Last summer, Spain promoted cleaner transportation by offering free seasonal tickets for suburban and regional trains, which translated into roughly 48 million journeys per month. The initiative hoped to help citizens reduce fuel consumption and reduce the cost of living during the economic uncertainties and rising energy prices. In the summer of 2022, a 30% discount for municipal public transport was announced, with local governments in places like Catalonia topping up to a 60% discount. The program ran between the 1st of September and the 31st of December of last year.
Because the initiative was restricted to suburban rail services, it had limited applicability, as Spain’s infrastructure is not as extensive as other countries like Germany, which adopted a similar policy. Spain’s free travel plan benefited people from large metropolitan areas, specifically those living around Madrid and Barcelona. These two urban areas account for 80% of the country’s suburban rail passengers. Other regions, like Galicia in northwest Spain, saw little benefit from the policy, as the suburban rail infrastructure is limited.
While state officials have stated that the aim of this measure is to publicize the benefits of more sustainable forms of transit, it was also designed to reduce the usage of cars as an economic option, lowering the cost of living during a difficult time for Spain’s citizens. Air conditioning was up during one the hottest summers in Spain, as heatwaves prompted cities to take action to protect their citizens. The droughts have also limited the hydroelectric power output. With energy costs rising, the free and discounted tickets sought to mitigate the stress on lower- and middle-income households, although the measure does not affect all regions uniformly.
This initiative aligns with other policies worldwide. Cities have been experimenting with free public transport to promote sustainable mobility, alleviate traffic congestion, and decrease social inequality. At the end of March 2022, the Italian city of Genoa extended free access to some of its public transport networks, following a successful experiment that began at the end of 2021 and in an ambitious plan to become the first Italian city with free transportation. Meanwhile, the small duchy of Luxembourg became the world’s first country with free public transit in 2020.
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Editor's Note: This article was originally published on August 12, 2022.
