount.
Valencian Community
Valencia's regional executive, La Generalitat, will maintain the 50 percent discount on all local travel during during the first half of 2023. The Valencian government has been particularly pro-active when it comes to public transport subsidies, announcing recently that travel for under-30s will be free until July 2023.
READ ALSO: Transport in Spain’s Valencia to be free for under-30s until July 2023
Murcia
Murcia's regional government announced back in August that it would extend its own 30 percent discount on public transport until June 2023, but is yet to comment on the conditional 'top-up' agreement offered by Sánchez.
Balearic and Canary Islands
Fortunately for the those of you living on the Spanish islands, both the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands will offer entirely free public transport throughout 2023 for regular travellers. Each autonomous government will specify exactly what the criteria will be to qualify as a 'regular' traveller sometime in the future.
Catalonia
Catalonia's regional government will top-up the 30 percent state discount make it 50 percent. Both T-Usual and T-Joven will maintain 50 percent discounts, but note that the T-Casual will not benefit from the 30 percent subsidy.
Madrid
There is already a 50 percent discount on monthly local transport tickets in Madrid, 30 percent subsidised by the national government and the remaining 20 percent by the regional. Madrid regional President Isabel Díaz Ayuso has since confirmed that from February 2023 the discount will be increased to 60 percent.
Aragon
The Aragon regional government has not made a decision on the state subsidy, but did criticise its conditionality as "blackmail," something that makes the prospect of it putting up the remaining 20 percent unlikely.
Asturias
In Asturias the 30 percent discount has been applied public transport, but the regional executive has not yet said whether it will complement it to reach 50 percent.
Cantabria
In Cantabria, the 2023 budget had already been approved by the time Sánchez announced the subsidy offer. The regional government said it will study the proposal. So far, the 30 percent discount had been applied but did not extend to the community's intercity lines.
Castilla-La Mancha
In Castilla-La Mancha the pre-existing 30 percent discount has been applied, but a decision on boosting it to 50 percent in 2023 has not been announced.
Castilla and León
Similarly, in Castilla y León the 30 percent subsidy from the national government was applied at the back end of 2022 but whether it will be boosted to 50 percent remains to be seen.
Extremadura
The 30 percent discount is currently applied to local journeys in Extremadura, but it remains to be seen if the regional government will boost it to 50 percent in 2023.
Galicia
Similarly, in Galicia it is unclear if the 30 percent discount will be boosted to 50 percent by the Xunta.
La Rioja
In La Rioja, the regional government has announced that it will keep the 50 percent discount on public transport during 2023.
Navarra
Navarra will also maintain its 50 percent discount on public transport during the first half of 2023.
Basque Country
In the Basque Country, the regional government will supplement the 30 percent discount offered by the national executive, so public transport users will enjoy a 50 percent discount on local travel though it is unclear how long into 2023 this will last.
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