The Government extends the Single Pass of 60 euros to incorporate metros, trams and urban buses

The Government has taken the administrative step that was missing this Tuesday to convert the Single Pass into the basis of a national public transport network. The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, led by Óscar Puente, has opened the program to autonomous communities, city councils, and consortiums that want to incorporate their subways, trams, and urban and interurban buses.

The expansion will allow a single ticket to be used for services dependent on different administrations. Until now, the pass mainly worked on state-competent transport. Regional and municipal networks will be able to start integrating through agreements in which operators, routes, technical conditions, and financing mechanisms will be determined.

The current price remains at 60 euros for the general pass and 30 euros for children and young people up to the year they turn 26, provided they have Spanish nationality or legal residence in Spain. Both tickets are personal, nominative, and valid for 30 days. The current discounts also maintain free travel for children under 15.

The program reaches this second phase after having accumulated 4.5 million trips since its launch in mid-January. More than 2.1 million have been made on Medium Distance trains, which account for 47.3% of use. State buses add another two million trips, and Cercanías and Rodalies reach 377,000 trips.

A common platform and compensations

The ministerial order comes into force this Wednesday and establishes the framework for the voluntary adherence of the different administrations. Its programmatic nature implies that the publication does not yet automatically incorporate all the subways and buses in the country. Each transport authority must sign its corresponding integration instrument.

Transport will develop a common technological platform to recognize passes, validate trips, and facilitate the exchange of information between operators. The intention is for users to be able to travel through the adhered networks without having to acquire different tickets in each city or autonomous community.

The Ministry has also foreseen a financing framework to compensate for the possible economic effects of the accession. This mechanism may cover both the loss of income due to the unification of fares and the increase in costs caused by an extraordinary rise in the number of travelers. The amounts and their method of settlement will be included in each agreement.

The financing represents one of the main guarantees offered by Óscar Puente's department. The integration of new networks can considerably increase demand and force the reinforcement of frequencies, vehicles, and personnel. The program aims to prevent this bill from falling exclusively on regional or municipal operators.

The Single Pass already includes state bus concessions, Cercanías and Rodalies, Medium Distance trains, and some Avant services. Among the latter are Ourense-A Coruña, Madrid-Salamanca, Alicante-Murcia, and the Avant Exprés Barcelona-Tortosa, except for the section between Barcelona and Tarragona.

Commercial high-speed rail, freight transport, and tourist services remain outside the title. The program also opens the possibility of incorporating metropolitan maritime or fluvial services, cable transport, and on-demand systems mainly aimed at rural areas in future phases.

Canary Islands, Galicia, and Cantabria ask for guarantees

The publication of the order has provoked the first regional responses. The Canary Islands shares the objective of moving towards an integrated fare, although it considers that the current wording still lacks an adequate fit for the singularity of the archipelago. The general director of Transport and Mobility of the Canary Islands Government, María Fernández, has explained that competencies are distributed among several administrations and has demanded a formula to incorporate the Canary Resident Bonus. "As the norm is conceived, the Canary Islands cannot adhere due to its jurisdictional singularity," she pointed out.

The regional executive wants to know more precisely the financing model, the responsibilities of each administration, and the functioning of inspection and sanctions. The Canary Islands already offered itself in May 2025 as a pilot territory, taking advantage of the technological development of its own Single Title, and maintains its willingness to negotiate a solution with the Ministry.

The Xunta de Galicia will also study the order before deciding on its incorporation. The Galician Government assures that it needs to know the impact on its current system and the specific functioning of the compensations. The Government delegate in Galicia, Pedro Blanco, has asked the Xunta and the city councils to take advantage of the opportunity and has reminded them that adherence allows them to retain their powers and choose which services are integrated.

Cantabria will also analyze the conditions. The regional Minister of Public Works, Roberto Media, has assured that he will support the measure if it benefits citizens, although he has warned that he wants to verify that the program lacks elements that could end up becoming a "brindis al sol" (empty gesture).

Greenpeace has favorably assessed the order for its ability to facilitate the use of public transport, reduce private car use, and cut emissions. The environmental organization has asked the communities to accelerate their adherence and has demanded that the expansion be accompanied by more fleet to meet the expected increase in passengers.

Transportes will now begin negotiating agreements with each territory. Regional or municipal subways, trams, and buses will begin to accept the Single Pass when their respective administrations complete the adherence and adapt their payment and validation systems.