Spain has announced that it will make a considerable portion of public train journeys completely free for both locals and travellers from September 1 until December 31.

The scheme is part of new measures to help protect its middle and working class from inflation and the rising cost of living, but it will also benefit international travellers who opt to travel by rail on Renfe routes. 

The 100% discount is available for travellers on multi-trip ticket journeys, travelling by cercanias (commuter services) or media distancia (medium distance) routes under 300km. This means it will cover some popular tourist destinations, like Leon to Madrid, Cordoba to Seville, Madria to Toledo, Granada to Malaga and Barcelona to Tarragona. 

Related story: What to do if your flight is cancelled, according to an airline worker

Since the scheme excludes single-trip tickets, long-distance travel and trains operated by private companies, visitors will need to cover the cost of longer journeys – like the popular Barcelona to Madrid, Madrid to Seville and Barcelona to San Sebastian routes – themselves. 

“I’m fully aware of the daily difficulties of most people,” Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez said on Tuesday. “I know salaries cover less and less and how hard is it to make ends meet.”

Related story: Why you shouldn’t book a hotel room above the 4th floor, and other surprising travel advice

“This is a measure that encourages the use of collective public transport in compulsory daily mobility, as a safer, more reliable, comfortable, economical and sustainable means of transport than the private car, and reduces its cost for the citizen in an extraordinary situation of sustained increase in energy and fuel prices,” the Spanish Ministry of Transport said in a statement.

The latest discount is on top of a 30 percent price reduction in subscription and multi-trip train tickets, which was announced last month.

Spain isn’t the first European country to opt for discounts in a bid to encourage tourists to use public transport. Last month, Germany launched an unlimited monthly public transport ticket for visitors, which is priced at €9 and runs until the end of August.

Related story: Australians will need an ETIAS visa waiver to visit Europe from 2023