The TIB bus network closes in 2024 with 20% more users, up to a total of 28.3 million journeys
The modification of the concessions, with an increased budget of about 150 million, allows the incorporation of 27 buses
All lines from various municipalities to the airport are maintained in the low season and will operate all year round
The Government of the Balearic Islands has introduced improvements to the TIB intercity bus service by modifying the three bus concessions in Mallorca to adapt the service to demand and increased users in recent years —20% more in 2024— with an increase in the bus fleet —a total of 27 more buses— and current routes, and by offering all Aerotib lines from various municipalities to the airport throughout the year, including the low season.
This improvement of the concessions, which began last year with the signing of the first contract (Ponent zone) and which has already allowed the A11 line from Calvià and Peguera to the airport to start operating on 20 December, is completed this week with the formalisation of the last two contracts (Raiguer-Nord and Llevant-Migjorn zones). In the coming weeks, the A32, A42 and A51 Aerotib lines will be activated, connecting towns such as Inca, Alcúdia and Can Picafort, Manacor and Cala Bona, or Campos with Son Sant Joan airport.
Regional Minister for Housing, Territory and Mobility, José Luis Mateo, together with Director General for Mobility, Lorena del Valle, and the manager of the Majorcan Transport Consortium, Lluïsa Serra, today presented the balance of intercity public transport users (Mallorca bus, train and metro) for the year 2024 as well as the new improvements to the TIB intercity bus network once the process of modifying the TIB network bus concessions promoted by the Government this term of office has been completed.
Increase in bus, train and metro users: up to 39 million in 2024
Overall, public transport use continues the growth trend of recent years. In 2024, 39.3 million journeys were made on the TIB network (Mallorca intercity bus, train and metro), more than 18% up on the previous year. Of these users, 28.3 million are on the bus, 8.9 million on the train and 2.1 million on the metro. 73% of journeys are made with the Intermodal Card, a transport ticket used by residents of Mallorca that allows them to travel free of charge.
As Regional Minister José Luis Mateo pointed out, this is a "very significant" increase, bearing in mind that it not only reflects the effect of free public transport, given that it compares two full years with free public transport in force, and the data "confirm the commitment of many citizens to public transport, especially residents, who are the target of the policy of improving mobility that we are promoting from the Govern".
The bus service recorded a 20% increase in users, higher than the average increase of the TIB transport network, to achieve a total of more than 28 million journeys over 2024. This is an increase of almost 5 million compared to the previous year, over 13 million more than in 2022 and nearly 18 million more journeys than in 2019, the year before the pandemic. To cope with this increase, the Government opted to improve the current concessions, which began operating in January 2021.
Improving concessions to match actual demand
According to Regional Minister Mateo, the modification of the concessions promoted by the Directorate General for Mobility, "is a key step in adapting the service to the increase in demand and, in practice, for users, it means many improvements: more buses, more frequencies, more routes and longer timetables. With Aerotib lines between many municipalities and the airport all year round and with other improvements in lines all over Mallorca".
Overall, the modification of the bus concessions for the 2024-2030 period will enable an extension in timetables and lines and also an expansion of the fleet with the addition of 27 buses (to a total of 257 buses). Vehicles reinforcement will mean six new buses this year and 21 new buses are planned for next year.
Of the six reinforcement buses incorporated this year, two are already in operation on line 403 between Campos, Algaida and Palma, while the other four buses will enter service in June to reinforce other high-demand routes such as lines 401 Cala Millor – Palma, 411 Cala Rajada – Manacor, 501 Manacor – Campos – Palma and 504 Tolleric – Palma.
One of the most relevant improvements this year is that from now on users will have access to the airport's services all year round and not only during the summer season. So the A11 line that connects the Calvià zone with the airport resumed service in December, and the other three Aerotib lines will be put into operation in the coming weeks, once the process of modifying the concessions of these other zones has been formalised.
Specifically, lines A32 connecting Inca, Alcúdia and Can Picafort with the airport will start on 15 March; line A42 from Manacor and Cala Bona is scheduled to start on 24 March; and line A51 from Campos on 1 April. Thus, the main residential areas will maintain bus connections with Son Sant Joan airport during the low season.
Other improvements are also introduced thanks to the modification of the concessions. This year, starting in June, the new Cala Rajada – Manacor – Palma and Cala d'Or – Campos – Palma express lines will begin to operate, offering these semi-direct routes to users in these towns, and from next year onwards, these lines will operate throughout the April – October period.
With the modification of the concessions, the Government of the Balearic Islands reinforces its commitment to improving public transport. The modification of the contracts involves an increase in the total budget of around €150 million (from €436 to €580 million) in this period until 2030 and will enable a number of improvements to be introduced progressively.
This contract modification is key to respond to the current increase in demand, and the service offer increases from the 16.5 million kilometres included in the contracts initiated in 2021 to the 24.6 million kilometres per year of the modification. This is a growth of about 50% of the initially planned service. A service of 22.1 million kilometres was offered in 2023 and frequencies were increased last year with the addition of 10 new buses.
