Barcelona City Council has set its sights on 400,000 daily passengers using intercity buses to reach the capital, doubling the current figure of around 200,000. The announcement came on 8/9/2025 during a mobility debate hosted by Foment del Treball, with deputy mayor Laia Bonet and RACC president Josep Mateu agreeing that ‘connection mobility’ is now the city’s central challenge.
Rodalies rail services, plagued by almost daily disruptions, are not expected to improve significantly for at least a decade. Both the council and RACC argue that buses can offer quicker relief, provided investment continues. Bonet pointed to the new bus lane on the B-23 motorway, now linked to the Diagonal’s bus corridors, as an example of progress after years of underfunding the railway.
Mateu warned that 42% of commuting journeys into Barcelona are still made by private car, a share the city wants to reduce sharply. Both sides backed the creation of park-and-ride facilities, though Bonet rejected placing them on the city’s edge or funding them directly from the municipal budget. Instead, she called for hubs in surrounding municipalities with good links to buses and Rodalies.
Rodalies’ chronic unreliability has become a symbol of Barcelona’s mobility woes. By doubling intercity bus usage, the city hopes to cut congestion, emissions and frustration, while buying time until rail improvements arrive. The plan’s success will depend on sustained funding, coordination with metropolitan councils and the public’s willingness to switch modes.
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Source: Tot Barcelona
