Ten new escalators commissioned at Palma Intermodal Station

Ten new escalators commissioned at Palma Intermodal Station

Clearer paths for more relaxed transfers from bus to metro — and back

In the early morning you can almost feel it on the Plaça d’Espanya: fewer crowds at the entrances, more rolling suitcases on the move and clear paths for people with shopping trolleys or prams. The months-long work at Palma's intermodal station is now finished: all ten escalators have been renewed and the last units at the main entrance were put into service on Wednesday (Palma Estació Intermodal to get new escalators – work starts in November).

This was not a small repair job. Part of a larger renovation program, the total refurbishment amounts to around €3.6 million, of which roughly €1.1 million was invested directly in replacing the escalators. It is the first comprehensive overhaul of these access routes since the underground station opened in 2007.

The work was carried out in two phases: last year the railway officials already replaced four escalators leading to the train and metro platforms. In the most recent phase, the Mallorca transport authority completed the renewal of six further escalators — four at the main entrance and two on the way to the bus area. To mark the completion, representatives of the regional government and the responsible transport operators visited the station, including José Luis Mateo, Lorena del Valle, Lluïsa Serra and José Ramón Orta.

Why is it noticeable today? Mallorca has seen significantly more people using its public transport in a short time: passenger numbers rose from about 5.8 million in 2019 to over 16.5 million by the end of 2025. The almost threefold increase in passengers shows that the infrastructure reached its limits in some places. The new escalators now take much of the peak load off — especially at rush hours when coach arrivals or many commuters coincide.

The difference is immediately noticeable on site. An elderly woman with a cane no longer stands helplessly on the stone steps, parents with prams can breathe easier, and cleaners have to reroute provisional barriers less often. A young tourist who was just rolling down the ramp with a large suitcase shook his head appreciatively: “This makes traveling easier,” he said with a laugh before disappearing toward the old town. Small scenes that show how such practical improvements make everyday life easier.

There are practical consequences for the island: better accessibility makes transfers between bus, train and metro more attractive. Leaving the car behind relieves roads and parking spaces — and switching more often to public transport contributes, in the view of many commuters and businesspeople, to less stress in the city center.

Of course, replacing escalators is only one component. But it is one that many can benefit from immediately. The newly installed units are also an occasion to demand more regular maintenance cycles and clearer information signage around the station — so that the improvements remain sustainable and do not simply lead to another round of repairs, as argued in Palma's Intermodal Station: New Escalators — Is That Enough to Cure the Bottleneck?.

In the end, a simple picture remains: less crowding, smoother flows and a touch of normality for everyone who commutes daily between bus, train and metro. In a city where tourism and everyday life often sit close together, such small infrastructure upgrades are much more than mere technology — they are relief in everyday life.