The Government of the Canary Islands has sent a proposal to the Regional Transport Consortium of Madrid for displaced Canary students to maintain transport subsidies without having to register in the Community. The CRTM's June reform now requires them to spend nearly 30 euros monthly.
The Government of the Canary Islands has formally sent a proposal to the Regional Transport Consortium of Madrid (CRTM) so that Canary students studying in the Community of Madrid can continue to access public transport subsidies without the need to register in the region, according to teldeactualidad.com. The request, sent on August 12, aims for this group not to have to give up their residence in the Archipelago to maintain the discounts.
The origin of the conflict lies in the modification that the CRTM applied in June, when it required municipal registration in the Community of Madrid as a condition to obtain transport passes. Until last year, displaced Canarians could use the Young Pass, costing 10 euros per month with unlimited trips around the capital. Now, the most economical alternative is the 10-trip pass, which costs 7.30 euros.
With the current reform, a student who simply makes two daily trips, to and from university, must resort to the 10-trip pass costing 7.30 euros. If we calculate monthly, that would be 40 trips. Almost 30 euros just to go to university. This is not trivial; it is almost 200% more than what they paid last year,” stated María Fernández, General Director of Mobility and Transport of the Government of the Canary Islands.
The Canary proposal is based on the status of an outermost region recognised by the European Union and Article 349 of the EU Treaty, which allows for the adaptation of public policies to the special characteristics of these territories. The Canary Executive argues that the implementation of the registration requirement has a disproportionate effect on a group that relies on air and sea transport to maintain their residence.
This is not a privilege; it is a necessity that the Spanish and European legal systems already recognise,” explained Fernández.
The General Director also detailed that “several dozen Canary students” have contacted her department concerned about a price increase that, according to their calculations, triples the monthly transport cost. Fernández argues that the Economic and Fiscal Regime of the Canary Islands recognises transport as an essential element of territorial cohesion and maintains that the Community of Madrid is violating that principle.
For a Canary student, giving up their residence means not being able to return home for Christmas or having to pay a fortune to do so,” asserted the director.
The proposal includes the possibility of signing a reciprocity agreement so that Madrid students displaced to the Canary Islands can benefit from the Archipelago's subsidies. Furthermore, the Canary Government reminds that the Community of Madrid itself has proposed agreements with other regions to allow access to transport titles without registration, a route they consider sufficient to resolve the Canary case.
The CRTM is now studying the proposal and must respond in the coming weeks. The Canary Executive is urging prompt action as the situation already affects thousands of displaced students during the 2026/2027 academic year.
You may also like
