Targeta única: One card — many questions. What commuters and tourists need to know now

Will the Targeta única really make everyday life easier — or only create new questions?

In the morning at the Plaça d’Espanya: a loudspeaker beeps, the tram whistles, a vendor enthusiastically sells ensaimadas. Anyone who regularly takes the bus or train in Palma knows the little Tetris of tickets, cards and reminder notes. The new Tarjeta Única in Mallorca: A Step in the Right Direction — But Is It Enough?, presented by the Balearic government and the city council, is meant to tidy that up. But the big question remains: does the one-card-for-everything solution really make life easier — for the commuter from Inca as much as for holidaymakers from Germany?

What is planned — in short

The launch is announced no earlier than October (see One Ticket for Everything: Can Mallorca's New Fare Really Simplify Everyday Life?). Issuing locations will be the offices of the Consorcio de Transportes de Mallorca and some citizen service offices in Palma. Important for frequent users: anyone who has an old citizen card must actively apply for the new card. The previous card will lose its status as a ticket after the first quarter of 2026. Intermodal cards will remain usable for the time being.

Technology, convenience and the promise of intermodality

Behind the Targeta única is intermodal technology — a system that should better recognize transfers and integrated networks. Practical features: online top-ups, contactless payments on EMT buses and — a novelty — the bank card itself can function as a ticket, a point discussed in Tarjeta Única in Mallorca: Relief with Pitfalls. The vision is attractive: shorter queues, faster boarding and alighting, fewer loose coins in your pocket. Especially in the summer heat, when the breeze at the Passeig Marítim hardly brings relief at the stop, this would be a real everyday benefit.

The downsides that are seldom discussed openly

However, there are aspects that the public announcement glosses over. First: data protection and travel profiles. If bank cards serve as tickets, a seamless log of boardings and alightings is created. How long will these data be stored? Who will be allowed to access them? For many residents of Mallorca who do not necessarily want to share their travel routes with banks, this is an essential issue.

Second: fair discounts for residents and families. Anonymous bank cards would by default trigger the standard fare — resident discounts could be lost. This affects, for example, families in rural Santanyí or seniors in Llucmajor who do not always have digital profiles or registered cards.

Third: hardware on small routes. Large EMT buses in Palma may soon accept contactless payments. But how quickly can the often older minibuses in villages be upgraded? If, when boarding a bus towards Sa Pobla, only a rattling old device flashes, the relief is gone.

Concrete opportunities — and how they could be used

The Targeta única offers real opportunities: better integration of train and bus, an intelligent fare system and less ticket chaos for tourists. For it to be more than a nice photo of Minister José Luis Mateo and City Councillor Antonio Deudero on a poster, concrete steps are needed:

1) Transparent data protection rules: a clear, easily accessible explanation of how travel data are stored, anonymized and deleted. The option to purchase a completely anonymous NFC token should exist alongside the registered card.

2) Fair transition periods and on-site support: mobile exchange points at weekly markets (Inca!), service booths on Passeig del Born and in Manacor so that older people in particular do not face digital barriers.

3) Hardware subsidies for rural routes: grants so that small operators can quickly upgrade their readers. Otherwise a two-tier mobility will emerge — contactless in Palma, cash-based in the countryside.

4) Fare capping instead of complicated zones: a daily or weekly cap would reward frequent travelers without the need for a hard-to-understand discount system. This would be especially attractive for commuters to the university or the Pla de Mallorca industrial area.

What commuters and tourists should do now

If you commute daily: watch the transition deadlines and plan to apply for the card in time. If you have guests: inform them about the possibility of using a bank card as a ticket — but warn them about data protection issues. And: check small bus lines to see if contactless devices are available before relying on the new technology.

Conclusion: the Targeta única can significantly simplify everyday life in Mallorca — if the authorities promptly address the unresolved issues. Prices, data protection, hardware and a fair transition will decide whether the system brings real relief or merely creates another layer of exceptions. In the best case, in the coming months we'll hear fewer sleight-of-hand tricks at the bus stop and enjoy more relaxed journeys — with sea breezes, the soft hum of engines and no constant rummaging for small change.