Buses in Barcelona - 100 years of network (1922-2022)

A hundred years ago, on 14 October 1922, the first two urban bus routes in Barcelona were officially opened, with a ring-road route that complemented one another. Operated by the General de Autobuses company (CGA), the routes are regarded as the precursor to the city’s first bus network.

Buses had already been travelling along Barcelona's streets some years before, covering nearby towns and other discretionary services. As a precedent for implementing a network, the La Catalana company had already attempted to launch an urban bus service in 1906 with several routes, although the initiative failed to get off the ground.

The book Buses in Barcelona - 100 years of network (1922-2022) features the history of Barcelona’s bus network, from its origins to the present day, a story linked to the development of the metropolis itself. The work reviews the decisive moments for the bus service, such as the Second Republic and the Civil War, post-war buses and trolleybuses, the municipalisation of transport, the expansion and modernisation of the bus network. Along the journey, the volume also reaches milestones closer in time, such as fare integration and the new bus network. All this is covered without forgetting to talk about the development of vehicles and fuels, and the challenges faced, such as issues of accessibility, and the sustainability of the service.

The book can be purchased on the website of the Efadós publishing company and will in the near future be available in most bookshops around the region, as well as on with platforms such as Amazon, Casa del Llibre, Abacus and Fnac. A QR code is also included, that redirects readers to an accessible digital version.

Title: Els autobusos a Barcelona, 100 anys fent xarxa (1922-2022)

Writer: Ricard Fernández Valentí

Publishing house: Efadós

Publication co-published by Barcelona City Council Editorial Services and TMB.

Launch event on 23 March at the Saló de Cent of Barcelona City Council