Transport
Malaga has an excellent public transport system and is very well connected to the rest of Spain as well as to the rest of Europe.
1. MALAGA AIRPORT
The Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport, commonly known as Malaga Airport, is situated only 8 kilometers away from the city of Malaga. The airport offers connections to approximately 60 countries worldwide. During off-peak seasons, it is easy to find direct, low-cost flights from major European cities to Malaga. However, flight prices tend to increase during the months of July and August, as well as during holidays such as Easter, Christmas, and European school holiday weeks in November and February. To avoid high season prices, it is recommended to book flights early.
Transportation options from Malaga Airport to the city center include commuter train, city buses and UBER/ taxi. Please see below for more information
2. MALAGA CITY BUS
EMT, the transport consortium of Malaga, operates all the city buses in Malaga (EMT Website). The busiest central city bus routes run frequently from early morning until midnight, and after midnight, there are night buses which are identified by the letter ‘N’ in front of the bus line number. Almost all the city buses in Malaga are air-conditioned.
A single bus ticket within the urban area of Malaga costs 1.30€. Alternately, you can purchase a 10-journey ticket for 8.30€ or a monthly bus pass for 39.95€. The fare for the airport bus is 3€ one-way.
The Line A Express Malaga Airport-Malaga City Bus service offers a convenient way to travel from Malaga Airport to Malaga City Center, with 10 stops along the route. The approximate travel time is 15-25 minutes, depending on traffic and time of day. The fare is only 3€, which can be paid directly to the driver. Buses run frequently, approximately every 15-25 minutes, until midnight, and then at 00:45, 02:00, and 05:05. It now operates 24 hours a day, which is a great convenience. For more information, please check the schedule on the website, under “LÍNEAS Y HORARIOS” and then “LÍNEA EXPRESS AEROPUERTO”.
Take the bus to the stop “Malaga Maria Zambrano” and change to lines 1 or C2 in the direction “Avda. de las Postas – Lorenza Correa”. Get off at bus stop “Victoria – Calle Agua”.
3. MALAGA COMMUTER TRAINS
The city center of Malaga is connected to nearby towns and to Malaga Airport by RENFE commuter trains, also known as “Cercanias” trains in Spanish (Website). The trains operate from the final stop, the Malaga-Centro Alameda Station on Alameda Principal, and/or the Maria Zambrano station, which is also the main railway station.
Some of the interesting or useful destinations that can be reached by commuter train, either along the Malaga coast, or inland in the Malaga province, are:
- Malaga Airport: Line C-1 to get to train station Maria Zambrano or Malaga Centro Alameda. From there you can take bus lanes 1 and C2 to the house in the direction “Avda. de las Postas – Lorenza Correa”, see description above
- Coastal towns such as Torremolinos, Benalmadena, and Fuengirola.
- A variety of attractions along the coast, like the Plaza Mayor shopping and leisure center (with cinemas, shops and restaurants), the Water Park in Torremolinos, Bio Parc Zoo, and Roman ruins in Fuengirola, and Benalmadena Marina Port Nightlife.
- The El Chorro lake district and nature reserve is accessible from the train stop in Alora, on the inland train service.
The commuter trains along the coast run from 05:20 to 23:30. Tickets for the coast train line are priced by zones, from zone 1 to 4 – see the zone map here. The ticket price varies depending on how many zones you cross, from 1.80€ to 3.60€. For example, from Malaga-Centro Alameda to the Airport, the cost is 1.80€, because the train only crosses Zone 1.
4. LONG-DISTANCE TRAINS
It is simple to get to Malaga from Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville via AVE, Talgo, and RENFE long-distance trains. The trains all stop at Malaga María Zambrano railway station. The travel time from Madrid to Malaga varies from 2 h 35 min to 4 hours, depending on the time of day and train type. The trip from Barcelona to Malaga takes around 5-7 hours, and from Seville to Malaga is less than 2 hours. Single tickets can be purchased from Madrid and Barcelona starting at 60€ and from Seville starting at 20€. To purchase long-distance train tickets in English, visit the Renfe website.
5. LONG-DISTANCE BUSES
In addition to trains, it is also possible to travel to destinations within the Malaga province by bus. Marbella is a popular destination, but it is not accessible by train from Malaga. The local Malaga-Marbella Portillo bus service can be used to get there. Furthermore, it is possible to take a coach to destinations further away from Malaga within the country. The journey time can be long (for example, Malaga to Madrid is between 6-9 hours, sometimes with changes), but the prices are relatively low (for example, Malaga to Madrid around 25-30€). To purchase long-distance coach tickets to all national destinations, visit the Alsa website.
6. TAXIS & APP-BASED TRANSPORTATION
Taxis in Malaga are white and have a yellow “Taxi” sign on the roof, which is accompanied by a green light that indicates the taxi is available for hire. Taxis can be found throughout the city and can be hailed directly from the street, except within 50 meters of a taxi station. At Malaga Airport, taxis can be found just outside of Terminal 3 Arrivals. Additionally, taxis in the Malaga area can be called through companies such as UniTaxi, Tel. (+34) 952 32 00 00 and Radio Taxi Malaga (+34) 697 488 962. Taxis are inexpensive, so you can travel within the city center for 5-10€.
UBER and alternatively BOLT are available via their apps. At the airport, there is a dedicated UBER area outside of the terminal. From the airport to the apartment, it costs approximately 20-25€.
86, Calle Victoria, La Victoria, Centro, Malaga, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalusien, 29012, Spanien
Málaga Centro - Alameda, Calle Cuarteles, El Perchel, Centro, Malaga, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalusien, 29001, Spanien
Málaga María Zambrano, 1, Calle Explanada de la Estación, Renfe, Cruz de Humilladero, Malaga, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalusien, 29002, Spanien
Málaga – Costa del Sol Airport, Avenida del Comandante García Morato, Churriana, Malaga, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalusien, 29004, Spanien