Demand responsive bus service comes to Fuencarral El Pardo

Residents in Fuencarral-El Pardo can now enjoy a demand-responsive bus service, marking a first for Madrid, Spain (ES). The municipal transport company, Empresa Municipal de Transportes (EMT), launched the personalised service on 19 December. It serves the neighborhoods of Barrio del Pilar, Arroyo del Fresno, Mirasierra, Montecarmelo, and Tres Olivos. Routes will adapt based on reservations made up to 24 hours in advance via a dedicated mobile application.

How the service works

Travelers must download the Smart Bus Madrid app, to book their journey. Users can specify their desired departure or arrival time, along with their pick-up and drop-off points. The app will assign the nearest EMT stop as the pick-up location and provide an estimated time of arrival.

For last-minute travel, users can make immediate reservations. These will integrate them into an existing route, subject to availability. Payment methods and ticket fares will remain consistent with the existing EMT network.

The service will initially operate with two minibuses running daily from 07:00 to 20:00.

Smart algorithms to enhance efficiency

The Smart Bus Madrid app employs intelligent algorithms to group passengers heading towards similar destinations into the same vehicle. This initiative aims to deliver fast, flexible, and efficient journeys while complementing EMT's existing services in the southwest of Madrid.

Although the target neighborhoods already benefit from EMT's regular lines and Metro or Cercanías train connections, rapid population growth and increased commuting to newly established workplaces have created additional transport demands, according to the city's Mobility Department.

Improving local connections

The demand-responsive buses will help connect residents with key locations, including the Cercanías stations at Fuencarral and Pitis, as well as the La Vaguada shopping center. This service complements regular EMT routes in the area, which include lines 49, 64, 66, 67, 82, 83, 124, 127, 133, 134, 137, 170, 178, T61, and night lines N20, N21, N22, N23, and N24.

City officials describe the new service as an essential improvement to mobility in the northwestern districts of Madrid, providing more frequent and targeted connections.

Integration with four new lines

This project coincides with the integration of four new lines into the EMT network, which now includes 227 routes. Previously operated by private contractors, lines 601, 602, and 500 will now be managed directly by EMT under the designations L158, L164, L179, and N31. These changes aim to enhance connectivity between neighborhoods such as El Pardo, Moncloa, and Los Cármenes

Author: Jonathan De Vriendt

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.

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