Tarjeta Intermodal Mallorca: bus, train and what residents really pay

If you live on Mallorca rather than just holiday here, you'll quickly notice: the car is practical, but bus and train have become almost free for residents on the island. With the Tarjeta Intermodal – or its successor, the Tarjeta Única – registered residents travel free of charge in 2026 on the red TIB long-distance buses, the train, the metro, and even the blue EMT city buses in Palma. That sounds like a simple deal, but in practice it raises questions: What exactly is the difference between the Tarjeta Intermodal and the Tarjeta Única? Who gets which card profile? What happens to the old Tarjeta Ciudadana? And what do second-home owners who aren't on the island all year round pay? This guide breaks down the system, explains the application step by step, and shows where typical cost traps lurk in everyday life.

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The system at a glance: TIB, EMT and SFM

Mallorca's public transport consists of two separate but well-coordinated systems. The central interchange point of both networks is Plaça d'Espanya in Palma, also known as Estació Intermodal – hence the name of the card.

TIB and EMT have different fare systems and timetables, but are linked together via the Tarjeta Única or Tarjeta Intermodal: whoever has the card travels at the same (namely free) rate on both networks.

Note: Private long-distance bus providers, such as some direct airport shuttles, are not part of the subsidised network and are billed separately.

Free-of-charge rule 2026: who really travels for free

The Balearic regional government council decided on 14 December 2025 to continue free use of regional public transport – TIB long-distance buses, train and Metro Mallorca – throughout the whole of 2026 as well. This means that users with a Tarjeta Única or Tarjeta Intermodal continue to receive a 100 percent discount on the regular fare: the price is 0 euros, just as in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Attention: Free doesn't mean without a ticket. You must validate the card when boarding and when alighting – on the bus at the card reader, and on the train and metro at the access gates. Without this validation, there's no free journey, just a regular charge or a penalty fee.

According to TIB, the free-of-charge rule explicitly also applies to the EMT network in Palma – regardless of whether you change lines or not. A minimum balance of 5 euros on the card is recommended, so that no technical problems arise in the system, even though the actual journey costs nothing.

Tarjeta Intermodal, Tarjeta Única and Tarjeta Ciudadana: what's the difference?

Many residents are confused here, and rightly so: several card names are circulating in parallel on Mallorca. The Tarjeta Intermodal is the older, still valid personal card for the TIB and EMT network. The Tarjeta Única is the newer, unified card that offers the same service and is gradually becoming the standard. In 2026, both card types equally entitle holders to free use of bus, train and metro.

There is also the Tarjeta Ciudadana, an older municipal card that, according to current reports, expires at the end of March. Anyone who still holds such a card should switch to the Tarjeta Intermodal or the new Tarjeta Única in good time in order to keep travelling without interruption.

The colloquial term "Bonobús", still frequently heard on Mallorca, historically refers to multi-trip tickets and discount cards for the bus networks. In practice, the discount for residents is now handled via the personalised Tarjeta Única or Tarjeta Intermodal – for the exact current name and details of individual discount products, it's worth checking the official TIB tariff page if in doubt.

Card profiles: who gets which card?

The Tarjeta Única is not issued as a single card for everyone, but is differentiated according to profiles, each with its own requirements. The responsible body is the Consorcio de Transportes de Mallorca (CTM) within the framework of the Balearic administration (CAIB).

Note: If you have school-age children on Mallorca, you'll find additional information on everyday family life in our guide School in Mallorca for German children.

Step by step: how to apply for the Tarjeta Intermodal or Tarjeta Única

The application is formally handled by the Consorcio de Transportes de Mallorca (CTM) as the responsible body; according to the official procedure description, the maximum processing time until a decision is made is up to three months. A so-called "silencio administrativo" (automatic approval after the deadline expires) is not provided for in this procedure – so you should actively wait for a response or enquire in person.

In practice, however, the application process in many municipalities is much more straightforward and can be done directly on site without an appointment:

1. Gather documents – a valid ID (DNI, residency card or passport in the original), the completed and signed application form, as well as proof of your registration (Empadronamiento) in the respective municipality.
2. Bring additional supporting documents for special profiles, such as the Título de Familia Numerosa, proof of enrolment as a student, a disability certificate from IBAS, or the social security document regarding the pension.
3. Visit the local office. In many municipalities, such as Calvià, you can apply for the card directly at local issuing points without an appointment – there's no need to travel to Palma.
4. Have your documents checked and have your photo taken. The staff will check your documents and photograph you on site for the personalised card.
5. Receive the card immediately and top it up on first use. The first issue is free of charge; the first top-up is usually done with the bus driver, with a recommended minimum amount of 5 euros in cash.

Note: For administrative steps related to registration – a prerequisite for applying for the card – it's worth taking a look at our guide on Empadronamiento on Mallorca.

Documents & Contact Points: The Calvià Example

How exactly the process works on the ground varies from municipality to municipality. The example of Calvià shows how straightforward the procedure can be.

Please note: Addresses, opening hours and exact requirements can vary depending on the municipality. If in doubt, ask directly at your local council or the CTM which documents are currently required.

