What to do when the Paseo Marítimo is overcrowded? An idea from the Port Authority aims to provide relief: just like in Venice, “floating buses” are soon to operate and serve the route between the Portopí lighthouse and Portitxol. Operations are scheduled to start as early as next year.
What has been common practice in the lagoon city of Venice for many years is now to be implemented on the Spanish Balearic island of Mallorca: as mallorcazeitung.es reports, the city of Palma is to have a new means of transport as early as 2026 – a water bus. As announced by the Port Authority, this is intended to relieve traffic on the busy Paseo Marítimo.
The new water bus, which will connect the port with the city, is part of the general redevelopment of the Paseo Marítimo, the report continues. The project is to be tendered by the end of this year; the concession has a term of 15 years, and a total of four electric boats are to be deployed.
Prices for using the water buses are expected to be “moderate”
According to information from the Port Authority, prices are expected to be moderate and similar to those of the EMT buses. Just like there, single tickets, day tickets, and multi-trip tickets will be available on the water as well. It will also be possible to use the water buses with the Tarjeta Intermodal (for Mallorca residents).
As mallorcazeitung.es further reports, the water buses are to run daily every half hour, from 7 am to 10 pm during the week, and even until midnight on weekends. There will be three different lines: one of them will lead to Portixol. And: at the jetty opposite the Auditorium (Muelle de Golondrinas), passengers will be able to switch to environmentally friendly means of transport such as electric bicycles or scooters in the future.
