Madrid redesigns tourist bus network to support sustainable mobility

Madrid City Council has reduced tourist bus routes from ten to four to alleviate congestion on public transport routes. The remaining lines are Madrid Histórico, Castellana‑Bernabéu, and Alcalá‑Ventas, plus a seasonal Christmas Lights route running in the evenings from 23 November to 7 January.

A study revealed that in 2024, tourist buses circulated on popular corridors like Gran Vía, Recoletos and Atocha every 10 minutes, occupying up to 20% of bus-lane capacity and causing over 10% of EMT buses to wait or stop incorrectly.

New rules require that all buses operating the tourist bus routes must be zero emission or have an ECO environmental classificaiton, and ensure that 25% of the fleet is fully electric within one year. Companies must also offer multilingual audio guides in ten languages and operate vehicles with space for wheelchairs.

The city has launched a 30-day public tender for interested parties to submit their applications. The three selected operators will hold four-year licenses, pay an annual €250,000 fee, and meet requirements such as having experience in cities of over 500,000 residents. Operators must launch services within three months meaning that they are expected to be in operation by Decemeber.

This new regulation, aligned with the city's new Tourist Mobility Strategy, aims to ensure a high-quality and sustainable service for tourists without negatively impacting public transport.

Author: Carolina Ramos

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.