Tuesday, 20 October 2015 08:10

11 Really Useful Gran Canaria Bus Routes From Las Palmas (And 1 To Avoid)

Global blue buses go all over Gran Canaria from Las Palmas Global blue buses go all over Gran Canaria from Las Palmas www.photosgrancanaria.com

Gran Canaria's capital is its transport hub and you can get almost anywhere in one bus journey. Here are the top ten most useful bus lines for getting around Gran Canaria if you're based in Las Palmas.

Click on the titles for the timetable and stops. Weekend services are thinner on the ground and watch out for fiesta days.

Line 12 to Telde

The main bus route to Gran Canaria's second city. Great for checking out Telde's gorgeous old town and urban parks and also for linking up with the bus to Valsequillo town. 

Line 80 does the same route but starts at Santa Catalina.

Line 21 To Aguimes and Guayadeque

The bus to Agüimes that also stops at the bottom end of the Guayadeque Valley. Great for walkers and for anyone who feels like a coffee in the old town.

Line 30 to lots of places in Playa del Inglés

From Santa Catalina bus station, this useful bus stops at San Telmo in Las Palmas before whizzing down the motorway. Once it arrives in the resorts, it stops at Bahia Felíz and San Agustín before heading into Playa del Inglés. In PDI, it stops in lots of useful places before ending up at the Maspalomas bus station just by the lighthouse.

Line 30 is the best bus to get from Las Palmas if you want to get off anywhere in Playa del Inglés. 

Line 50 direct to Maspalomas

Direct from San Telmo bus station to Maspalomas bus station (with a stop in San Fernando), this is the fastest way to get to the beach and the dunes. It doesn't stop anywhere in Playa del Inglés. 

From city to south in 30 minutes, this is the sunshine express. 

Line 60 to the airport

The airport bus that leaves from both Santa Catalina and San Telmo. Check the timetable carefully as departures from San Telmo are 15 minutes later than those from Santa Catalina. This bus takes less than 30 minutes and drops you right by the airport. 

The airport express with plenty of room in the hold for luggage.

Line 91 to Puerto de Mogán and the nudist beaches

The Bus that takes you from the city to the quiet beaches between Maspalomas and Puerto de Mogán like Tiritaña and Medio Almud. Line 60 also visits all the main towns and resorts like Arguineguín, Puerto Rico and Taurito before ending up at Puerto de Mogán. It stops at the airport but skips Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas. 

This is the nudist bus and takes you to those remote little beaches where clothing is considered rude.

Line 103 to Galdar & Agaete

The north road bus that stops at Galdar and ends up in pretty Agaete and Puerto de las Nieves. Some buses end at Galdar and you have to wait for the next bus that goes on. 

This is also the bus to take to link up with the 101 bus between Galdar and La Aldea de San Nicolás (but check the timetable and ask Global first as the road is often closed).

The bus to seafood.

Line 206 to El Puertillo and Arucas

The 206 zips along the main north coast road to El Puertillo village then inland through the Bañaderos banana fields to Arucas. The stop at El Puertillo is a bonus as it's the only beach along the north coast and its natural swimming pools are among the island's best (and are big enough for snorkeling).

The 205, 210, 234 and 256 also get you to Arucas.

The fast bus to rum.

Line 229 / 216 to Teror

Both these buses get you from San Telmo station to Teror town for an orgy of Canarian balconies and spicy sausage (combine the two and you're officially a Canarian). There isn't much to choose between these two lines as they both do a roundabout route. The 216 takes you through Tamaraceite town while the 229 goes back country through San José del Alamo.

Line 303 to San Mateo 

The fast bus to San Mateo and the one to use if you plan to head on to Tejeda on the 305. A great option if you want to stock up on fruit and veg at the San Mateo market (and join the dancing afterwards), go walking or head on to Tejeda (don't miss the bus back).

Line 311 to the Jardín Canario and Bandama

A wildly useful bus that takes to the Jardín Canario botanical garden, the Bandama Caldera and up the back route to Santa Brigida. It may not be the fastest bus on the island, but the 311 takes you through wine country and some of northeast Gran Canaria's prettiest areas. It leaves once an hour with a break for lunch at 13.00.

The 301 does a similar route up past the Jardín Canario but doesn't come as close to the Bandama caldera. It starts at the Santa Catalina bus station so is a good option for cruise ship visitors.

The bus for going up the country but staying close to the city.

