Taking buses in Mallorca
If you are unfamiliar with the bus system in Mallorca and the routes serving Palma airport, it might seem challenging to rely on buses for your holiday. However, they are frequent and plentiful, and travellers will be able to get to most places in Mallorca using them.
There are essentially two types of buses, those serving Palma city and surroundings and buses for the rest of the island:
The blue, white and green buses are for Palma city and surrounding areas. These are run by the EMT (Empresa Municipal de Transports Urban de Palma de Mallorca).
For routes stretching out across the island you will need the red and yellow buses; these are run by the TIB (Transport de les Illes Balears).
EMT routes from the airport:
A1 to Palma city
A2 to S‘Arenal
TIB routes from the airport (called AEROTIB):
A11 Peguera (via Magaluf)
A32 Can Picafort (via Alcudia / Playa de Muro)
A42 Cala Bona (via Cala Millor)
A51 Campos (via S’Arenal)
For other destinations across the island:
TIB run further routes from the Intermodal Station in Palma City, which is around 8km/ 5miles from the airport and can be reached via the EMT bus service A1.
Where does the bus stop at Palma Airport?
Once you have collected your luggage and entered the public arrivals area you will need to exit the building. The exits are numbered 1-7. It doesn’t matter which one you exit from.
There are signs for the bus and you just have to aim to walk under the covered walkway, clearly visible from all vantage points.
If you do exit door 4 you will be in the central position for the undercover walkway and only need to walk across this. It crosses the slip roads and car park with pedestrian conveyor belts to assist.
At the end of the covered walkway you will see the bus stops.
Buses returning to the airport will drop passengers off at the departures on the upper level.
Where can I buy a bus ticket at Palma Airport?
Tickets for the EMT- as well as the TIB-buses can be purchased from the driver. You can only use banknotes of €20 or less to pay on the bus. Only if your fare is more than €20 can you pay with a €50 banknote.
Bus from Palma Airport to Palma city
EMT Route A1
The route A1 bus goes from the airport to Palma city and around the old town. The last stop is at the Es Baluard art museum, from where the bus will return via the same route to the airport.
While previously the route carried on all the way to the port, there is now no longer a direct route between the airport and Palma port.
The city stops provide excellent places to stop off for shopping or visiting the old town.
All buses have the next stop on their electronic display system inside the bus.
Buses go every 10 to 15 minutes on average during the day and around every 30 minutes after 9pm.
Timetable
Palma airport to Palma city: 6:00am to 1:15am
Palma city to Palma airport: 4:45am to 0:42am
Notable Bus Stops
Plaça d’Espanya: This is where the main bus and train terminals are based in Palma city, even the tourist train to Soller is next to this stop. From here travellers can take a bus or train to virtually any resort and town in Mallorca.
Es Baluard: Contemporary art museum with more than 700 works of art from international and local artists as well as temporary exhibitions, cultural and educational activities. Additionally, this stop is only a few minutes’ walk away from the trendy district of Santa Catalina.
Ticket prices
The bus costs €5, under 5s are free.
There are discounts for Palma residents, students and pensioners but you have to show ID and relevant documents.
For more information about route A1, go to http://www.emtpalma.cat/en/route/-/L/17/aeroport-palma-centre
Bus from Palma Airport to S’Arenal
For the journey to S’Arenal there are two different options – the EMT bus A2 or the TIB bus route A51. Route number A2 takes around 30 minutes and goes very frequently. With route A51 the journey time to S’Arenal is around 10–15 minutes. It runs regularly throughout the day in the summer, however, in the winter, there are only 2 buses per day, which need to be booked a day in advance by telephone. For more information on route A 51, please see below.
The price is the same for both bus routes – 5 Euro for a single ticket to S’Arenal.
A2 buses from Palma airport to S’Arenal run from:
7:00am to 22:10
A2 buses from S’Arenal to Palma airport run from
6:57am to 21:27
Buses leave from the airport roughly every 30 minutes on average.
When using the EMT route A2 bus to S’Arenal, passengers can get off at several hotels along the way. It departs Palma airport towards Can Pastilla and then along the Playa de Palma and onto S’Arenal. All buses have the next stop on an electronic display system.
