Formal Request Submitted to Secure Funding
The Director General of Transport and Mobility for the Canary Islands Government, María Fernández, has presented all necessary documentation to the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility to guarantee the application of a 100% discount on multi-journey public transport passes across the archipelago for 2026. The submission follows the procedure regulated in Chapter IV of Royal Decree-Law 17/2025, of 23 December.
Island Councils Certify Scheme Compliance
This action is part of the coordinated work developed between the regional executive and the island councils, which have certified compliance with all requirements set by state regulations. This includes the effective implementation of free travel since 1 January 2026 and the commitment to maintain it until 31 December of the coming year. The Canary Islands Government has channelled this information through a formal request, thereby fulfilling the established procedure for granting state aid.
Continuity of Free Travel Assured
Director General María Fernández emphasised that “the island councils have done the work required by the royal decree-law, certifying the free transport and assuming the necessary commitments. From the Canary Islands Government, we have sent all that documentation to the Ministry to guarantee the continuity of the discount in 2026.”
Advancing Financial Planning and Coordination
Fernández noted that this step continues the work addressed at the latest Inter-Administrative Land Transport Table, where the executive already explained the need to reinforce coordination with the state to improve the financial planning of the system. “Free public transport in the Canaries requires advance management and constant coordination between administrations to avoid delays and provide stability to the system,” she stated.
Regular Technical Meetings Established
In this context, the Director General explained that the Canary Islands Government has secured the Ministry’s commitment to hold regular technical meetings, scheduling the first for Tuesday, 10 March. This will allow the unique characteristics of transport in the archipelago to be addressed and the necessary administrative procedures to be anticipated.
Millions in Funding Being Processed
Thanks to this work, the justification for funds corresponding to 2025—amounting to €32 million currently pending—has already been facilitated. Progress has also been made in processing the transfers planned for 2026, estimated at around €78 million, with the goal of them being paid earlier than in previous financial years.
Furthermore, Fernández confirmed that a technical meeting for the first week of March is already scheduled, where funding for both 2025 and 2026 will be coordinated, fulfilling the commitment made with the Ministry. “This meeting will allow us to continue moving towards a more agile, predictable funding model adapted to the reality of public transport in the Canary Islands,” she concluded.
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