Mobility Habits: Walking and Cars Still Dominate, But Private Vehicles Lose Ground

Walking (65%) and car usage (60%) remain the primary modes of urban transportation. However, there is a clear trend towards reducing the use of private vehicles in urban areas, alongside a cautious approach to renewing the car fleet.

These are some of the findings from the latest edition of the Alphabet Mobility Forum, which reveals a stable yet significantly changing landscape in Spanish travel habits during 2025. The study highlights that car usage for city travel has decreased by eight points compared to 2024, dropping from 52% to 44%.

Despite this decline, private vehicles are still considered essential by 51% of Spaniards for their regular commutes, especially in metropolitan areas and medium-sized cities like Murcia, Badajoz, or Valladolid, where their presence is predominant.

Public transport remains consolidated, stabilising the increase recorded between 2023 and 2024 following the implementation of subsidies. Buses are regularly used by 44% of citizens, while the metro remains at 29%. Trains, however, have seen a slight decline, falling from 17% to 15%, possibly influenced by the end of commuter transport subsidies mid-year.

This type of mobility is prevalent among young people aged 18 to 30 (56% use buses and 40% use the metro), while those over 61 years old prioritise walking (74%).

The metropolitan areas of Madrid and Barcelona see the highest use of the public network. In Madrid, six out of ten citizens (61%) use buses and half (49%) use the metro. In Barcelona, the percentages are slightly lower (59% and 46% respectively). Regarding travel motivations, convenience remains the main reason (74%), followed by physical exercise (35%) and economic savings (29%), although the latter two have decreased compared to the previous year.

The study also highlights the challenge posed by the aging Spanish vehicle fleet, which averages 14.5 years old, compared to the European average of 12 years.

The main reason for changing cars is clear: 80% of Spaniards do so only when the vehicle stops working, four points more than in 2024. Factors such as safety (24%) or sustainability (22%) have lost influence as purchase drivers.

Regarding the intention to purchase a new vehicle, hybrid models (40%) and plug-in hybrids (14%) account for more than half of preferences, in line with 2024. However, pure electric cars have fallen to 8% of purchase intentions, a drop of five points from last year, amid regulatory and commercial uncertainty.

Ángeles Roca, Marketing and Business Development Manager at Alphabet, concluded that the data reflect clear signs of change in travel habits, with public transport becoming a regular option and greater economic caution delaying vehicle renewal. "Our challenge as a mobility company is to offer alternatives that facilitate access to modern, safe, and efficient vehicles, and in this area, leasing plays a key role," she stated.