More intercity buses to take you to the UAB

On 19 September, UAB Rector Javier Lafuente was accompanied by Xavier Gabarrell, vice-rector for Campus and Sustainability, and Manel Nadal, secretary for Mobility and Infrastructure of the Government of Catalonia, at the presentation of the improvements for this 2025/26 academic year, which included almost 90 new departures of several intercity buses connecting the nearby towns with the UAB.

These improvements are offered due to the increasing demand seen in these past years and form part of the Catlaan government's emergency plan for the improvement of intercity buses.

The twenty intercity bus lines connecting to the Bellaterra Campus recorded a total of 2,707,191 trips in 2024, 20% more than the previous year and 87.33% more than in 2019, before the pandemic. Particularly noteworthy is the Manresa–UAB line, which in 2024 saw an increase of 140% compared to 2019 and 34% compared to 2023; as did the 490 Vilafranca del Penedès–UAB line, which began operating in 2022 and experienced a 165% growth from 2023 to 2024.

The rector of the UAB, Javier Lafuente, welcomed this increase in lines and frequencies by the Catalan government, as “it has a major impact from the point of view of sustainability. Fifteen years ago, less than 50% of people coming to the campus used public transport, and today that figure has risen to 75%.”

Manel Nadal, secretary for Mobility and Infrastructure, highlighted that “the UAB is becoming the major public transport hub after Barcelona, where we have more than 20 lines and have now added 5 more and reinforced some of the existing ones.”

Among the improvements presented, the Express e3 stands out, linking Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, and the UAB. It is the line with the most trips and users, and will now offer a total of 102 trips in each direction. This is about thirty more trips in each direction than the current service. In 2024, it recorded 2,067,482 trips, 19.2% more than in the previous year.

New departures

The e3 Barcelona-Cerdanyola-UAB express line will offer, starting on 22 September, a total of 204 journeys between Barcelona and the UAB Campus, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:40 p.m. This is an increase of 54 journeys per day, from Mondays to Fridays, excluding holidays.

The regular B6 Sabadell – Barberà – Badia – UAB line will also offer, starting on 22 September, 16 journeys per day, from 6:45 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. A total of five more journeys to the UAB and six more journeys back to Sabadell. The line has grown two-fold in demand in these past few years, with a total registry of 7,839 journeys in 2024, representing a 104.35% increase when compared to the 3,836 journeys in 2023.

The 648 Montcada - Ripollet - Cerdanyola - UAB line offers 48 journeys starting on 15 September and increases its frequency to every 30 minutes, from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m and from 1:30 to 7:00 p.m.

The 865 Mataró – Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona line offers 28 journeys per day starting on 8 September, from 6:35 a.m. to 9:15 p.m., Mondays to Fridays, excluding holidays. This represents three new daily journeys to the UAB and two new journeys to Mataró.  

The regular Igualada – Martorell –UAB line began on 8 September to offer two new journeys and now offers a total of three journeys to and from the UAB, Mondays to Fridays, excluding holidays, from 6:35 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.

Emergency plan

All these measures are included in the Emergency Plan for Intercity Bus Improvements, which the Ministry for Territory, Housing, and Ecological Transition began to implement before the summer and which envisages an investment of €17 million between 2025 and 2026 lines with high demand or those that connect to health centres and educational institutions. The plan is financed with €8 million from the Ministry itself and €9 million from the Climate Fund.

More information: UAB Mobility and Transport website