The Ministry of Transport has approved a new regulation which will force state concession buses to sport a new color and the Government logo. I suppose this is a matter of taste, but soon we will see the buses in a turquoise and forest green that seeks to be recognizable among the towns in which these buses serve. We tell you the details.
What was before. Spain has around 2,000 municipalities connected by bus lines that the State awards in concession to private operators such as Alsa, Avanza, Ruiz or Samar, among others. Until now, these vehicles circulated with the corporate colors of each company, with the state brand ‘Bus.es’ present, but discreetly and without strict visual criteria.
What will be now. The General Directorate of Road and Rail Transport (DGTCF) has published in the BOE a resolution that updates the visual image of these buses for the first time since 2011. From now on, the affected vehicles must be covered, using paint or vinyl, in two specific tones: a “vibrant turquoise” that will dominate the bodywork and a “forest green” reserved for the areas where the Ministry of Transport logo must appear.
The logo of the private company will continue to be visible, but this time it takes on a secondary role, in the turquoise area on the side.
Who and when. The regulations apply to concession contracts tendered as of January 1, 2026 or to those that are renewed from now on. The change will not be immediate for the entire fleet, as Transport has foreseen that the adaptation can be made “progressively”, according to the text of the resolution itself.
Why is it done?. The Ministry led by Óscar Puente justifies the measure as a modernization of the visual identity of the state network, aligned with “the principles of sustainable mobility, territorial cohesion and quality in service provision,” according to its official statement. There is also a more political reading, and that is that the Executive has been reorganizing the concessional map for some time of routes, and this unified image allows this process to be visually linked to the Government’s brand.
In detail. According to the statementthe front of the bus will show off the color turquoise. The sides too, except for the back, which will adopt forest green and reserve a space equivalent to “two-fifths of the total height of the vehicle” for the ministry’s own logo. On the rear window, on that same dark strip, the renewed ‘Bus.es’ icon will also appear, which also has a new design.
What doesn’t change. The concession system itself is not touched by this resolution. Companies that already operate with a current contract, and that do not renew or are awarded new tenders, will not be obliged to adopt the new image immediately. And European operators under a free competition regime, such as Flixbus, for example, will not be able to use this visual identity. So now you know, if you see a turquoise bus, the Ministry of Transport has made it clear to us who drives them.
Cover image | Walter Sepulveda and Ministry of Transport, assembly by Xataka
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings