Getting around Lanzarote without a car

Seeing Lanzarote without a car is perfectly doable if you choose where to stay carefully and accept one rule: you cover the coast by guagua (the Canary Islands word for bus) and visit the volcanic interior on a tour. Intercity Bus Lanzarote's lines connect the airport, Arrecife and the three big resorts at reasonable frequencies; the island's most famous sights, on the other hand, have no stop.

Buses in Lanzarote: the lines that matter

All intercity lines are run by Intercity Bus Lanzarote and leave from Arrecife bus station (Rambla Medular), the hub of the network. The full list and timetables are at https://arrecifebus.com/lineas/

From the airport to your hotel by bus

Lines 22, 23, 61, 161, 162 and 162.1 serve the airport. The 161 leaves the airport from 07:30 to 21:30 every 30–60 minutes and reaches Playa Blanca in about 55 minutes, via Puerto del Carmen; it costs a few euros, against the €55–82 quoted for the same journey by taxi. There is no direct line to Costa Teguise: go to Arrecife and change to line 1.

North: line 9 to Jameos and Órzola

Line 9 is the only bus to the north-east. It leaves Arrecife at 07:20, 10:15, 11:30, 15:30 and 17:00, and Órzola at 08:40, 11:40, 13:10, 16:40 and 18:10; it takes about 55 minutes. The Jameos del Agua stop is skipped on the 07:20 and 17:00 outbound and the 08:40 and 18:10 return services. It does not serve Costa Teguise. With it you can visit La Graciosa without a car: bus to Órzola quay and a 25-minute boat.

South: lines 60 and 161 to Playa Blanca

The 60 runs 20 services each way between Arrecife (07:00 to 22:30) and Playa Blanca, in about 55 minutes, and all of them stop at "Muelle de Playa Blanca", where the ferries to Corralejo leave. That is how you put together a Fuerteventura day trip without a car.

Sunday: to Teguise market

On Sundays there are special buses to the market: the 11 from Costa Teguise and the 12 from Puerto del Carmen (departures every half hour from 09:00 to 11:00, returning from 12:00 to 14:00) and the 13 from Playa Blanca, with a single outbound service at 09:00 and one return at 13:30. From Arrecife, take line 7. More details in the guide to the north of Lanzarote and in our review of Teguise market.

Bus fares, travel card and how to pay

Intercity Bus does not publish its fares online; intercity journeys cost a few euros. You pay in cash (maximum change €10, notes up to €10), by bank card or with a travel card.

What you can and can't see without a car

By bus you can easily reach: Arrecife and its seafront, Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise, Puerto Calero, Teguise, Caleta de Famara, Jameos del Agua and Órzola. You can walk to the Papagayo coves from Las Coloradas, in Playa Blanca: entry is free on foot (cars pay €3). It is all in beaches of Lanzarote.

No bus:

• Timanfaya (Islote de Hilario): no bus goes there, and you cannot explore the park on your own either. The ticket (€30) includes the Ruta de los Volcanes (Route of the Volcanoes) by coach, but you have to get to the Islote. More in Timanfaya.
• Mirador del Río, at the northern tip.
• El Golfo and the Charco de los Clicos, except with the Taxi-Guagua.
• The La Geria wineries.

Tours with hotel pick-up: the ones worth it

Without a car, a full-day tour is the sensible way to see Timanfaya, El Golfo and La Geria. Pick-ups are in Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise and Arrecife.

Tours that sort out the transport

1

A full loop of the island

Full-day highlights tour, from €51, rated 4.7 out of 5 from more than 3,300 reviews. Check which tickets are included.

GetYourGuide9 hours

Lanzarote: Full-Day Island Highlights Tour

4.7 (3,338)

from €51Check availability

2

Volcanoes and caves in a day

Timanfaya, Jameos del Agua and Cueva de los Verdes, three places the bus does not serve well, from €89.

GetYourGuide9 hours

Lanzarote: Timanfaya Park, Jameos Agua & Cueva Verdes Tour

4.5 (2,873)

from €89Check availability

3

Art and architecture

Full-day César Manrique tour, from €85; the northern centres are hard to reach by public transport.

GetYourGuide8 - 9 hours

Lanzarote: César Manrique Full-Day Tour

4.6 (458)

from €85Check availability

On Civitatis, whole-island tours range from €59 to €99. Local agency First Minute Travel (Arrecife) sells its own tours with pick-up: Grand Tour €87 (child €55), South Tour €65, Short South Tour €59 and César Manrique Tour €83, plus transfers to Teguise market for €15. Before comparing prices, check whether the Timanfaya ticket is included: on its own it costs €30. More options in deals and discounts.

Not every activity includes pick-up: several buggy operators charge for it separately (€5 per person).

GetYourGuide9 hours

Lanzarote: Full-Day Island Highlights Tour

4.7 (3,338)

from €51Check availability

GetYourGuide8 hours

Lanzarote: Day Tour for Cruise Passengers

4.7 (862)

from €80Check availability

GetYourGuide7 hours

Arrecife/Playa Blanca: Timanfaya National Park Area Day Tour

4.3 (886)

from €65Check availability

GetYourGuide

Lanzarote: Round-trip ferry transfer to La Graciosa

4.7 (434)

from €29Check availability

GetYourGuide8 - 9 hours

Lanzarote: César Manrique Full-Day Tour

4.6 (458)

from €85Check availability

GetYourGuide3 hours

Lanzarote: Jameos del Agua & North Island for Cruise Guests

4.5 (503)

from €40Check availability

See all on GetYourGuide →Prices checked on 5 October 2026

Taxis in Lanzarote: fares and prices

At the airport, only take a taxi from the Arrivals rank (ground floor, at both terminals). The official fares published by AENA (https://www.aena.es/en/cesar-manrique-lanzarote/getting-there/taxi.html):

An hour's waiting costs €18.50 and a radio-taxi booking adds €0.60. There are no official fixed fares from the airport; as a guide, about €27–39 is quoted to Puerto del Carmen, €32–47 to Costa Teguise and €55–82 to Playa Blanca.

A taxi tour of the island?

You can hire a taxi by the hour to tour the island, especially if there are four of you. There is no official tour fare: agree the price and the route before you get in, and remember that Timanfaya and the Cueva de los Verdes require a ticket with a time slot booked online.

Water taxi between harbours

Líneas Romero runs shuttle boats between Playa Blanca and Marina Rubicón and between Puerto del Carmen and Puerto Calero, from €11 on booking platforms. It is an easy way to hop from one harbour to another by sea.

Hop-on hop-off in Lanzarote: there isn't one for the island

There is no hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus covering the island. The one that used to run was suspended for lack of demand. In Arrecife an urban service is advertised with two routes, from the Charco de San Ginés to the Castillo de San José and to Marina Lanzarote; before counting on it, ask at the tourist office whether it is running that day. To see the island by bus, the real alternative is a guided tour. If you are arriving on a cruise ship, see Lanzarote shore excursions.

Hiring a car, even for one day

If all you want is the freedom to do Timanfaya, El Golfo and La Geria, hiring for a day can work out better than two tours. The two longest-established local firms:

• Cicar, based in San Bartolomé: fully comprehensive insurance with no excess, unlimited mileage, child seat and second driver included, pay on arrival and free cancellation (https://www.cicar.com/en/).
• Cabrera Medina, a local firm founded in 1967 with six cars: also no excess, with baby seats, second driver and unlimited mileage (https://www.cabreramedina.com/en/).

Payless is not a Canarian company: it belongs to Avis Budget. International comparison sites usually sell excess insurance separately; here it is included. If you plan to go to Papagayo, check whether your contract allows dirt tracks.

Where to stay in Lanzarote without a car

• Playa Blanca: lines 60 and 161, the ferry port for Fuerteventura and a walk to Papagayo. A good base if you are on foot.
• Puerto del Carmen: the closest to the airport and well connected with Arrecife and Playa Blanca.
• Arrecife: every line starts here; ideal for getting around by bus.
• Costa Teguise: well linked with Arrecife and Puerto del Carmen, but no direct line to the airport.

Avoid inland and northern villages if you are not going to drive: frequencies drop sharply. The bases in detail in Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise.

Frequently asked questions