interurbano

Interurbano is an adjective used in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian to describe something that connects two or more urban areas. In transportation, the term denotes services that operate between cities or towns rather than within a single municipality. The word emphasizes the linkages among urban centers and their hinterlands rather than intra-urban travel.

Interurban railways and bus lines historically provided direct links between cities, enabling regional mobility without relying on large metropolitan hubs. In the early 20th century, electric interurban railways expanded across parts of the United States and Europe, offering frequent, relatively fast service on routes outside city cores. Many networks declined mid-century as automobiles and buses became dominant, though some lines have been revived as commuter, regional, or light-rail services.

Interurban road transport—often labeled as interurbano in Portuguese or Spanish—conveys travelers across towns and along regional corridors, typically with longer distances and fewer stops than urban buses. In practice, operators may run interurban and intercity services on the same vehicles, with ticketing integrated into broader transit networks or tourist routes.

Distinctions with urbano or suburban: urbano refers to services within a city limits; suburbano describes travel within a metropolitan area but outside the central city, while interurbano bridges multiple urban centers. The exact terminology and service models vary by country and language.

Today, interurban transport remains an important component of regional connectivity in many regions, complementing national rail and long-distance bus networks. It supports commuting, tourism, and economic exchange by connecting smaller towns to larger cities and to each other. See also intercity rail and intercity bus.