More than 1.5 million young people aged 18 to 30 have taken advantage of discounts to travel across Spain from July 1 to September 30, 2026. The Verano Joven program, launched by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, concluded its 2026 edition with 6.4 million trips (6,373,145) made by train and bus, offering discounts of up to 90% during this period.
In this fourth edition of the program, aimed at promoting the use of public transport among young people for efficient, safe, and sustainable travel, 66.9% of the trips were made by train, while the remainder were by bus. Specifically, 1,542,122 young people benefited from the discounts, with over half (56.8%) aged between 18 and 23.
The most popular destinations within Spain included the Community of Madrid, Andalusia, the Valencian Community, and Catalonia. Among the top ten most traveled train routes were those connecting Madrid with Valencia, Barcelona, Málaga, Sevilla, and Alicante. On the bus side, the busiest routes were between Bilbao and Madrid, Granada and Madrid, Zaragoza and Madrid, as well as Barcelona and Valencia, and Madrid and Burgos.
The highest travel numbers were recorded during the last three weekends of September 2026, with over 100,000 trips on Sunday, September 27.
Discounts under Verano Joven 2026
In the 2026 edition of Verano Joven, discounts were available to all young people with Spanish nationality or legal residency in Spain, born between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2008. They accessed reduced fares for bus and train tickets for travel between July 1 and September 30, 2026. The discounts included:
- 90% off regular state bus services.
- 90% off conventional medium-distance train services and narrow-gauge networks.
- 50% off single tickets for Avant services.
- 50% off long-distance or high-speed commercial services from all railway operators, with a maximum discount of 30 euros per ticket.
- 50% off the Global Flexible Interrail pass for 10 days within 2 months when purchased through Renfe.
Four editions of Verano Joven
Verano Joven was launched in 2023 and has established itself as a successful initiative to encourage young people to reduce the use of private vehicles, thereby lowering emissions and accident rates. The program also aims to connect young people with public transport, fostering a new generation of passengers.
Additionally, Verano Joven promotes personal development by allowing young people to explore new places and cultures, while strengthening social relationships. It also supports the tourism and cultural sectors. The program has been well-received among the youth of the country and has seen significant success in its previous editions in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Overall, across its four editions, Verano Joven has enabled over 5.6 million young people (5,620,234) to undertake nearly 22.5 million trips (22,432,935) during the summer period. The Ministry remains committed to measures that encourage the use of public transport among youth, both by rail and road, for travel within Spain and Europe. This initiative is also beneficial for the tourism and cultural sectors and supports rural development in Spain. Furthermore, public transport is more socially equitable, inclusive, and a key component in achieving climate goals.
.jpg "Unemployment rises by 0.99% in the Community of Madrid in the last month, with a 4.39% increase in contracts compared to last year")
