Free on-demand night bus in Murcia between Good Friday and the Spring Festival
ARCHIVED ARTICLE -
The pilot project will cover 20 stops between outlying districts and Murcia City Centre
Murcia City Council has launched a pilot project to run a free, on-demand night bus service which will benefit “more than 140,000 potential travellers, between the end of Holy Week and the Spring Festival.”
That’s according to Mobility Councillor José Francisco Muñoz, who announced that the complimentary service will operate from Friday March 29 until Sunday April 7.
The on-demand bus will feature 20 stops that will connect a dozen districts with the centre of Murcia. These include: Zeneta, Los Ramos, Torreagüera, Beniaján, Los Dolores, El Raal, Alquerías, Santa Cruz, Llano de Brujas and Puente Tocinos, with the stops at Plaza Circular, Atalayas and Alameda de Colón.
The cutting-edge BUSME application, available for iOS and Android devices from Wednesday March 27, will allow users to reserve their preferred time and pick-up spot from the comfort of their own homes. With just a few taps, passengers can choose from a range of time slots between 11pm and 3am, ensuring a hassle-free and personalised experience.
To make sure the service operates as efficiently as possible, only passengers who have pre-booked will be allowed on the bus – they will simply need to show the driver the QR code that will be sent to their phone after they reserve a seat. However, the councillor explained that the booking “can be made days or even just minutes in advance.”
The objective of this pilot project is "to know the potential demand that exists for this night transport service, to assess its future implementation in the development of the new transport model in Murcia," he added.
If the project is successful and integrated into the regular transportation system, the buses won’t only be limited to night-time hours, as the most in-demand areas will be added to the regular routes.
Anyone interested in this service can now register here to receive an automatic notice when the app is up and running.