The Executive limits free trains to regular users

MADRID, 1 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Government has restricted the gratuitousness of the Cercanías and Media Distancia trains to users who regularly make these journeys, through a deposit whose return will be subject to the completion of a minimum of 16 trips over the four months that it will last. this measure, from September to December.

The Government spokesperson, Isabel Rodríguez, stated, at the press conference after the Council of Ministers, that the objective of this measure is to reduce the monthly cost of family economies and also promote sustainable transport.

Specifically, according to the decree approved this Monday in the Council of Ministers by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, the possibility of traveling for free on Cercanías trains will require a deposit of 10 euros, while on Media Distancia trains will amount to 20 euros.

If more than 16 trips have been made, this deposit will be returned automatically if it has been paid by credit card or through a face-to-face request from the user if it has been paid in cash.

The deposit will be paid at the time this new special voucher created for these four months is purchased, which will be unipersonal, that is, only one person can use it, and for a specific journey.

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, already warned at the time he made the announcement about the free trains that the main objective of this measure was to make it easier for regular users to travel on their daily trips to the workplace or from studies, in these times of inflation.

In this way, the system developed prevents the funds earmarked for this measure from going to occasional users who only intend to travel by train a few times for leisure purposes.

Likewise, existing Avant season tickets will have a 50% bonus and new special season tickets will be created for high speed, also at 50% but only on certain routes (mainly from Madrid to Castilla y León, on routes within this region and in Huesca-Zaragoza).

In the field of land transport measures, approved this Monday together with the air and maritime fields, there are also 50% discounts on state bus routes or aid to the Communities and City Councils to reduce the price by 30%. of multi-trip passes.

In addition to 30%, the Government will assume the proportional part that belongs to the Renfe trains in the integrated subscriptions of the cities, as long as the Communities apply an additional reduction corresponding to the Cercanías.

To respond to users and help travelers to buy the new passes, Renfe will reinforce its station assistance staff with 1,000 additional people at the beginning of September.