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Spain threatens to scrap public transport discounts in 2025
The Minister of Transport in Spain believes cheap train travel should be means tested
There are just three months remaining on the current public transport discount scheme, but according to Spain’s Minister for Transport, Óscar Puente, if it was down to him then the government would scrap the crisis measure after December 31.
At the moment, frequent passengers can travel for free on all medium-distance and local trains and enjoy 50% discounts on long-distance journeys. However, according to the minister, the scheme should no longer be available to all and should be means tested instead.
In an interview this week, Mr Puente added that "the policy of free public transport has been temporary, to alleviate the economies of families and the commitment to public transport must be in quality, in frequencies, that is where the effort must be made."
The government has just announced that the reduced VAT rate on certain grocery staples like bread, olive oil, fruit and vegetables will be partially reversed, so households are already facing price hikes across the board.
The cost of butane gas canisters, necessary for heating so many homes across Spain as we head into winter, has also been increased.
Now, the government has to make another tough decision on whether or not to scrap the public transport bonus.
As far as the Transport Minister is concerned, the average traveller doesn’t mind paying more for their train or bus once the service is efficient, comfortable and punctual.
"If the bus user who pays 0.36 euros to use it is told that they can pay 0.70 euros but with better service, they will surely say that they prefer it," he said.
"I am one of those who believe that we will gain users in public transport, not based on the price of the ticket , which is already quite low, especially compared to private vehicles, but if we offer users more quality and frequencies ," he added.
To top it all off, the minister had made a worrying prediction that the cost of long-distance train travel is also going to go up, although this has nothing to do with the government but rather the three operators, Renfe, Ouigo and Iryo, trying to undercut each other.
Competition, he said, "has made our prices cheaper for a while, but it will not last and the system will suffer."
Image: Renfe
