The metropolitan public transport in Andalusia has recorded its best year in history, with over 124 million passengers (124,215,014), representing a 26% increase over 2023, a year in which a record of 98 million passengers was already set. The Minister of Development, Territorial Articulation, and Housing, Rocío Díaz, stated in the hearing of the Andalusian Parliament Committee that «these positive results demonstrate the commitment of the Government of Juanma Moreno to a competitive, sustainable, modern, and efficient public transport system for Andalusia.»
The Minister of Development emphasized that the policies being promoted by the Andalusian government «are focused on promoting the use of public transport and sustainable mobility.» She also noted that the Junta is working consistently and decisively to encourage more Andalusians to choose public transport over using their cars.
«We have improved the infrastructure, expanded the range of services in various modes of transport, implemented fare discount policies, and integrated urban transport and Cercanías into our Consorcio Green Card,» pointed out Rocío Díaz, highlighting that «it is no coincidence that our data improves year after year.»
The Minister assured that another proof of the Andalusian government’s commitment to public transport is the «over 900 million euros that this Ministry has mobilized for the expansion of the metros of Granada, Málaga, and Seville, and to reactivate the tramways of Jaén and Alcalá de Guadaíra.» At this point, she recalled that the expansions of the three Andalusian metros are being executed simultaneously, «an unprecedented event in the history of the Junta of Andalusia.»
Another measure driven by the Andalusian government is the investment of 28 million euros by the Ministry of Development for the modernization of public transport. «With this, we aim to meet the mobility demands of Andalusia and improve the quality of service, thereby continuing to build loyalty among users,» stated the Minister.
The Minister of Development detailed some figures from the balance of metropolitan public transport in Andalusia over the past year. The Andalusian metros and the Cadiz Trambahía have set a new record in 2024, with nearly 60 million passengers. In this context, the Minister affirmed that «thanks to these journeys, 16 million private vehicle trips have been avoided, which is very positive for environmental care by reducing pollution in our cities, something that this Government is fully committed to.»
The Málaga Metro has been Spain’s metro with the highest increase in demand, with 18 million passengers, a 34.2% increase, while the Seville Metro surpassed the historic milestone of 22 million passengers (+11%). Meanwhile, the Granada Metro closed with over 16 million passengers, a 14.5% increase. Finally, the Cadiz Trambahía exceeded two million passengers for the first time.
Metropolitan buses have accumulated over 53 million trips, with an 18% increase, endorsing «the trust and loyalty that Andalusians have shown in this mode of transport,» according to Díaz. The Minister emphasized the investment in improving their routes, with projects like the creation of BUS VAO lanes on the main access roads to Andalusian capitals, making this mode more attractive by reducing travel times by bus.
The maritime service in the Bay of Cadiz has gained over 50,000 more passengers compared to 2023, surpassing 350,000. At this point, the Minister mentioned the manufacture of three new catamarans that the Andalusian government is working on, which will reduce the emission of polluting gases by 30% thanks to their hybrid technology.
Rocío Díaz linked the growing demand to the discounts applied with the Consorcio Green Card and the Youth Transport Card, introduced by the Andalusian government in 2022. Since then, the Minister of Development pointed out, «we have already received 218,000 requests from young people interested in these discounts.» This, combined with the additional 50% discounts that this Government has maintained, she continued, «has led to a remarkable growth in the use of metropolitan public transport in recent years.»
In conclusion, the Minister of Development assured that this is the work direction that the Andalusian government will continue to pursue. «It is the least we can do after the trust that millions of citizens have placed in our public transport. Therefore, we will work steadfastly to continue offering Andalusians the public transport they deserve, in order to promote its use to decongest cities and reduce pollution,» she concluded.