From S’Arenal the bus will return on the same route to the airport except it will not return through the center of Can Pastilla.
Passengers who were dropped off in the centre of Can Pastilla, Hotel Linda, Bartomeu Riutort and Hotel Miraflores on their arrival will have to go to the main road bus stops to return to Palma Airport.
These are close by and are stops numbered 434, 1193 or 437, this is only to return to Palma airport.
For more information about route A2, please follow this link
http://www.emtpalma.cat/en/route/-/L/21/s-arenal-aeroport
Contact details EMT
Empresa Municipal de Transports Urbans de Palma de Mallorca
Calle Josep Anselm Clavé 5, 07002 Palma
Customer Service Telephone: +34 971 214 444
usuaris@emt.palma.es
http://www.emtpalma.cat/en/home
Mobile app:
Download the app MobiPalma, available on Apple or Android, to view bus routes across Palma city and surroundings as well as arrival times.
Buses from Palma airport to various destinations across the island (AEROTIB)
A11: Peguera
Aeroport – Costa d’en Blanes – Son Caliu – Palmanova – Magaluf – Santa Ponça – Costa de la Calma – Peguera
This route has only four buses a day in the winter but runs regularly throughout the summer.
A32: Can Picafort
Aeroport – Inca (Llevant) – Alcúdia – Port d’Alcúdia – Platja d’Alcúdia – Platja de Muro – Platja de Muro (Càmping) – Can Picafort
This route runs only twice a day during winter but runs regularly throughout the summer.
A42: Cala Bona
Aeroport – Montuïri – Vilafranca – Manacor – Portocristo – s’Illot – sa Coma – Cala Millor –Cala Bona
This route runs regularly in the summer; in the winter there is only one bus a day from Monday to Friday and no service at weekends and on Public Holidays.
A51: Campos
Aeroport – s’Arenal – Polígon Son Noguera – Llucmajor – Campos
Runs regularly throughout the summer but only has 2 connections a day in the winter, which need to be booked by telephone under +34 669 773 133 the day before travel.
Timetables and ticket prices
Timetables for the above routes vary throughout the year. The price for your ticket will depend on your destination. To view the current timetables and ticket prices, please follow the link below, then click on the route relevant to you. Here you will be able to view ticket prices under „fares and hops“, and timetables under „current times“: https://www.tib.org/en/web/ctm/autobus/aerotib
Other destinations across the island (TIB)
To use the TIB buses for other destinations across Mallorca, or during the winter season, when the airport buses are less frequent, you will need to get to the main Palma city bus terminal, Plaça d’Espanya. It’s called the Intermodal Station and Mallorca trains are located here too.
To get there from the airport, you will need to take the EMT bus route A1, which runs on average every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes after 9.00pm.
How to work out which bus to take for your Mallorca destination
The routes are organized into five zones: 100,200,300,400,500. These approximately represent an area of the island, but the routes overlap the zones.
Routes 100 (South West)
Andratx, Peguera, Santa Ponsa, Magaluf, Palma Nova
Routes 200 (West)
Valdemossa , Soller
Routes 300 (North)
Puerto de Pollensa, C’an Picafort, Alcudia, Puerto de Alcudia
Routes 400 (East)
Cala Ratjada, Cala Millor, Porto Cristo, Manacor
Routes 500 (South East)
Cala D’Or, Cala Figuera, Ses Salines, San Jordi, Llucmajor
Routes 800
Special routes for Markets across the island
Tickets and timetables
Once in Palma at the main bus station you will have to purchase a ticket from the bus driver on the bus. Ticket prices will vary, depending on your destination.
You can only use bank notes of €20 or less to pay on the bus. Only if your fare is more than €20 can you pay with a €50 bank note.
To see the individual bus routes, timetables and ticket prices, please follow the link below. Click on “routes” and choose the route most relevant to you. You will then be able to find out ticket prices under “fares and hops” and view the timetable under “current times”.
https://www.tib.org/en/web/ctm
You can also ask for a timetable printout (horario de ruta) for a particular route at the bus station.
Contact details for TIB
Transport de les Illes Balears
Intermodal Station,
Plaça d’Espanya s/n, Palma.
Customer Service Telephone: +34 971 17 77 77
www.tib.org