Getting around in Malaga
Arriving by plane
Please note that there are no direct buses or metro from the airport to the main venue of Eurocrim 2022. If you want direct travel from the airport to the Law School, you can travel by taxi or Uber.
There are several options to get from Malaga-Coast del Sol Airport (sometimes called the Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport) to Malaga city centre. Bus and train are the cheapest ways but you can travel by taxi, Uber, rent a car, or shuttle depending on your accommodations.
- Taxis stop, next to arrivals hall
- “UNITAXI” company
- 952 33 33 33
More info: The cost will be around $25 depending on the distance and time to your destination. Taxi fares from the airport are also more expensive for late-night runs. Be cautious of unofficial taxis, look for white taxis with a blue stripe on the side. Private transfers will wait for you at the arrival gate with a name card for 45 minutes.
Arriving by Train
Train station: Take the Line C1 (Fuengirola-Malaga-Centro Alameda). Get off at Station María Zambrano.
https://www.renfe.com/es/en/suburban/suburban-malaga/timetables
Once in the city centre, take the underground (red line to Andalucia Tech). Stop at Universidad Station.
http://metromalaga.es/en/lines-and-maps/
More info: The cheapest way to get to the airport is by train. The C1 trains run roughly every 20 minutes from 5:42 am to 11:20 pm and will get you to the Malaga city centre in about 12 minutes. If you are staying further out like Fuengirola, Benalmadena, or Torremolinos it will take a little longer and you will need to transfer lines.
The last station is Centro-Alameda which puts you right in the middle of the city. There are 3 stops in between including Malaga Maria Zambrano station, the main train station, and the High-Speed Train. The cost is about $2 unless you are traveling to one of the outer regions of Costa del Sol. The tickets can be bought at the airport from vending machines.
Arriving by Bus
Bus stop is located in Terminal T3. Floor 0: Arrivals. In front of the transport interchange. Take the Express line A (Airport-City Centre). You will need cash to pay on the bus.
More info: Taking the Airport Express Line bus will also save you money and, unlike the train, it runs 24 hours, however after midnight the hours are very limited. The buses run every 30-45 minutes depending on traffic and tickets can be bought right on the bus for around $5. It is a little slower, about 25 minutes to downtown, but might actually get you closer to your hotel than the train.
Once in the city centre, you can reach the main venue of Eurocrim 2022 by taking:
- Line 8: Alameda Principal- Hospital clínico
- Line 11: El Palo – Alameda Principal- Universidad
Http://emtmalaga.es/emt-classic/home.html
Getting Around With Public Transport in Malaga (General Info)
1) How to get around Malaga by Metro (underground)
Using the metro in Málaga is an easy travel option since there are only 2 lines. Line 1 runs from Andalusia Tech to El Perchel and has 11 stops. Some important stops include the university and the hospital. Line 2 runs from Palacio de los Deportes to El Perchel and has 7 stops. Some stops include the beach and the sporting arena Palacio de los Deportes.
How frequently does Málaga’s metro run?
The metro runs frequently throughout the day. Every 6 to 10 minutes during the weekdays and every 10 minutes during the weekends.
Here’s the schedule of Málaga’s metro:
Monday – Thursday- 06:30 A.M. to 23:00 P.M. Friday (and public holidays) – 06:30 A.M. to 01:30 A.M. Saturday – 07:00 A.M. to 01:30 A.M. Sunday – 07:00 A.M. to 23:00 P.M.
How much does it cost to use Málaga’s metro?
Málaga’s metro tickets are generally cheap, making it a favoured travel option for locals.
- Single one-way ticket (Billete Ocasional): This rechargeable paper card is perfect for infrequent travellers who are travelling solo or with up to 9 people. This ticket costs €1.35 per trip.
- Metro de Málaga Card (*Tarjeta Monedero Metro de Málaga): This is a rechargeable card that lets you travel with up to 9 people at the same time. The cost is €0.82 per trip.
- Transport Consortium Travel Card (Tarjeta Monedero Consorcio de Transportes): A rechargeable card that lets you travel across the entire public transport system with up to 9 people at once. The cost is €0.82 per trip. But if you are transferring from a city bus or interurban bus, then the cost is €0.65.
Don’t forget the cost of the travel card itself. The cost of the paper travel card is €0.30 and €1.80 for a PVC card.
2) How to get around Malaga by Train Station.
The main train station in Málaga is called Estación de Málaga Maria Zambrano. The trains at Maria Zambrano are operated by a Spanish rail company called RENFE. At the train station, you can find the local trains (Cercanias), other inter-city and cross-country trains, or the high-speed trains to Cordoba or Madrid.
Which local trains can I use in Málaga?
You’ll most likely use 2 local lines or Cercanias. C1 connects you from Málaga Centre to Fuengirola. C1 is an important line as it connects to the airport. C2 connects you from Málaga Centre to Alora.
How much does a train ride in Málaga cost?
The cost of your train ride depends on how many zones you’re travelling through.
