The expense of the travel of the senators charged to the budget of the Upper House has amounted to 811,218.54 euros during the first three months of 2023, which represents 192,359 euros more than last year at this point, an increase of 31 percent. percent and the record in the eight years since data was available.

This is stated in the transparency portal of the Senate, in the section on the economic regime, where these expenses derived from the transport of parliamentarians are collected, broken down by quarters since 2015.

Specifically, during the first quarter of 2023, the total reflected is 770,672 euros, divided between the parliamentary, political and official trips of the senators, although the total billing of this period, that is, what it really costs the Senate, is 811,218 euros, since this also includes management, cancellation and ticket change fees, as well as issued tickets pending use.

The Upper House bears the expenses of the trips of the senators in the means of collective transport (plane, train, bus or ship) for the performance of their parliamentary activity, to carry out activities of a political, sectoral or institutional representation nature, as well as as well as official trips made on behalf of the Senate.

Likewise, the Senate gives parliamentarians a 'Taxi-Card' with a maximum annual credit of 3,000 euros, valid to cover their trips in the Community of Madrid, and, in the case of using their own car, 0.25 euros are paid per kilometer, as well as, where appropriate, the amounts of motorway tolls.

Last years

The travel expenses of senators during these first three months of 2023 (811,218.54 euros) have been the record since these data began to be made public, eight years ago. In addition, the cost of travel has increased by 30% compared to the first quarter of 2022, when they were 618,859.54 euros.

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and face-to-face activity in the Upper House was almost completely closed, the expenses were 586,743.35 euros. In 2021, when there were still certain restrictions, the costs during the first three months amounted to 486,851.53 euros.

In 2019, the last year before the pandemic, the travel expenses of the senators were 636,055.78 euros. In 2018 (766,304.74 euros), in 2017 (792,792.96 euros), 2016 (608,461.66 euros) and 2015 (672,218.56 euros) the barrier of 800,000 euros in the first quarter of this year was never exceeded.

Congress expenses

Congress has also published the travel expenses of the deputies during the first three months of 2023, allocating 1.17 million euros to cover the travel of their honorable members throughout the country, 8.39% more than in the same period of last year.

Specifically, the total billing for trips made between January 1 and March 31 amounted to 1,170,476.72 euros, compared to 1,079,839.28 the previous year.. That is, the figure has increased by 90,637.44.

Of this total figure, 700,347.27 euros were used to pay for trips by deputies between Madrid and their respective constituencies, 123,075.95 euros were invested in trips to attend political events -with the authorization of their respective groups- and another 1,593.57 euros for official trips. The other 345,469.93 euros charged to Congress are for management expenses.