Renfe to allow electric scooters on trains again

Renfe will once again allow passengers to carry electric scooters on its trains from Monday, September 7, reversing a ban that had affected people who used the vehicles for daily travel.

The measure covers Cercanías, Media Distancia and long-distance services. It does not yet apply to the Rodalies and Cercanías Euskadi networks, where the restriction remains temporarily in place.

Renfe described the train-and-scooter combination as a practical way to complete the first and last parts of journeys in metropolitan and urban areas. Passengers can use scooters to travel between home, the station and work or school. The company said the change follows Spain’s updated regulatory framework for personal mobility vehicles, including mandatory identification, registration and insurance systems.

The Spanish Federation of Personal Mobility Vehicles estimates that around seven million electric scooters and other personal mobility vehicles currently operate in Spain. Renfe said the return of scooters will widen affordable transport options, shorten travel times, improve access to public transport and strengthen connections for different groups, while supporting sustainability and reducing private-car use.

The readmission comes with specific safety conditions. Renfe will accept only approved scooters that comply with Law 5/2025, which adapts Spanish rules to European Directive (EU) 2021/2118 and brings light personal vehicles under compulsory third-party liability insurance. They must also meet requirements set by Spain’s Directorate-General for Traffic. The article says these rules are intended to make the vehicles identifiable and improve safety for both users and other passengers.