The Government will extend the free subscriptions to travel by train throughout 2023, as announced by the Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, during the press conference after the council of ministers that approved the 2023 budgets. It is a measure that It has been in force for a month, but the Executive has already decided to extend it over the next year.
The Treasury will transfer up to 700 million euros to Renfe in the next general state budgets to finance the free of charge for Cercanías, Rodalies and Media Distancia.
The balance in the first month in force is excellent, considers the Government. Specifically, journeys on Cercanías grew by 24% in the month of September compared to the same month last year. Transfers on medium-distance trains, meanwhile, increased by 40% in the same period of time.
The bonus for train travel has not only managed to reduce inflation. The Executive also appreciates a substantial change in the way in which the Spanish move in their day to day. A considerable number of citizens have put aside the car and have opted for the train to get around since these aids came into force, from September 1.
The data has been revealed by the Minister of Transport, Raquel Sánchez, during an informative breakfast held this Monday in Madrid. The head of the department has also offered the data that up to now 1.5 million citizens have requested free subscriptions.
The head of the Ministry of Transport has detailed that thanks to these changes in mobility the environment has been 118 million liters of gasoline and up to 360,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the atmosphere, if all these trips are they would have done by car.