Everyday use: checking in and out, credit, and penalties

The biggest misunderstanding among new residents: a free ride does not mean you can simply leave the card in your pocket. The card must be validated at the reader both when boarding and when alighting – on the bus, but also at the access barriers of the train and metro.

Anyone who fails to check out when alighting risks a fee of €0.30 per journey. That may be a small amount, but it adds up over the year with daily use. Hence the simple rule of thumb: always the same card, always both actions – check-in and check-out.

Alternative: paying with a bank card (Tap & Go)

Anyone who does not have a Tarjeta Única or Intermodal – for example, as a visitor or during a transitional period – can travel contactless with a debit or credit card on the TIB network. The card is presented on boarding and alighting, and billing takes place the following day as a total daily amount. Your own bank may place a pre-authorisation hold of up to 20 Euro to check whether the card is active; this amount is automatically cancelled once the actual fare has been charged.

Note: For groups of up to five people using the same bank card, there are noticeable discounts. Important: on boarding, each person must check in individually, but on alighting a single check-out per group is sufficient – always using the same device or the same card.

This option does not replace the Tarjeta Intermodal, but is practical for anyone who is (not yet) registered as a resident and still wants to travel easily by bus, train or metro – without the free benefit, but without the paperwork.

Non-residents and second-home owners: what applies to you?

Anyone who owns a property on Mallorca but is not tax-resident in Spain will sooner or later ask whether the free card still applies. The decisive factor here is not property ownership as such, but administrative status: anyone who is tax-resident abroad but officially registered on Mallorca (empadronado) can generally fall into the user profile entitled to apply for the Tarjeta Única or continue to use the Tarjeta Intermodal.

Important: Property ownership alone does not replace registration. Without empadronamiento on Mallorca, there is generally no access to the resident card profiles. Anyone unsure which conditions apply in their own case should seek legal advice – more on this in our guide to Residencia in Spain.

Anyone who meets neither criterion – neither registered nor officially resident – pays the standard fare as a typical tourist or non-resident, for example by bank card or single ticket. According to reports, the tourist fare for EMT journeys in Palma is expected to rise to around 3 Euro per journey during 2026; there is no official confirmation of this from EMT or TIB so far, so it's worth checking the current EMT fares before travelling.

Most common mistakes

Many new residents lose time or money in everyday life due to avoidable mistakes when handling the card.

• Forgetting to check out: Leads to a fee of 0.30 Euro per journey – with daily use, a noticeable amount over the year.
• Wanting to keep using the old Tarjeta Ciudadana: According to reports, this card expires at the end of March; switch to the Tarjeta Intermodal or Tarjeta Única in good time.
• No credit on the card: Even though the journey itself costs 0 euros, a minimum credit of 5 euros is recommended to avoid technical problems.
• Forgotten empadronamiento: Without registration with the local council, there is no access to the Resident profile of the card.
• Applying for the wrong card profile: Anyone claiming a pension under the age of 65 who fails to bring proof of the type of pension risks delays in processing.

What comes next?

Once the card has been issued, it's worth taking a broader look at your own mobility: after some time with free bus and train travel, many residents consider whether it's still worth keeping a car of their own, or whether it should remain a second car at most. Anyone deciding to import or register a vehicle will find the necessary steps in our guide on registering a car in Spain. Anyone who, on the other hand, wants to do without their own vehicle altogether should also check the timetables of the TIB lines for their own region, in order to get a realistic sense of connection times.

Checklist: Applying for the Tarjeta Intermodal

• Have your empadronamiento in your own municipality in place
• Have valid ID ready (DNI, Residencia card or passport)
• Fill in and sign the application form
• Identify the appropriate card profile (General, Jove, Estudiante, Infantil, Pensionista)
• For special profiles: bring additional proof (Familia Numerosa, enrolment certificate, IBAS certificate, pension document)
• Visit the local issuing office in your own municipality
• Top up the card with at least €5 when first using it
• Validate the card consistently when boarding and alighting

Conclusion

The Tarjeta Intermodal and its successor, the Tarjeta Única, make life on Mallorca without your own car considerably more realistic than it was just a few years ago: in 2026, TIB buses, trains, the metro and the EMT city buses in Palma remain free of charge for registered users. What matters is choosing the right card profile, validating the card consistently when boarding and alighting, and switching in good time from any old Tarjeta Ciudadana. Anyone unsure which documents are required in their own municipality, or how second-home ownership status affects eligibility for the card, should seek individual advice.

Official sources

• TIB / Consorcio de Transportes de Mallorca (CTM) – homepage: https://www.tib.org
• TIB – announcement on the continuation of the free-travel scheme for 2026: https://www.tib.org/en/w/el-transport-p%C3%BAblic-interurb%C3%A0-mant%C3%A9-la-gratu%C3%AFtat-l-any-2026
• TIB – prices and the Tarjeta Única: https://www.tib.org/de/bitllets-i-tarifes
• TIB – travelling with a bank card (Targeta Bancària): https://www.tib.org/en/bitllets-i-tarifes/targeta-bancaria
• CAIB Electronic Office – Obtaining the Tarjeta Única: https://www.caib.es/seucaib/es/200/personas/tramites/tramite/6269684