One to avoid

Line 1 to everywhere

When a Line 1 bus comes along, and it does ever 20 minutes throughout the day, it looks like a great way to get to the south. However, Line 1 buses stop at every bus stop on the way out of Las Palmas and every town on the way down to the resorts. Great if you want to see the east coast of Gran Canaria in detail, not so great if you're heading for the beach or have a small bladder.

If you want to get to the south in less than two hours, let the Line 1 go past and jump on the next Line 30 or Line 91.

 For more information about these bus lines, or any other blue bus route in Gran Canaria, see the full timetable list, or learn Spanish and call 928 252630. Good luck!

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  • How To Choose A Legal Gran Canaria Airport Transfer
    How To Choose A Legal Gran Canaria Airport Transfer

    Gran Canaria's hotels have to be licensed and offer a quality level of service as well as having insurance and complying with fire regulations. The same goes for the boats that take people out to watch dolphins, the companies offering jeep safaris, and even the holiday let apartments. 

    However, not everybody in Gran Canaria follows the rules. For example, there is a significant industry running illegal and uninsured transfers between Gran Canaria airport and the island's resorts. These cars, driven by locals and foreign-residents, are just private vehicles and the drivers are unregulated and uninsured. They don't pay tax and there is no way to hold them responsible if something goes wrong. 

     At Gran Canaria Info we believe that all people and all companies offering services to tourists should legal and above board.

    So, how do you know that your airport transfer service is legal and registered with the Gran Canaria authorities?

     Using legal Gran Canaria airport transfers

    It is quite easy to know if your airport transfer service is operating in a legal way because all registered transfers have the following...

     A blue license plate: Taxis and other public service vehicles in Gran Canaria all have blue plates.

    A VTC sticker in the window: This stands for Vehículo de Transporte con Conductor, the official designation for licensed transfer drivers ans chauffeurs.

    An SP sticker on the car: This indicates that the car offer a Servicio Publico or public service and is therefore allowed to pick up and transfer members of the public. 

    Parked in the transport zone: Official airport transfer vehicles don't park in the public car park of the airport. Instead they have their own parking zone right by the arrivals gates at the airport (next to the taxis and package tour buses). Your transfer driver therefore should not have to pay a parking fee before leaving the aiport. 

    How to spot an unlicensed transfer service

    Unlicensed drivers get away with offerring their service because they claim that they are just members of the public picking up a friend. They are allowed to stand at arrivals with a sign (just like any member of the public can).

    However, they also have to park their car in the public car park and will walk you there with your luggage, stopping to pay the parking fee at the meter. A licensed transfer driver does not need to do this because they have their own parking zone right by arrivals.

    Some unlicensed drivers don't even wait at the arrival gate because the official drivers recognise them and get annoyed. Instead they have to stand further away (often by the Spar supermarket or the car rental desks). 

    When an unlicensed driver drops you at the airport they will not want to be paid in a public area because this proves that they are charging rather than "transporting a friend" for free. 

    An unlicensed car will not have a blue license plate, or a SP or VTC sticker, and will often look like a private car (because it is a private car). 

    What's the problem with unlicensed airport transfers?

    Some people use unlicensed cars because they are the cheapest option and don't realise that they are unlicensed. 

    There are several problems with unlicensed services. The most obvious is that they are uninsured so if something goes wrong or there is an accident, you are not protected. The price that unlicensed drivers offer is only low because they cut corners (hopefully not literally). You have no way of even knowing if your unlicensed driver has a Spanish driving license, insurance and a good driving record. Licensed drivers are vetted regularly and must be fully insured and licensed to work.

    Another problem is that unlicensed transfers undermine the legitimate transfer drivers and businesses in Gran Canaria. Local drivers make a living from transfers and offer a legal, regulated service with minimum standards. Every time an unlicensed service undercuts them, it is effectively stealing from local people and the island economy.

    We believe that everybody in Gran Canaria deserves better!

    Gran Canaria Airport Transfer Services

    To find out more about the Gran Canaria airport transfer, see our Gran Canaria airport transfer article which explains the three different models; man/woman from pub with car, online transfer websites, and local transfer services.

    Or you can book a legitimate Gran Canaria airport transfer at a great price right here. Our service uses local drivers and supprts the island economy because all the money you spend stays in Gran Canaria.

    Alex Says: Using our service also helps the Gran Canaria Info team to keep providing quality local information here and in our Facebook Group

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