The Government will renew the Summer Youth plan, which lowers the cost of train and bus travel for young people between 18 and 30 years old. The objective is to “make it easier for them to discover Spain and Europe”, according to sources from the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility. The program will be endowed with around 100 million euros and its conditions are currently being worked on. The forecast is to approve it in the Council of Ministers on June 4.
The step is taken due to “the success achieved last year”, when 1.13 million young people benefited from the discounts. Last year, 90% discounts were offered on tickets for conventional medium-distance rail services; 50% on Avant tickets; 50% at high speed; 90% in regular state-run buses, and 50% in certain Interrail services that will be marketed through Renfe.
Between June 15 and September 15, the duration of the program, four million trips were recorded, of which 60% were made by rail and the rest by road by bus. Added to that are 16,134 Interrail passes.
In 2023, young people between 18 and 30 years old from Spain and the European Union with legal residence in Spain could be welcomed. Although 1.13 million benefited, up to 1.9 million registered to be able to purchase the discounted tickets. The Ministry points out that it is an “important contribution to promoting the use of public transport to discover our country in a more efficient and sustainable way.”