Pablo ArranzSantiago de Compostela, July 18, 2025
The Minister of Presidency, Justice, and Sports, Diego Calvo, along with the General Director of Mobility, Judit Fontela, and the territorial delegate of the Xunta in Vigo, Ana Ortiz, emphasized today that the Xunta will continue to apply the discounts of the regional public transport in the maritime services of the Vigo estuary, despite being excluded from discounts by the State.
During a trip to check the operation of the estuary transport that operates in the maritime corridors of Vigo with Cangas and Moaña, he highlighted the importance of these services, where more than 617,000 users traveled in the first half of 2025, 4.5% more than in the same period of the previous year, of which more than 460,500 correspond to the route taken today between Vigo and Cangas. Last year, more than 1.4 million people used this estuary transport between Vigo and O Morrazo, and since the service started in 2015, more than 11.4 million.
In this service, the Xunta continues to assume the full discount for the use of the Galician Mobility Card (TMG) which, since July 1, has decreased from 50% to 40%, after the State reduced its contribution from 30% to 20%, while the Xunta maintains the 20% it has been assuming. In this way, discounts in maritime services will continue to be aligned with the rest of the metropolitan transport. In this sense, it is worth clarifying that, unlike the discounts for additional reduction in interurban road transport where the State contributes a portion, in maritime corridors, the discount is fully and voluntarily assumed by the Xunta, as it is not provided for by the State.
The discounts paid to the shipping companies by the Xunta and the municipalities with the aim of integrating this service into the Metropolitan Transport Area (ATM) are instrumentalized through a compensation per traveler for each of the corridors. The Galician government fully assumes other types of discounts in the maritime corridors of Cangas and Moaña, such as the discount for the use of the Young People Card and the +65 fare, which allows those under 21 and over 65, respectively, to travel for free in regional interurban public transport, and discounts on the price to be paid with the TMG. In the first half of 2025, the Xunta financed more than 390,000 euros for the application of the 50% discount – which decreased to 40% in July – for trips paid with the TMG in estuary transport, 5.5% more than the same period of the previous year. In 2024, the amount financed exceeded 830,000 euros, 24% higher than in 2023.
Diego Calvo highlighted the importance of maritime transport between O Morrazo and Vigo, which is integrated into the Vigo ATM through agreements signed between the Xunta and the shipping companies, in the public transport of the area, given that there are many trips made by sea in the estuary surroundings. In 2024, of the nearly 1.7 million users who traveled between Cangas or Moaña and Vigo by public transport, more than 80% used the estuary transport. In the first half of 2025, of the more than 780,000 users who made these trips, eight out of ten also did so by estuary transport, with a demand similar to the previous year.
Furthermore, the maritime services between O Morrazo and the city accounted for 38% of the total of more than 3.7 million public transport users in the Vigo ATM last year. And, from January to June 2025, they transported 35% of the total 1.7 million users registered in the Vigo ATM during this period.
The Minister of Presidency recalled that, thanks to the adherence of the shipping companies to the Vigo ATM, users of maritime services have the same discounts as metropolitan transport and can travel at a discounted rate by paying with the TMG. In this line, it is worth remembering that, unlike other existing metropolitan transport areas in the community, users do not have discounted transfers to the urban bus in Vigo due to the City Council’s refusal to join the ATM.
On the other hand, the Minister pointed out that since July 1, the Xunta has expanded the offer of interurban transport services in the municipality of Cangas to meet the increased demand in the summer months. Thus, an additional bus service was provided from Monday to Friday to serve the beach areas. In addition, a new service was introduced from Bueu in the late afternoon to improve mobility between both municipalities.
These measures are part of the Xunta’s reinforcements for this summer with the aim of responding to the increase in travel during the summer season to natural spaces; festivals, parties, and events; or beaches and water parks. This involves the activation of 22,000 specific services on a total of 90 lines throughout Galicia. For example, bus services are also reinforced in the Salnés region and its connection with Pontevedra; night services on weekends for travel between Marín-Pontevedra, Baiona-Vigo, and the O Grove-Sanxenxo-Pontevedra corridor, and those specially designed to meet the demands of pilgrims. Services and adjustments were also made in the Rías Baixas, specifically on the Illa de Arousa with a Municipal Interest Line (SIMU) to meet demand, as well as in Nigrán and Sanxenxo.
