The intercity bus service in Catalonia will experience a significant improvement starting in 2026, with increased frequencies on nearly one hundred lines. This measure, promoted by the Government, seeks to alleviate congestion on some routes and respond to the constant increase in users, who are expected to reach one hundred million annual trips in the same year.
The increase in demand is attributed to several factors, such as the growing population residing outside Barcelona but working there, young people's preference for alternatives to private cars, and, significantly, the crisis affecting the Rodalies service. This situation has led many users to opt for the bus, generating demand increases of between 10% and 30% in certain corridors.
“"Demand increases of between 10% and 30% are occurring, especially in those corridors where Rodalies users have switched to the bus."
The urgent measures plan, which has a budget of 21.5 million euros, was finalized at an event in Granollers and foresees reinforcements in the four Catalan provinces. The improvements will be implemented within four to six months and will affect lines originating or terminating in Barcelona, such as connections with Vilafranca del Penedès, Igualada, Vilanova i la Geltrú, Granollers, Berga, Blanes, or Sabadell.
Several lines in Vallès (Sabadell-Terrassa, Cerdanyola-Sant Cugat-Rubí, or Sant Celoni-Granollers) will also be reinforced, as well as connections to the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) from Barcelona, Manresa, and Mataró. The plan includes improvements in access to hospitals, such as the Arenys-Hospital de Mataró or Blanes-Hospital de Calella routes.
In the Girona regions, service increases are expected on routes such as Lloret-Girona, Girona-Girona Airport, Palamós-Girona, or L'Escala-Girona. In Ponent, corridors such as Lleida-Cervera, Lleida-Miralcamp, Guissona-Cervera, or Balaguer-Lleida will benefit. Finally, in Camp de Tarragona, there will be reinforcements on more than a dozen lines, including Reus-Tarragona, Reus-Salou, Montblanc-Valls-Tarragona, Ulldecona-Amposta, and El Vendrell-Tarragona, in addition to improved service between Tarragona and Barcelona or between Terra Alta and the Catalan capital.
For now, the Generalitat does not foresee the creation of new intercity routes, but punctual route modifications will be made, which will be agreed upon with the involved municipalities.
