SOCIBUS SA
SOCIBUS SA is a privately held Spanish interurban bus operator founded in 1992, headquartered in Madrid, serving 50+ destinations across Spain via website, mobile app, and ticket offices. It also provides urban transit in La Línea de La Concepción, charter services, and complementary travel insurance.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersMadrid, Spain
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What SOCIBUS SA does
SOCIBUS S.A. is a privately held Spanish interurban bus operator headquartered at Madrid's Estación Sur de Autobuses, operating since 1992 and serving more than 50 destinations across Spain under administrative concessions for regular road passenger transport. Its core route network connects Madrid with Seville, Córdoba, Cádiz, and Huelva, links Bilbao to Seville, Málaga, Córdoba, and Cádiz, and runs the Irún-Algeciras corridor, supplemented by urban bus services in La Línea de La Concepción managed via subsidiary. The group operates through SOCIBUS S.A. and sister entity SECORBUS S.L., which share buses, personnel, and IT systems, alongside wholly-owned subsidiaries Autocares Romero (Huelva), Servicios Discrecionales, Campo de Gibraltar services, and the Andújar bus station.
The company's customer-facing technology consists of a web-based ticket sales platform at socibusventas.es, the 'Socibus - Viaja en autobús' mobile application for iOS and Android (developed by partner Intenia), and a network of company-owned ticket offices across major cities. Transactions are secured via SSL and processed through the BBVA/Redsys payment gateway, with GPS tracking supporting fleet management. Ancillary products include optional MAPFRE-branded travel insurance per trip, charter/discretionary bus rentals for events, and special add-on services such as bicycle, surfboard, and pet transport. SOCIBUS participates in the Ministry of Transport's Verano Joven 2026 youth discount program, offering 90% subsidies to eligible young travelers.
SOCIBUS generates revenue primarily through transaction-based ticket sales across BASE, PLUS, and REFUERZO fare tiers, with go-to-market distributed across owned digital channels (website and mobile app), physical ticket offices, internet agencies, traditional travel agencies, and kiosks. Pricing includes €3 non-refundable management fees, €1 modification fees, tiered cancellation charges, and discount programs for children under 4 and large families, with EU NextGenerationEU funding supporting ongoing modernization. The target customers are individual passengers, urban commuters in La Línea de La Concepción, event groups, youth travelers, and large families across Andalusia, Madrid, and the Basque Country.
SOCIBUS SA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SOCIBUS SA
- Legal name
- SOCIBUS, S.A.
- Website
- https://socibus.es
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SOCIBUS SA is a privately held Spanish interurban bus operator founded in 1992, headquartered in Madrid, serving 50+ destinations across Spain via website, mobile app, and ticket offices. It also provides urban transit in La Línea de La Concepción, charter services, and complementary travel insurance.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SOCIBUS SA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Interurban Bus Transportation
- NAICS
- Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (4852)
- SIC
- Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- National Intercity Coach Operators (Scheduled Network) (THAIADAA)
Keywords
Where SOCIBUS SA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madrid
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices10 records
Markets served
SOCIBUS SA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Interurban Bus Ticket Sales: One-time ticket sales for interurban bus routes connecting major Spanish cities (Madrid-Seville, Madrid-Córdoba, Madrid-Cádiz, Madrid-Huelva, Córdoba-Cádiz, Córdoba-Huelva, Bilbao-Seville, Bilbao-Málaga, Bilbao-Córdoba, Bilbao-Cádiz, Irún-Algeciras). Revenue generated per transaction with pricing based on route and bus type (BASE, PLUS, REFUERZO).
- Urban Bus Services: Operation of urban bus services in La Línea de La Concepción, managed as part of Socibus/Grupo Socibus operations.
- Discretionary/Charter Services: Bus rental for weddings, excursions, corporate events and special occasions. Fleet available for custom transportation needs.
- Complementary Travel Insurance: Additional voluntary travel insurance through MAPFRE, offering medical assistance, luggage coverage, delay compensation, and accident coverage.
- Additional Services: Revenue from special services including bicycle/surfboard transport, excess luggage, and pet transport (within policy limits).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | BASE fare - Standard bus service |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | PLUS fare - Enhanced service |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | REFUERZO fare - Peak demand service |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Complementary Travel Insurance (MAPFRE) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Verano Joven 2026 Youth Discount |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Child Discount |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Large Family Discount |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels3 records
SOCIBUS SA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SOCIBUS SA operates interurban and urban bus transportation services across Spain, connecting 50+ destinations including routes between Madrid, Seville, Córdoba, Cádiz, Huelva, Bilbao, and Málaga. The company sells tickets through its own website, mobile app, ticket offices, and third-party agencies, and offers complementary services such as MAPFRE travel insurance and charter/discretionary bus rentals.
Product overview
Socibus SA operates a unified bus transportation platform offering interurban coach services across Spain with over 50 destinations (including Madrid-Seville, Madrid-Córdoba, Madrid-Cádiz, Madrid-Huelva, Bilbao routes, and Irún-Algeciras), urban bus services in La Línea de La Concepción, and discretionary/charter bus rentals. The customer-facing product suite consists of a website (socibusventas.es), a mobile application (Socibus - Viaja en autobús) published on Apple Store and Google Play Store, and a network of company-owned ticket offices (taquillas) across major cities. Add-on services include a complementary MAPFRE travel insurance and the Verano Joven 2026 youth discount program offering up to 90% off for eligible young travelers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Interurban Bus Services
- Urban Bus Services (La Línea de La Concepción)
- Charter / Discretionary Bus Rentals
- Travel Insurance (MAPFRE)
Quantifiable outcome
- Travel to more than 50 destinations throughout Spain
Companies that use SOCIBUS SA
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SOCIBUS SA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
SOCIBUS SA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Intenia (Ingenia)coreMobile application development partner. Developed the Socibus - Viaja en autobús app for iOS and Android. Also serves as Data Protection Officer contact ([email protected]).
- MAPFREcoreLeading sector insurance company providing complementary travel insurance to Socibus passengers. Covers medical assistance up to €600, luggage protection up to €200, delay compensation, and accident coverage.
- BBVA (Redsys)coreOfficial payment channel (payment gateway) for secure online transactions. Uses SSL protocol and TPV Virtual for encrypted payment processing.
- Autocares RomerominorHuelva-based bus operator under Grupo Socibus umbrella.
- Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad SosteniblecoreSpanish Ministry providing government-sponsored youth travel discount program (Verano Joven 2026) with 90% discounts for young travelers aged 18-30.
- European Union (NextGenerationEU)minorFunding source indicated on website footer. Project financed by the European Union - NextGenerationEU, Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia, MITMA.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SOCIBUS SA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- FlixBus: FlixBus is Europe's leading low-cost intercity bus operator and a direct competitor to SOCIBUS on Spanish intercity corridors including Madrid-southern Spain and the Basque Country, with a strong digital and aggregator-style business model.
- Eurolines: Eurolines (now part of FlixBus) is an international scheduled coach operator with Spanish operations that overlaps with SOCIBUS's Irún-Algeciras cross-border-style route and competes on international and long-distance European corridors.
- Avanza (Grupo Avanza): Grupo Avanza is a major Spanish regional and intercity bus operator with significant overlap in routes and concession structure with SOCIBUS, serving many of the same secondary cities in Andalusia and central Spain.
- Grupo Samar: Grupo Samar is a Spanish intercity bus operator with regular scheduled services across central and southern Spain, operating under the same administrative concession framework as SOCIBUS and competing on similar corridors.
- ALSA: ALSA is Spain's largest intercity and regional bus operator (part of National Express Group) and SOCIBUS's closest direct competitor, operating overlapping Madrid-Andalucía and other nationwide routes with a much larger fleet and broader network.
- Monbus: Monbus is a Spanish intercity and regional bus operator providing scheduled and charter services that directly overlap with SOCIBUS's product offering in Galicia, Asturias and other regions, with comparable fleet size and concession-based operations.
- Jimenez Dorado: Jimenez Dorado is a Spanish intercity and regional bus operator with overlapping routes and concession assets in central and southern Spain, comparable in scale and operating model to SOCIBUS.
Broad incumbents
- Renfe: Renfe is the Spanish state-owned rail operator running AVE and other services that compete head-to-head with SOCIBUS's flagship Madrid-Seville/Málaga/Córdoba intercity routes as a substitute inter-city transport mode.
- Ouigo España: Ouigo España is the low-cost high-speed rail operator competing with SOCIBUS's intercity coach services on Madrid-Andalucía corridors, providing a cheaper rail alternative that pressures SOCIBUS's flagship Madrid-Seville/Málaga routes.
Others
- BlaBlaCar: BlaBlaCar is a long-distance carpooling platform that competes with SOCIBUS for inter-city passenger trips between Spanish cities, particularly price-sensitive travelers on Madrid-Andalucía corridors, though it is not a bus operator.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SOCIBUS SA social profiles
Digital presenceSOCIBUS SA compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
SOCIBUS SA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SOCIBUS SA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
SOCIBUS SA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
SOCIBUS SA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SOCIBUS SA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SOCIBUS SA
What does SOCIBUS SA do?
SOCIBUS SA operates interurban and urban bus transportation services across Spain, connecting 50+ destinations including routes between Madrid, Seville, Córdoba, Cádiz, Huelva, Bilbao, and Málaga. The company sells tickets through its own website, mobile app, ticket offices, and third-party agencies, and offers complementary services such as MAPFRE travel insurance and charter/discretionary bus rentals.
Is SOCIBUS SA a public or private company?
SOCIBUS SA is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was SOCIBUS SA founded?
SOCIBUS SA was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SOCIBUS SA based?
SOCIBUS SA is headquartered in Madrid, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does SOCIBUS SA make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Interurban Bus Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are urban Bus Services, discretionary/Charter Services, complementary Travel Insurance and additional Services.
Who are SOCIBUS SA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are FlixBus, Eurolines, Avanza (Grupo Avanza), Grupo Samar, ALSA, Monbus and Jimenez Dorado. Broad incumbents are Renfe and Ouigo España. BlaBlaCar is listed as an others.
Does SOCIBUS SA have an API?
No public API is recorded for SOCIBUS SA.
What industry is SOCIBUS SA in?
SOCIBUS SA's product category is Interurban Bus Transportation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAIADAA, National Intercity Coach Operators (Scheduled Network). Its NAICS code is 4852 and its SIC code is 4100.