New year, new transport prices… or not. Depending on the different measures taken by the central government, autonomous communities and municipalities and those that private companies could take or continue to take, over the next 12 months it is expected that, at least in large cities, the price of transport tickets and other urban transport tickets or that regular travelers from coach and of form take a break with two new bonuses that come into effect with the new year, the single ticket and the “Go through it.” Depending on the decisions made by airlines and rail operators, the prices of Airfares and high-speed airline tickets may increase.
Urban transport, transport ticket
One of the last decisions taken by the government in 2025 was extend discounts in force last year for public transport, but with a difference, secure only the state budget for this, specifically, 1,370 million euros.
This means that the monthly rate for traveling in Cercanías of 20 euros per month and 10 for users under 26 years old or free transport ticket for users up to 14 years old and a 50% discount for those between 15 and 26 years old.
The Ministry of Transport has introduced certainty in the case of general public transport subscriptions because in 2026 it will maintain the 20% bonus of its amount but without making it conditional on this occasion that the regional governments grant another additional reduction of at least 20%, which means that in 2025 the reductions had to be at least 40%.
Despite this, in large cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia or Sevillethe price of the transport ticket for adults will remain unchanged because their various regional governments announced last year a contribution identical to that which existed in 2025, so that the price of the transport ticket will continue to be subsidized at 40%.
Coaches and regional trains under the new single ticket
He January 19 will start working single ticket transport, which will be at a flat rate of 60 euros per month – 30 euros for those over 26 – and which will allow unlimited travel for 30 days on all trains of Media Distancia and all Cercanías centers, as well as in all coaches of routes falling under the jurisdiction of the Ministry and which cross the territories of the different autonomous communities.
The Minister of Transport, Oscar Puenterecognized that this This is not the scope I had in mind when, two years ago, he started working on designing a rate that already exists in Germany or Austriabecause it only includes public means of transport which, in principle, are not used as frequently as urban transport.
In fact, the government itself believes that two million beneficiaries of the ticket, which will begin in 2026 to check if it is possible to add more means of transport at the fixed monthly rate of 60 and 30 euros and if communities and town halls decide to sign agreements to this effect with the Ministry.
The closest thing to a work train pass
The year also begins with a novelty for traveling by high-speed Medium Distance train, in the service Renfe Avant. In a decision that Frequent users call it “historic.” because it is the closest thing to the work pass that train users have been demanding for years, which allows them, for example, to live in Valladolid or Segovia and go to work in Madrid. This 2026 is starting to roll “Via Pass” a new subscription for 10 trips in 45 days or 20 per quarter which will benefit from an initial reduction of 50% on the price of each ticket and another additional one of at least 45% which will be progressive depending on the trips made. If this minimum number of trips is not reached, you will have to pay the difference of those not made up to 20.
Unlike the other Avant passes, now deleted, the Vía Pass is not a closed voucher that blocks the purchase of tickets because, even if they will have to buy in advance, it will be possible to cancel trips if they will not be executed and not will be billed individually until the day of travel.
Paying by card for each trip will allow Renfe to keep track of trips already taken increase discount based on quantity. The Vía Pass allows you to make four return trips per day, it is personal and non-transferable and to acquire it you must take out a free subscription each quarter – from 30 days before its start – on the Renfe website.
High-speed trains
More uncertain is what will happen in 2026 with the price of tickets for high-speed train travel, in a context where The days when Renfe, Ouigo and Iryo tried to attract users seem to be over with rates at their lowest, as we began to see clearly in 2025. For this year, the sector admits that the upward trend will continue, although operators will continue to maintain timely commercial offers.
According to a study by the ticket purchasing platform Train linebetween January and September 2025, prices for high-speed travel between Madrid and Barcelona increased by 40%, and although the end of this line of Renfe’s low-cost service, Avlo, had not yet begun to be calculated. On the contrary, a CNMC report published this summer reveals the drop of around 30% of the price of tickets between Madrid and Andalusia, where the arrival of Ouigo and Iryo is more recent.
The question of whether Renfe – and possibly Ouigo and Iryo – will also have to modify their commitment to punctuality, to start compensating passengers for delays no longer than 30 and 90 minutes, but from 15 minutes, as provided for Renfe by the Sustainable Mobility Law, in a provision that, although it came into force this Thursday, was stopped by the Ministry and the State Defender. If it must be applied, the president of Renfe, Álvaro Fernández Heredia, had warned a few days ago that ticket prices could increase by 10%.
Plane
For its part, 2026 begins with changes in the aviation sector, with the rise of a 6.5% of airport taxesafter being frozen for years.
The decision was met with frontal rejection by airlines, which spent much of 2025 trying to stop it by warning AÉNA that this increase in the costs of using airports is would affect ticket prices.
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