Meet Horizonte - Madrid's bus of the future

Locally designed, a prototype will be created next year so that the residents of the city can have their say as well

In September of last year, EMT, Madrid’s public transit operator launched a competition for the creation of a concept bus that would make commuting more attractive and appealing in the future. The winning proposal, bearing the name ‘Horizonte’ (Horizon), is now touted as the sleek profile of future public transport in the Spanish capital for the next decade.

The municipal operator, proud of its selection, presented the new concept bus at the Global Public Transport Summit - a congress that brings together the main international players in public transport in Barcelona.

The promise is that next year, 2024, the first full-scale prototype of the bus will become a reality with the purpose of presenting it to the public. That way, the operator can gather the citizens’ reactions, assessments and comments about the bus and integrate them into the final design.

Citizen-centred design

EMT launched the jury contest, which assessed the proposals submitted, based on criteria such as alignment with the image of the municipal company, exterior design and its integration into the urban environment. The winning proposal, designed by the creative agency Héctor Serrano Studio, received a prize of 100,000 euros.

The 'Horizonte' design represents an innovative and futuristic image to enhance the attractiveness of public transport in Madrid. The interior atmosphere is warm thanks to the sustainable materials and ochre tones and the glazing of the vehicle gives it great spaciousness and lightness.

The pioneering exterior design is evident in the characteristic signal strip, and above all, the unique and large passenger access door designed to provide high fluidity. 

The Horizonte prototype will be installed in several emblematic places to gather the evaluations and suggestions of the citizens. With this initiative, the municipal company will be able to incorporate the best functionality and design ideas in future bus tenders, based on the degree of maturity of the solutions to be incorporated.