The Department of Territory of Catalonia reinforces bus lines in Costa Brava

The Department of Territory of Catalonia launched, on 1 July, up to 17 new expeditions on weekdays and 16 new expeditions on Sundays and public holidays across four bus lines in Costa Brava. These enhancements aim to reduce the seasonality of services and increase the availability of buses for residents living in the area throughout the year.

At the presentation ceremony held at the Figueres bus station, the Minister of Territory, Ester Capella i Farré, emphasised that “These are very significant reinforcements, with a substantial increase in services to respond to public demand”. She assured that “The Government is committed to collective transport, which is sustainable, efficient, and guarantees access throughout the territory: it balances and achieves equity in our country”. The Generalitat, she added, has increased resources “to achieve more and better public transport”.

Line 8, which connects Begur, Regencós, and Palafrugell, now has 6 expeditions in each direction every day of the year, tripling the previous offer. The route reaches Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc and incorporates new stops around Palafrugell. It is expected that the line will quadruple the number of users and reach up to 15,300 annual travellers.

Line 10, which connects Figueres, l'Escala, and Torroella de Montgrí, now incorporates 4 expeditions in each direction. These expeditions will be direct between the municipalities of Sant Pere Pescador and Figueres, but during July and August, they will also stop at Aiguamolls de l'Empordà and Sant Pere Pescador campsites. In total, the line now has 10 expeditions in each direction, every day of the year. The improvements are expected to result in 45,700 annual travellers, more than double the current 22,500 annual travellers.

Line 11, which connects l'Escala, Verges, and Girona, now has 7 departures in each direction every day of the year, with a frequency of one bus every 2 hours. Previously, the service offered 5 expeditions per direction from Monday to Friday on weekdays and 2 expeditions per direction on weekends and public holidays. It is expected that, with this increase in service, the line will double the number of users and reach 45,000 annual travellers.

The C3 line, which connects Figueres, La Jonquera, and Voló, nearly doubles its offer. It now has 16 expeditions in each direction from Monday to Friday, 7 expeditions in each direction on Saturdays, and 7 expeditions in each direction on Sundays and public holidays. The bus will now reach almost 200 weekly expeditions, compared to just over a hundred previously. These improvements were demanded by the region to address capacity issues on the line during peak times; the frequency during peak periods used to be 60 minutes, whereas it is now 30 minutes.

The Department of Territory also plans to undertake rehabilitation and improvement works at the Figueres Bus Station valued at 145,000 euros this year. These works will primarily consist of the rehabilitation and refurbishment of some spaces inside the station, in addition to the adaptation of facilities such as lighting, ventilation, and enclosures. The work also includes the repair of the platform deck and elements of the façades, as well as cleaning and painting tasks.