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Built back in 1995, Cartagena’s bus station has long needed attention. The terminal on Trovero Marín Avenue, designed by Jesús Carballal, was to be a welcoming gateway to the city, but after years of partial abandonment, breakdowns and outdated facilities, it’s finally getting the renovation passengers have called for.

 

The €300,000 project will focus on reorganising everything onto the ground floor to improve accessibility and passenger comfort. Travellers will enter at street level and cross a large new hall with ticket sales and a café with a terrace. From here, a ramp will take them straight to the platforms, so there’s no more need to trek upstairs and then back down again. The Mayor, Noelia Arroyo, said, “We believe it makes more sense for passengers not to have to go up to the first floor to return to the platforms. Access will be direct.”

 

Structural repairs will tackle everything from overhangs to the restrooms, and new adapted bathrooms will be part of the upgrade. Metal barriers will enclose the old escalator access, making the first floor redundant for everyday use. The plan is to keep the station fully operational while works are ongoing, so people can still get to regional towns like Lorca, Mazarrón and Águilas, as well as major cities such as Madrid, Valencia, Alicante and Almería, without disruption.

 

As for the first floor, which has been unused since businesses moved out years ago, the council hopes to find a role that fits the university district next door. Possible future uses might include academic activities, talks or youth entrepreneurship programmes.

 

Work on the bus station’s transformation is expected to be approved at the next Governing Council meeting and included in the 2026 city budget. If all goes ahead, Cartagena will finally offer the kind of transport hub passengers and visitors deserve: modern, comfortable and connected to the city’s vibrant life.

 

 

Image: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena