Almassora and Burriana sign agreement for bus line to Universitat Jaume I

The Almassora City Council and the Burriana City Council have signed a collaboration agreement for the joint provision of the bus service that will connect both municipalities with the Universitat Jaume I (UJI). The agreement, registered under reference 03687-2026-U, was published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Castellón, number 98, of 15 August 2026, in the Local Administration section. The document was signed on 12 August 2026 in Almassora.

Legal framework and purpose of the service

The initiative is based on Law 6/2011, of 1 April, on Mobility of the Valencian Community, whose Article 3 assigns competence over interurban transport to the Valencian Government. However, Article 21.2.b) of the same law classifies this type of service as “passenger transport provided repeatedly to specific groups,” which allows the city councils to assume it as their own competence. Article 40.1 expressly includes university transport among the permitted cases.

The aim is to provide UJI students with a specific and regular means of transport from Burriana and Almassora to the university campus, improving connectivity between both municipalities and the academic institution.

Distribution of competences and costs

According to the agreement, the Almassora City Council assumes full management of the procurement procedure: processing of the file, evaluation of bids, award, formalisation, execution, acceptance and settlement of the contract. Burriana delegates these powers to Almassora and undertakes to accept the results of the procedure.

The estimated cost per academic period (September to June) amounts to €153,384.00. The distribution of expenses between both parties is:

• Burriana City Council: 69.38%
• Almassora City Council: 30.62%

The contracting company will invoice each city council monthly in the agreed proportion, according to the days of service actually provided.

User fares

The service will also be financed through fees that each city council will establish through its fiscal ordinances. Users will receive a transport ticket that they must show when boarding the bus. The planned passes are:

• Monthly: €20
• Quarterly: €50
• Annual: €120

The regulation, collection and inspection of these fees will correspond to each city council with respect to users registered in their respective municipality. Any modification of the fares will require prior agreement between both parties.

Duration, monitoring and termination

The agreement has an initial duration of four years, with the possibility of extension for another four years by unanimous agreement of the parties. The creation of a joint monitoring committee is envisaged, chaired by the mayoress of Almassora, which will preferably meet in April and may be convened extraordinarily at the request of either of the two town councils.

Among the causes for termination of the agreement are the expiry of the term without extension, the unanimous agreement of the parties, breach of obligations, a judicial decision of nullity, or the direct assumption of the service by the Generalitat Valenciana.

The total financial commitment does not exceed 600,000 euros, so it will not be necessary to submit the agreement to the Court of Auditors, in accordance with Article 53 of Law 40/2015, of 1 October, on the Legal Regime of the Public Sector.

Impact on the university community

The launch of this bus line represents a substantial improvement in the mobility of thousands of students from the Universitat Jaume I residing in Burriana and Almassora, two of the main towns in the north of the province of Castellón. The lack of a direct public transport connection to the university campus had been a recurring demand of the university community, which until now depended on private vehicles or combinations of public transport with transfers. The agreement lays the foundations for a stable, affordable service adapted to the needs of the student community.

Source: BOP of Castellón, No. 98, 15 August 2026, Local Administration section, Ajuntaments/Ayuntamientos – Almassora (official reference: 03687-2026-U).