The metropolitan public transport in Andalusia has recorded its best year ever, with more than 124 million passengers (124,215,014), representing a 26% increase over 2023, the 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 appearance before the Andalusian Parliament Commission that «these good results demonstrate the commitment of Juanma Moreno’s Government 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 mentioned that the Junta is working consistently and decisively to ensure that «more and more Andalusians choose to leave their cars at home and use public transport.»
«We have improved infrastructure, expanded service offerings in various modes of transport, implemented fare discount policies, and integrated urban transport and Cercanías into our Consorcio’s Green Card,» pointed out Rocío Díaz, who emphasized that «it is no coincidence that we improve the data 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 Department has mobilized for the expansion of the metros in Granada, Málaga, and Seville, and to reactivate the trams in Jaén and Alcalá de Guadaíra.» At this point, she recalled that the expansions of the three Andalusian metros are being carried out simultaneously, «an unprecedented event in the history of the Junta de Andalucía.»
Another measure promoted by the Andalusian Government is the investment of 28 million euros by the Department of Development for the modernization of public transport. «With this, we aim to meet the mobility demands of Andalusia and improve service quality, as this will continue to consolidate user loyalty,» stated the Minister.
The Minister of Development detailed some figures from the balance of metropolitan public transport in Andalusia in the last year. The Andalusian metros and the Cádiz Tram set a new record in 2024, with almost 60 million passengers. In this context, the Minister stated that «thanks to these trips, 16 million private vehicle trips have been avoided, which is very positive for the environment by reducing pollution in our cities, something this Government is fully committed to.»
The Málaga Metro was the Spanish metro that saw the highest increase in demand, with 18 million passengers, a 34.2% increase, while the Seville Metro exceeded the historic milestone of 22 million passengers (+11%). Meanwhile, the Granada Metro closed with over 16 million passengers, a 14.5% increase. Finally, the Cádiz Tram surpassed two million passengers for the first time.
Metropolitan buses have totaled more than 53 million trips, with an 18% increase, validating «the trust and loyalty that Andalusians have demonstrated with this mode of transport,» according to Díaz. The Minister emphasized the investment in improving their routes, with projects such as the creation of BUS VAO lanes on the access roads to the main Andalusian capitals, which «have made this mode more attractive by reducing travel times by bus.»
The maritime service in the Bay of Cádiz has added over 50,000 more passengers compared to 2023, surpassing 350,000. At this point, the Minister referred to the construction 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’s Green Card and the Youth Transport Card, launched by the Andalusian Government in 2022. Since then, the Minister of Development stated, «we have already received 218,000 applications from young people interested in these discounts.» This, combined with the additional 50% discounts that this Government has maintained, has continued to «propel the significant growth of metropolitan public transport in recent years.»
In conclusion, the Minister of Development assured that this is the working line that the Andalusian Government will continue to follow. «It is the least we can do after the trust that millions of citizens have placed in our public transport system, which is why we will work firmly to continue offering Andalusians the public transport they deserve, in order to promote its use to decongest cities and reduce pollution,» she concluded.