Zone | Single Ticket Cost | Return Ticket Cost |
1-2 Zones | €1.80 | €3.60 |
3 Zones | €2.05 | €4.10 |
4 Zones | €2.70 | €5.40 |
5 Zones | €3.60 | €7.20 |
Good to know:
- You have a maximum of 2 hours after buying your train ticket to start your journey.If you’re purchasing a return ticket, you must return on the same day.
- Children under the age of 6 travel for free. A maximum of 2 children can travel per adult ticket.
- People travelling in a group of up to 10 can enjoy discountson their travel ticket. 30% on a one-way ticket and 40% on a return ticket. Those under 12 get a 50% discount.ç
- Students and young personscan apply for the Tarjeta + Renfe Joven 50 Card to enjoy a discount of 25% to 30%on their Cercanias tickets. This card costs €50.
How can I get a discount when using Málaga’s train?
If you’re a frequent train traveller, you can use the various train passes for some nice discounts.
Limited Monthly Pass: This is a single person, personalised card for those who travel the same route for work or study. With this, you can do 2 trips (return trip) a day for a whole month.
Zone | Monthly Cost: Limited Monthly Pass | |
1-2 Zones | €35.80 | |
3 Zones | €42.00 | |
4 Zones | €60.85 | |
5 Zones | €75.70 |
Unlimited Monthly Pass: This is a single person, personalised card for those who want unlimited travel on the same route for a whole month.
Zone | Monthly Cost: Unlimited Monthly Pass | |
1-2 Zones | €47.85 | |
3 Zones | €55.30 | |
4 Zones | €74.70 | |
5 Zones | €100.15 |
Bonotren: A non-personalised card that lets you travel 10 times on the same route. It’s valid for 1 month from purchase.
Zone | Monthly Cost: Bonotren | |
1-2 Zones | €11.95 | |
3 Zones | €13.85 | |
4 Zones | €18.70 | |
5 Zones | €25.05 |
Student Pass: A single, personalised card that lets students have unlimited trips for 3 months during the academic year (1 October- 15 July) on the same route.
Zone | Cost: Student Pass | |
1-2 Zones | €89.60 | |
3 Zones | €111.50 | |
4 Zones | €171.45 | |
5 Zones | €210.85 |
3) How to get around Malaga by bus
Malaga bus station is modern and large. The bus system in Malaga is quite extensive, even though the city itself is rather compact. Fifty bus lines offer transportation to and from many of the attractions within the city and to the outer villages and towns. Using the bus can be a great way to explore Malaga and is one of the cheapest ways to travel around the city.
If you are only going to use a bus a few times, it’s best to pay the single-bus ticket at a price of about 1.40 EUR, or 1.80 USD, but you have to pay in euros, of course. This price is a one-way charge and doesn’t allow for transfers. You can buy a ticket right on the bus and you don’t need to have the exact amount as the bus drivers will provide change. But make sure you pay with a 5 EUR bill or less.
For those who plan on using the bus as the main way to get around the city and hit all the tourist attractions or maybe look for tasty Malaga street food, getting a Bonobus card will save you quite a bit of money. You can buy them at an estancos (tobacconist) stand, just look for the Venta de Bonobus sign. It ends up being about 1 USD per ride, you can transfer lines for free for an hour, and you only need one card for multiple people.
The cards can be recharged at an estancos or online, just go to the EMT Malaga website to get more info. Almost all the buses are wheelchair and walker accessible and many of the bus stops have electronic display schedules. You can also TEXT the bus number to find out when the next one arrives.
The public bus is a good option to see the city but it can be slow at peak times. Another great way to check out Malaga is a hop-on-hop-off bus. These buses run about every 30 minutes from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm. The red double-decker buses are also easy to spot. There are different packages and some include free boat and walking tours, or free entry passes to other attractions.
Buses run frequently and in all directions
Where is the bus station in Málaga?
Málaga’s main bus station is called Paseo de los Tilos and is situated next to the Maria Zambrano train station.
It’s easy to reach the bus station as it’s a 15-minute walk from the centre. Once at the station, you’ll see 38 platforms with electronic sign boards to guide you to the right bus. The buses travel both within the city and long-distance. They run every 8-12 minutes on the busiest routes.
In addition, you can use the bus station by the port called Muelle de Heredia or Estacion de Autobuses de Puerto de Malga. The buses from this station will take you towards the nearby cities and villages.
Málaga’s bus timetable
The buses in Málaga run from 06:45 A.M. to 23:00 P.M.
There are also 3 night buses that run from 23:00 P.M. to 05:00 A.M.
- N1 runs every 30 minutes
- N2 runs every 70 minutes
- N4 runs every 45 minutes.
How much does a bus ticket cost in Málaga?
The cost of your bus ticket in Málaga depends on the type of card or ticket type you purchase.
Bus Ticket Type | Cost |
Single one-way ticket | €1.40 |
Bonobos (10 trips) | €8.40 |
Monthly Bus Card | €39.95 |
Annual Bus Card | €290 |
Student monthly pass | €27 |
Good to know: With the Bonobos ticket, you can use 1 ticket and ride with as many people as you like. You can also have unlimited transfers during the first hour of validating your travel.