What it is and the completed bus network

The new bus network is a project to redesign the Barcelona bus network according to criteria of ease of use, efficiency and resource management. Now that it has been fully introduced, passengers have a more intelligible bus network with shorter waiting and journey times and improved links between modes of transport, all of which makes for a more attractive and sustainable public transport system.

Now the project is fully operational, the new bus network comprise 28 high performance lines; 17 vertical (sea-mountain), 8 horizontal (Llobregat-Besòs) and 3 diagonal. 

The main features of the new bus network are:

• Faster, thanks to a series of measures that have been introduced, such as designated bus lanes, priority at traffic lights and double stops.
• Easier to use, as new bus lines follow straighter, more direct routes, designed to increase the efficiency and logic of the layout, to make travel smoother for users.
• Great links and better intermodality, as the network covers the city completely, from the Llobregat to the Besòs and from the sea to Collserola. And it provides better links with other bus routes and other modes of public transport (metro, FGC, Tram, etc.).
• More frequent, buses run more often (every 5 to 8 minutes) and services have been extended, which means shorter waiting times at stops.
• Gradual introduction of new lines in stages until all 28 lines planned for the new network are operational.
• Interchange hubs: the points where vertical, horizontal and diagonal bus routes intersect, in both directions, are called interchange hubs. Here changing buses is quick and easy.

Up until 2012 the Barcelona bus network was the heir to the tram network of the previous century. As the city grew, the routes were extended and superimposed until a network was created that was illogical, with repetition of lines and journeys that were slow and buses that were infrequent. Neither were connections ensured between different parts of the city and for the uninitiated user, the network was hard to understand and read on a map.

Introduction was gradual for the completion of the 28 lines. To prevent duplication,  lines that coincidde with new ones were replaced or continued to running on altered routes.

The completion of the final phase finished in autumn 2018, when the Barcelona bus network comprise 97 lines: 43 urban and inter-city lines, 26 Bus de Barri or neighbourhood buses and 28 high performance lines.

In the final phase changes were made to eight existing bus routes: H6, H8, H10, H14, H16, V13, V15 and V17. Of the 43 conventional lines, 30 manteined their current route and the other 13 runned on altered routes. The route of one neighbourhood bus was altered and three new ones were ;created.

This means that 95% of the population have a more versatile, high performance bus service available with various options between the same points.

• Map of the bus routes in the new bus network
• "Barcelona's new bus network" publication in PDF
• Articles on the new bus network on the TMB news website (CA)
• SlideShare presentation on the new bus network (CA)