A 60€ Monthly Travel Pass Will Cover Trains and Buses from Mid-January 2026
If you’re based in Costa Ballena or exploring Andalucía next year, Spain’s new nationwide travel pass could change how you think about regional travel. From mid-January 2026, a 60€ monthly flat-rate ticket will allow unlimited journeys on commuter trains, regional rail and state buses, making it easier — and more economical — to head north to Seville’s flamenco halls, inland to Córdoba’s patios, or west toward Portugal without a second thought.
The heart of this move is simplicity: for one monthly price, passengers can use Renfe’s commuter and regional trains and state-run interregional buses across the country on as many journeys as they like. This includes the busy Cercanías networks around Andalucía such as Renfe Cercanías Málaga, which links Málaga with Fuengirola and the Costa del Sol, or the Seville commuter lines serving towns around the Guadalquivir valley. To explore schedules and routes, you can visit Renfe’s official site at renfe.com (Cercanías info) and find timetables and passes online.
For many locals and long-stay travellers in this part of Andalucía, that means spontaneous day trips without worrying about ticket costs — hop on a train to Cádiz for fresh seafood, or take a state bus up toward Mérida or Badajoz on a sunny winter morning. The pass excludes high-speed AVE and urban bus/metro systems, but it does cover the slower regional trains that stitch Andalucía’s cities and towns together.
If you plan to use the network more frequently, it’s worth bookmarking a few official links: Renfe’s general travel page shows train tickets and options across Spain, while Renfe’s commuter/suburban pages let you dive into specific line details and purchase monthly passes.
The bus side of the picture is anchored by companies like ALSA, Spain’s largest intercity coach operator, running long-distance routes that link major hubs, regional capitals, and smaller towns that trains don’t always serve. Their official pass and ticket pages can help you plan journeys where trains stop but the coast ahead still calls.
A reduced rate of €30 per month will be available for travellers 26 and under, and the government estimates millions of commuters and regular inter-province travellers will benefit. Start thinking of this pass not just as a commuter card, but as a key to Andalucía’s broader rhythms: morning cafes in Jerez before a rail ride inland, or evening vistas in Ronda reached by connecting state bus — all on one monthly ticket.
Bus travel from Costa Ballena and the new travel pass
The €60 monthly travel pass applies to state-run interregional bus routes, including services that connect Costa Ballena with larger hubs such as Jerez de la Frontera and Seville when operated under national concessions. Some routes run by companies like Monbus, Interbus, or Damas may fall within this scheme, depending on whether the service is classified as state or regional. For a clear overview of all bus operators, routes, and how services are organised locally, see our guide to the Costa Ballena bus terminal and regional bus connections.
Getting on the train from Costa Ballena
Costa Ballena does not have its own railway station, but several well-connected hubs are close by. El Puerto de Santa María is around 30 minutes away by car and offers frequent regional and Media Distancia trains along the Cádiz–Seville corridor. Jerez de la Frontera, roughly 40 minutes away, is another convenient option with regular rail links toward Cádiz, Seville, and inland Andalucía. For longer regional connections and the widest choice of services, Seville Santa Justa — about 1 hour 15 minutes away — acts as the main rail gateway, connecting western Andalucía with the rest of Spain.