Madrid transport card applications plunge after new residency rule

Madrid has recorded a 23.5 per cent fall in the number of personal public transport cards issued this summer, following the introduction of stricter residency checks. The change could affect students, commuters and foreign residents who use the capital’s metro, buses and trains but are not officially registered in an eligible municipality.

The decline emerged in figures obtained by Spanish newspaper El País and published on Wednesday, October 21. They show that the number of cards issued between June 15 and September 1, 2026, was 23.5 per cent below the average for the same period across the previous three years.

The figures come after Madrid began requiring proof of registered residence, known in Spain as empadronamiento, for new personal transport cards and replacements. However, the regional transport authority says the available data do not establish that the rule caused the decline.

Importantly, the requirement does not prevent people without an eligible registered address from using public transport in Madrid. It affects access to personal transport cards used for certain travel passes and discounts, rather than ordinary tickets available to passengers.

Madrid transport card issuance falls after June rule change

According to El País, which obtained the figures through a transparency request, Madrid’s Regional Transport Consortium (CRTM) issued 183,583 personal transport cards between June 15 and September 1, 2026.

That was an average of 56,521 fewer cards than during the equivalent periods in 2023, 2024 and 2025, representing a decline of 23.5 per cent.

The change followed the introduction of stricter checks on June 15, when the CRTM began requiring applicants to demonstrate that they were registered as residents in an eligible municipality.

The requirement was set out in an official notice published in Madrid’s regional gazette on June 12.

Under the instructions, applicants seeking a new Tarjeta Transporte Público Personal, or a duplicate of an existing card, must provide a valid municipal registration certificate or authorise the authorities to verify their registration where that service is available.

The rule applies to residents of the Community of Madrid and certain municipalities covered by existing transport arrangements with neighbouring regions.

Who can still apply for a Madrid personal transport card?

The distinction between a personal transport card and an ordinary travel ticket is particularly important for visitors and people who travel regularly to Madrid.

Madrid has also been developing a digital version of its personal transport pass, allowing eligible passengers to use their smartphones instead of a physical card.

According to the CRTM’s official ticket and fare information, the personal card is linked to its holder’s identity and is used for products such as 30-day travel passes and certain concessions.

Since June 15, applicants generally need to demonstrate registered residence in the Community of Madrid or in an eligible municipality covered by the relevant interregional arrangements.

These include certain municipalities in Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León, although eligibility depends on the applicable agreements and the specific location.

The official instructions also provide an exception for qualifying large families, allowing personal cards to continue being issued under the relevant rules while the necessary technical arrangements remain in place.

For other applicants, the documentation normally includes proof of identity, a photograph and evidence of municipal registration.

The CRTM’s frequently asked questions explain which documents are required and when registration details can be checked electronically.

The change may create difficulties for students who move to Madrid for university but remain registered in their home region, as well as workers who commute from areas not covered by the existing agreements.

Foreign residents who live in Madrid but have not yet completed their municipal registration may also encounter problems when applying for a new personal card.

However, the residency requirement does not mean that tourists or unregistered passengers are banned from Madrid’s transport network.

Ordinary single tickets, ten-journey tickets and tourist travel cards remain separate from the personal card arrangements. Travellers who do not qualify for a personal pass can still use the appropriate non-personal tickets, although frequent journeys may become more expensive.

Why Madrid’s transport card restrictions are causing controversy

The residency requirement has prompted criticism over its potential impact on people who depend on public transport but do not have an eligible municipal registration certificate.

Students arriving from other Spanish regions, cross-border commuters and people facing administrative difficulties with empadronamiento have been among the groups highlighted in the debate.

Madrid’s regional government maintains that the restriction reflects an existing legal framework governing publicly subsidised transport passes.

The authorities argue that the regional transport system should primarily subsidise eligible residents and people covered by financial agreements with neighbouring autonomous communities.

The restrictions come at a time when public transport discounts remain in place across Spain in 2026, making access to subsidised travel particularly relevant for regular commuters.

The requirement is linked to provisions that have existed for years, although the stricter verification procedures only began operating in June 2026.

For passengers, the practical consequences depend on their circumstances. Someone already holding a valid personal card is in a different position from a new applicant or a traveller who needs a replacement.

Those applying for a card should check whether their registered municipality is eligible and whether they can provide the documentation required by the CRTM before starting the process.

The latest figures raise questions about the impact of Madrid’s residency checks, but the number of cards issued alone cannot determine how many people have lost access to subsidised travel.