Getting around Estepona without a car should soon become a whole lot easier.

What is changing on Estepona’s roads

Estepona council is drawing up the technical specifications for a revamp to its urban bus service ahead of the current contract’s expiry. Officials say the goal is to bring public transport in line with the town’s present and future mobility needs, with a firm focus on modernising the network, refreshing the fleet and rolling out new technology.

Draft plans are looking at a ten-year contract, a timeframe justified by the scale of investment needed to replace vehicles and add new equipment. Three routes would form the backbone of the network from the outset: Line 1 Zona Centro, Line 2 Zona Oeste and Line 3 Zona Este. Buses would run all year round, connecting the town centre with residential areas and key amenities, including Estepona Hospital.

Line 1, “Zona Centro”, loops around the old town, running from the roundabout leading into Alcazaba Beach in the east to Beverly Hills urbanisation in the west.

Line 2, “Zona Oeste”, follows a circular route from the stop on Avenida Juan Carlos I out to Bermuda Beach, calling at Estepona Hospital on the way — a fantastic addition for anyone needing to reach the medical centre without a car.

Line 3, “Zona Este”, takes a similar loop, starting at Avenida Juan Carlos I and finishing at Mar y Monte urbanisation, on the road towards Benahavis.

New hybrid buses and real-time tracking on the way

A fleet overhaul is also part of the plan. Operators would need at least four vehicles, including one spare, and every bus would have to be newly purchased rather than second-hand.

Non-plug-in hybrid buses are planned, each at least ten metres long and fitted out for passengers with reduced mobility, with dedicated wheelchair spaces, air conditioning and digital information panels. Buses would carry an operations support and information system (known locally as SAE) to manage the network in real time, tracking each vehicle’s location, monitoring punctuality and handling incidents as they arise. Passengers would get live updates both on board and at stops, covering routes and waiting times, with the system also designed to link up with external apps and services.

Card payments and local travel cards on the horizon

Contactless bank card payments would become available for tickets, and the network would be set up to accept cards from the Malaga Metropolitan Transport Consortium (Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano del Área de Málaga), the regional body overseeing public transport across the province.

Energy efficiency and lower emissions criteria would also feature, together with improvements to accessibility, safety, connections with other transport modes and onboard technology.

Local officials hope to eventually deliver a more modern, better-connected transport system that eases everyday journeys and strengthens links between different parts of the town