Andorra Issues 680 Fuel Vouchers Amid RN-20 Landslide Closure

The Andorran government has distributed approximately 677-680 fuel vouchers worth €30 each to Occitania-registered vehicles since the programme launched on 11 February 2026, in response to the ongoing RN-20 closure caused by a 31 January landslide. Tourism and Commerce Minister Jordi Torres shared the latest count as of Monday evening, with numbers continuing to climb as awareness spreads. Over the 20-22 February weekend, Pas de la Casa tourist office staff issued more than 500 vouchers—over 200 on Saturday alone—providing over €15,000 in aid. Drivers register at the office with vehicle documents, refuel locally, then submit vouchers with receipts.

Vehicle entries at Pas de la Casa rose to 6,544 that weekend, up from 2,721 the previous one (13-15 February), though still 47% below typical levels—an advance from prior 70-75% drops. Secretary of State for Energy Transition, Transport and Mobility David Forné highlighted the uptick during a Tuesday press conference, attributing it to support measures while noting no French reopening timeline.

Retail sales at Pas de la Casa, which account for 20-25% of national totals (including €370 million in last year's card transactions, or 18% of Andorra's €1.994 billion), show no footfall boost. Shoppers often bypass stores amid navigation challenges. Head of Government Xavier Espot, in an ICI Occitania interview, pegged retail losses at 60-80%, mainly economic with some mobility effects, while hotels hold steady via Spanish access. Commerce and tourism together make up 40% of GDP. Argentinos en Andorra president Marcelo Ponce flagged risks of seasonal job cuts.

Aid expanded Tuesday: €200 coach vouchers for vehicles over 30 passengers activate Wednesday via BOPA decree. Free Pas de la Casa-L'Hospitalet shuttles now offer 14 daily trips (averaging 330 daily users, up sharply), including a new 16:00 slot timed to SNCF trains. MoraBanc provides 10% refunds on Pas purchases up to €1,000 per person via its cards. La Poste mail runs, now three times weekly, take four and a half hours—double normal—due to detours, with repairs expected to last at least three months.

Forné and Espot renewed calls for infrastructure upgrades, including extending L'Hospitalet rail closer to Andorra—similar to Tramvalira plans with Spain—and prioritising the access road as Level 1 with 24-hour snow monitoring. Espot plans to raise rail links during President Macron's late-April visit, stressing France's resources and Andorra's technical-diplomatic support from the start. French media and detours (up to two and a half hours from Toulouse) have aided voucher uptake, though stations report uneven demand.

Separate transport updates include bus network tweaks effective 9 March: L7 extends to Ordino's Auditori Nacional via Avinguda del Través and Clota Verda, doubling parish frequency to six hourly services; L6 skips Ordino centre for faster runs, stopping only at the sports centre; L4 to Pas de la Casa adds two peak trips. The free national bus hit a 2025 record of 8.06 million passengers, averaging 22,000 daily—a tripling since 2021 policies. Escaldes-Engordany proposed tweaking a future tram interchanger site for Encamp-Massana links.