Train transport skyrockets thanks to liberalization and free vouchers

Long-distance rail transport in high-speed services grew by 31.2% in September 2023 compared to the data recorded in the same month of the previous year. Among the figures made public this Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), the increase in tickets for medium-distance trains sold in this period also stands out, which has stood at 85.8%.

The appearance of new railway operators in Spain has helped to diversify the available options, at the same time as there has been a drop in prices. This situation has driven the advance of rail transport in recent months, which has broken records both in medium and long distance, according to Europa PRess.

Rail transport in general grew by 11.2% year-on-year last September and a total of 58.55 million passengers were recorded. Beyond the increase in medium-distance and high-speed trips, which reached 6.58 million and 2.78 million travelers respectively, Cercanías grew by 4.8%, with 48.3 million passengers. Long distance, on the other hand, reached 3.62 million passengers, an increase of 21.1%, according to the INE’s Passenger Transport Statistics (TV).

Travelers on public transport grow almost 14%

More than 450.7 million passengers used public transport in September, 13.7% more than in the same month of 2022. Urban transport increased by 17% in the annual rate and interurban transport by 13.5%. Within the intercity, the 16.1% increase in bus transportation stands out. The variation rate in the number of public transport passengers for the month of September compared to August is 34.3%. This growth is lower than that recorded in 2022 when it increased by 44.7% and compared to the year 2021 when it grew by 48.3%.

Urban transport was used by 275.7 million travelers in September, 17% more than in the same month of 2022. Metro transport increased by 11.1% in the annual rate. That of Malaga presents the greatest increase, of 123.3%, and that of Madrid the smallest, of 7.2%. Among the cities that have a metro, the greatest increase in bus transportation is recorded in Palma (42.8%), and the smallest in Malaga (11.4%), according to data from the INE.

Regarding urban transport by bus, it increased by 21.2% in September compared to the same month in 2022. The number of passengers in bus transport presents the greatest increases in the Canary Islands (48.5%), Region of Murcia (30.3%) and Principality of Asturias (27.1%) On the contrary, the only decrease in bus transport occurs in Castilla – La Mancha (-0.4%).

Interurban transport grows 13.5%

More than 134.5 million travelers used intercity transport in Spain in September, which represents an increase of 13.5% compared to the same month in 2022. By type of transport, by bus it grew by 16.1% (70. 6 million), by rail by 11.2% (58.5 million) and by air by 6.8% (4.2 million passengers), while maritime transport fell by 0.1% (1.14 millions).

Commuter transport rose 14.1% in bus transport and 4.8% in rail transport. The medium distance grew by 21.7% in bus transport and 85.8% in rail transport. Finally, long distance increased by 9.8% in bus transport and 21.1% in rail. Within the latter, High Speed ​​grew by 31.2%.

On the other hand, more than 40.3 million users used special and discretionary transportation in September, which represents a decrease of 4.3% in the annual rate. The number of passengers on special transport decreased by 8.7% and exceeds 25.2 million users. Within this, the school one fell by 9.7% and the work one fell by 6.1%. On the contrary, discretionary transportation grew by 4% compared to the same month in 2022, with more than 15.1 million travelers.

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