Every June 3 is celebrated, a date on which news related to this means of sustainable transport is usually launched. This of 2025 arrives with several novelties: it will allow traveling with Bike in Avant trains from July 15 and will create a “train + bike” ticket to secure square in medium distance trains; In addition, it will signal the vilocyped space cars. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Transport has launched. For its part, the sector has launched a battery of measures demanding to lower the taxation of the two wheels.
Who has tried to travel with their bike on the train will have seen that it looks like a lottery: although the regulations allow it in most cases, the result often depends on the attitude of the reviewer. Renfe has just approved new conditions to facilitate the transport of bicycles in their trains, favoring intermodality – the combination of both means.
“The claims and requests that different cycling groups have been attended. The combination of train and bicycle will be easier than ever,” said Adrián Fernández, director of sustainability of the public company. Thus, from July 15 it will be allowed to carry full bicycles in AVANT trains, a measure that will start in Galicia (A Coruña – Santiago – Ourense) and will be extended to the rest of similar services.
In addition, a new “train + bike” ticket is created in medium -distance trains with Plaza Reserve, which ensures a place sitting next to the space enabled for free bicycles – until now, three euros had to be paid and did not claim to travel next to the bike. There will still be only three cycling places for convoy, but Renfe studies specific services where they are admitted more. Another novelty that arrives on July 15 is that it can be accessed with folding bikes without a cover – until now.
According to public company data, 80% of its trains already admit bikes without paying supplement: you can enter with bike in vicinity and medium distance, while to do it in AVE, Alvia, Euromed and Interity it is necessary to disassemble it. In Avlo they carry a supplement of 10 euros. As for the trains that require carrying the bike disassembled – without front wheel and with the flying steering wheel – from that moment the bicycle can be carried by halls and platforms to the train door and disassemble it there. And as of September, the Renfe search engine will include which railway paths allow the bike.
In addition, the nearby trains have begun to place some stickers to show what is the car that admits bicycles. “Current trains have two or three places for bikes, but those in manufacturing will have between 6 and 18 exclusive bicycle seats with access doors that will be independent of the doors for people with reduced mobility,” says Fernández. The company has begun to install safe bike parking in many of its vicinity stations.
For its part, the Ministry of Transportation and Sustainable Mobility has launched the website on Tuesday , which integrates more than 300 cycling routes as well as spaces for the practice of mountain cycling (BTT), mountain ports and large cycling itineraries. The web portal includes an interactive maps visualizer that allows you to easily and intuitively consult the path of each cycling path.
The state bicycle strategy included among its measures an impulse to cycling, that is, bike tourism, something that is attempted with the new website. The idea is to offer clear and simple information about the main cyclable routes of interurban scope in Spain, to enhance the use of existing cycling infrastructure.
“Due to the diversity of administrations that promote cycling routes, there is great informative dispersion in this regard,” says Transport sources. Therefore, the new website aims to become the common repository of these routes and bring together all the information. Integrates cycling routes from different collaborating organisms: the Vías Verdes program, promoted by the foundation of the Spanish railroads; Natural roads (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food); Eurovelo (European Cyclists Federation and EuroVelo Coordination Center in Spain); Cido del Cid (several councils); Pyrinexus Route (Greens Girona), Rural Bike (Board of Castilla-La Mancha), among others.
The main page shows a map with all available routes and it is possible to navigate them seeing the main characteristics of each and a description. In addition, it is possible to filter routes by name, recommended bicycle, length, difficulty and type of route (linear, round/return, circular). Once the route has been selected, their attributes are shown, types of route through which it runs (road, path, bike lane, etc.), topographic profile, description and link to the website of the route supplier.
Fiscal measures of impulse to the two wheels
Meanwhile, the association of brands and bicycles of Spain (AMBE), the employer of the sector, has launched a series of recommendations to improve the taxation of the bike and boost its sale. They are measures that apply some of the countries around us and that have demonstrated their effectiveness, and that in addition, although they have not yet been promoted.
Among them, a state deduction in the IRPF for the purchase of bicycles, electric bicycles and load cycles for the logistics of families and workers. To be effective, it should be 15% per acquisition of bicycles of up to 1,000 euros for mechanical (normal) and up to 3,000 euros in the case of electric bicycles, a deduction that is already applied to electric cars. They also ask for a state deduction in the IRPF for the purchase of bicycles, electric bicycles and load cycles for the logistics of families and workers, which suggest in the same amount (1,000 euros for bikes, 3,000 for electric).
As the strategy proposed, they ask that the bicycle be considered as an income in kind – as it happens with company cars -: thus, it would be valued as business vehicles, but with a tax exemption of up to 2,000 euros and 50% reduction on excess. In addition, they suggest introducing an exempt amount per kilometer traveled of € 0.26/km applicable by mobility tickets to guarantee sustainable use. , and the measure was also collected in the strategy.
Finally, HANT asks that the fiscal treatment of the bicycle currently carried out for cars, cyclomotor or motorcycles be equated by the 50% deduction of the supported VAT. Meanwhile, they bet on reducing VAT to the purchase, rental and repair of bicycles and load cycles, currently in 21%.
