On Thursday, Congress ratified the Spanish Government's subsidy of public transport in the Balearics and the Canaries, meaning that there will definitely be free travel for residents in 2026.
The sustainable mobility bill law will require 65% of the funding to the two regions to be made during 2026, with the final settlement to be in 2027.
For the Balearics, the allocation is €63 million. While the regional government has expressed its "satisfaction" with the approval of the subsidised travel, it remains fiercely critical of the level of funding and the time it takes to be forwarded.
The minister for mobility, José Luis Mateo, said on Thursday: "Most of the cost of free public transport is borne by the various administrations in the Balearics." Palma Town Hall is one of these, and it has consistently pointed to a shortfall in funding. Mateo maintained that the annual amount should be €150 million.
Public transport became free in Spain in September 2022 as a temporary measure to address price increases linked to the war in Ukraine. It was then maintained on an exceptional basis for the Balearics and the Canaries.