Madrid transport subsidies limited to residents with proof of registration

The Community of Madrid has begun enforcing a residency requirement for obtaining or renewing the Personal Public Transport Card, restricting publicly‑funded fare discounts to those registered in the region or in municipalities covered by inter‑regional agreements with Castilla‑La Mancha and Castilla y León. The measure, driven by the Regional Transport Consortium (CRTM) and based on the consortium’s transport law, mandates presentation of a current certificate of registration or electronic verification.

The policy has sparked political tension. The central government, through Minister Elma Saiz, condemned the restriction as exclusionary, while opposition parties in the Madrid Assembly labelled it “racist and discriminatory.” In response to the backlash, President Isabel Díaz Ayuso announced an exemption for non‑resident students, though the broader debate over the measure continues.