The Andalusian Government is tackling the modernization and digitization of public transport with an investment of 28 million euros. Rocío Díaz, the Minister of Development, Territorial Articulation, and Housing, shared the most relevant measures of this plan during the inauguration of the European Congress of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) in Seville, highlighting the technological leap that the transport card will undergo and the creation of the public transport control and management center.
Rocío Díaz outlined the strategy of the Juanma Moreno government for «a different way of understanding mobility», which «focuses on modernization and digitization in transportation», alongside better infrastructure and affordable fares. This model, as specified by the Minister of Development, has led to «an increasing number of Andalusians choosing to move efficiently». Díaz also recalled that 2024 was the best year in the history of metropolitan public transport in Andalusia, with 124 million passengers, «double the number from just seven years ago».
Furthermore, the Minister of Development highlighted that Andalusia has «a unique intermodality model in Spain«, through the Consortium card (green card, large family or youth), a single card that allows travel on metropolitan and urban buses, metros, trams, boats, and, for a few months now, on Cercanías trains. Additionally, as mentioned, it can be used in any of the Andalusian metropolitan areas, making «interoperability a reality, simple and uncomplicated».
Building on this success, the Ministry of Development is working on a technological leap with a new transport card with enhanced features, that can be used on all public transports in Andalusia. Currently, the initial phase of support development is underway to eventually integrate new payment and mobility methods. «We want boarding a bus or a metro to be as easy as unlocking your phone,» stated Rocío Díaz.
This card is part of a broader effort by the Andalusian Government: a plan to modernize public transport in Andalusia, focusing on digitization and smart management. Among the measures being implemented is the Public Transport Management and Control Center in Andalusia, a system that «will monitor, in real time, what happens on the main transport corridors».
During her speech, the Minister of Development also listed other actions, such as the digitization of the management of the maintenance of the over 10,500 kilometers of road network or the application of digital twins in Andalusian metros. «The goal is to enhance the user experience, which is ultimately our true priority,» she emphasized.
The European Congress ITS 2025 will take place from May 19 to 21 at the Seville Exhibition and Congress Center with 3,500 participants, over 120 exhibitors, and more than a hundred sessions, highlighting local and regional advancements in sustainable transportation. This congress, as expressed by Díaz, will mark «a turning point» on the path towards sustainable mobility desired by Europe and aligns with the objectives of the UN’s 2030 Agenda.
