The Metropolitan Area of Barcelona has launched the new Nitbus line N21, which for the first time provides night service to Sant Climent de Llobregat and the seafront of Gavà, connecting with Viladecans and the rest of the metropolitan network.
The Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) has taken a new step in improving night public transport with the launch of the Nitbus line N21, which since the night of Friday, July 17, connects Sant Climent de Llobregat, Gavà and Viladecans with the rest of the metropolitan network. This is the first time that these two centres in Baix Llobregat have had night bus service.
The new line will operate on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of public holidays throughout the year, with a frequency of 90 minutes. Its terminus is located at the Plaça de la Vila de Sant Climent, and from the Plaça d'Europa in Viladecans, the route is practically identical to that of the daytime line L88. In addition, the N21 serves the Avinguda d'Europa in Gavà Mar, thus integrating this residential and tourist area into the night network.
The new line allows users to connect in Viladecans and Gavà with lines N14, N16 and N19 to continue their journey towards Barcelona, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Castelldefels, El Prat de Llobregat, the airport and other metropolitan destinations. In this way, night coverage in Baix Llobregat is expanded, facilitating mobility for residents and visitors of these municipalities.
At the same time, since the night of July 16, the AMB has reinforced two of the most in-demand lines in the network: N14 and N16. The N14 line, which connects Castelldefels, Gavà and Viladecans with Barcelona via Cornellà and Esplugues, has improved its frequency from 20 to 15 minutes every day of the year.
As for the N16 line, which links Castelldefels, Gavà and Viladecans with L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Barcelona, the start of service has been brought forward to reduce the interval between the last daytime buses and the first night service. Additionally, its frequency improves from 20 to 15 minutes throughout the summer period (from May to September) and on Saturdays and the eve of public holidays from October to April. For the rest of the year, the current frequency of 20 minutes remains.
The Nitbus, the metropolitan night bus service, operates every night of the year in 18 municipalities of the metropolitan area of Barcelona. With the addition of N21, the network now has 24 lines, operating from 22:30 to 6:00 hours, and a fleet of 189 vehicles. Last year, Nitbus set a historic record with 10.7 million validations, representing an annual growth of 6% and over 600,000 trips compared to the previous year. Since 2023, demand has increased by 24%.
Another notable change is the removal of the demand-responsive stop service, which previously allowed vulnerable groups such as minors or women to alight as close to their destination as possible during the night. The AMB has decided to eliminate this option, although it has not detailed the reasons. The bus fleet, both daytime and night, is equipped with surveillance cameras, a measure that, according to the AMB, has significantly reduced the number of security incidents, which are currently very low. Additionally, the new shelters installed by the agency feature night lighting.
For residents of Viladecans and Gavà, the new N21 line represents a substantial improvement in night mobility, as they previously did not have direct connections to Sant Climent de Llobregat or the Gavà Mar area. The connection with lines N14 and N16 also facilitates travel to Barcelona and other points in Baix Llobregat. The AMB expects demand to continue growing and does not rule out further expansions in the future.
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