Mallorca: Free Palma buses in 2027 hinge on state cash
Palma, Mallorca: city buses could remain free in 2027, but only if Spain’s central government keeps funding the fares. The board of city bus operator Empresa Municipal de Transportes (EMT) gave initial approval on Monday, 2 November 2026, to a €101.8 million budget for next year. It sets aside €32.9 million to cover free travel.
State payments are still outstanding
The EMT says the government still owes it €10.7 million for 2025 and €30.7 million for 2026. Delays in receiving state funding led the operator to take out a credit line of up to €40 million in 2026.
The budget forecasts 68 million passengers in 2027, compared with an expected 67 million by the end of 2026.
Electric buses and more staff
The plan allocates €43.15 million to investment. At the new ECO-EMT operations centre in the Son Rossinyol industrial estate, work on parking and charging space for electric buses is due to begin in 2027. Another 50 charging points are being installed at the Sa Tàpia depots.
More than €7.9 million is earmarked for ten new 18-metre articulated electric buses. The EMT also plans to grow its workforce from an expected 983 at the end of 2026 to 1,038 in 2027, including 50 more drivers.
More on this topic: Traffic on Mallorca
Topics: Traffic · Politics · Palma
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com