Standing Places on Trains and Removal of Baggage Screening: New Initiatives from Spain’s Transport Ministry

Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente has suggested the introduction of tickets without assigned seats, allowing passengers to travel standing. In an interview with Cadena SER, he emphasized that this practice is common across Europe, while Spain has yet to adopt such ticketing.

Renfe’s management is already considering the launch of “standing” fares on short-distance routes. According to authorities, this could increase train occupancy rates and partly solve the issue of unused seats reserved by holders of free Media Distancia subscriptions.

Puente also raised concerns about the current airport-style security checks at train stations, calling the system ineffective and costly — about €15 million are spent annually. The minister pointed out that Spain remains the only country in Europe where high-speed train passengers must undergo baggage screening.