This is your complete guide to Playa Blanca bus services. Getting around the resort and exploring the wider island by public bus is straightforward, affordable and — with a little planning — a genuinely enjoyable way to see Lanzarote. Here’s everything you need to know.
All Playa Blanca bus services are operated by IntercityBus Lanzarote (formerly Arrecife Bus). Their website is available in English, Spanish and French, with full timetables, route maps and fare information.
Website: arrecifebus.com
Telephone: +34 928 811 522
App: The free IntercityBus Lanzarote app (available on iOS and Android) lets you check timetables and track buses in real time. The Moovit app is also popular with visitors for live arrival times and route planning.
A quick note on local terminology: buses in the Canary Islands are known as guaguas (pronounced “wah-wahs”) — a word you’ll see on signs and timetables throughout the island.
The main bus station (Estación de Guaguas) in Playa Blanca is located on Avenida de Playa Blanca, close to the main roundabout at the entrance to the resort from the LZ-2 motorway. This is the starting point for all routes serving the resort.
Important tip: For some outbound services, including the 161 to the airport, you may need to catch the bus from the stop on the opposite side of the road from the main bus station, rather than from within the station itself. Check for any notices posted at the station before you travel.
There are several ways to pay for your bus journey:
Contactless card — Lanzarote buses now accept contactless credit and debit card payments, making it easy to tap and go without needing cash.
Cash — Still accepted on all buses, but drivers cannot change notes larger than €10. If paying with cash, have coins or small notes ready.
Bono Bus Card — A rechargeable contactless travel card that you tap when boarding. The Bono General card is available to anyone (including tourists), gives a 10% discount on all fares and costs just €2 for the card itself. You can load it with between €5 and €50 and top it up on the bus or at the bus stations in Arrecife and Playa Blanca. One card can be used to pay for multiple passengers. If you’re planning to use buses regularly during your stay, a Bono card is well worth picking up for the savings.
Children under four travel free when accompanied by an adult and not occupying a seat.
Route 161 is the direct airport bus to Playa Blanca. It stops at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at the airport and calls at Matagorda, Puerto del Carmen, Puerto Calero and Yaiza on its way to the resort. Once in Playa Blanca, the 161 stops at the main bus station before continuing to the harbour and ferry port.
The fare from the airport to Playa Blanca is approximately €3.30 one way (or slightly less with a Bono card). Journey time is roughly 50 to 70 minutes, depending on passenger numbers and traffic.
The 161 runs approximately hourly. On weekdays, the first bus departs the airport at around 07:30, with the last departure at around 21:30. On weekends and public holidays the service runs from around 08:00 to 20:00, with reduced frequency (roughly every two hours on Sundays). Always check the latest timetable on the IntercityBus website or app before you travel, as schedules can change.
The 162-D is a direct express service between Arrecife, the airport and Playa Blanca with only 8 stops — roughly half the stops of the 161, cutting the journey time to around 45 minutes. It runs daily, departing from Arrecife between approximately 10:00 and 19:00, and from Playa Blanca between approximately 11:00 and 20:00. If your flight times line up with this service, it’s the quicker and more comfortable option.
There is also a standard 162 service that operates in the late evening (departing Playa Blanca from around 22:25), effectively extending the airport link after the 161 finishes for the day — handy if you have a late arrival or departure.
Practical tips for airport arrivals:
Several routes connect Playa Blanca with the rest of the island:
This is the main all-stops route connecting Playa Blanca with Arrecife bus station, calling at the picturesque village of Yaiza, the upscale marina at Puerto Calero, and the bustling resort of Puerto del Carmen along the way. It runs approximately hourly from early morning until late evening, seven days a week. The journey takes about 60 minutes and a one-way fare is approximately €3.60.
If you’re heading to Arrecife and want a faster journey, the 62 is a semi-direct service via Tías that skips many of the smaller stops. It runs frequently throughout the day and is a good option if you’re connecting onward from Arrecife bus station.
One of the most popular excursions from Playa Blanca is the Sunday morning trip to the famous Teguise Market — the largest and liveliest weekly market in the Canary Islands, with stalls selling local crafts, food, cheese, wine and more.
The number 13 bus departs from Playa Blanca bus station at 09:00 on Sundays, heading to Teguise via Yaiza, Puerto del Carmen and Arrecife. The return service leaves Teguise at 13:30 — and this is the only direct bus back to Playa Blanca, so don’t miss it. If you do, your best option is to catch any bus to Arrecife bus station (Estación de Guaguas) and pick up the number 60 from there.
The journey to Teguise takes a little over an hour, giving you around three and a half hours to explore the market before the return trip.
The number 30 is the local bus that loops around Playa Blanca itself. It’s a circular route with 35 stops, covering the resort from Faro Park to Las Coloradas and everything in between — including the harbour and ferry port, Playa Dorada, Playa Flamingo and the main commercial areas.
The 30 runs every 30 minutes, seven days a week from 06:30 until 23:00. A complete loop takes about an hour. This is a handy and affordable way to get from your accommodation to the beaches, restaurants or marina without needing a taxi.
| Route | Destination | Frequency | Approx. Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| 161 | Airport (via PDC, Puerto Calero, Yaiza) | Hourly (reduced at weekends) | €3.30 |
| 162-D | Airport direct (express, fewer stops) | Daily, ~10:00–19:00 | €3.30 |
| 162 | Airport (late evening service) | From ~22:25 | €3.30 |
| 60 | Arrecife (via Yaiza, Puerto Calero, PDC) | Hourly | €3.60 |
| 62 | Arrecife semi-direct (via Tías) | Frequent | €3.60 |
| 30 | Playa Blanca circular | Every 30 mins | ~€1.40 |
| 13 | Teguise Market (Sundays) | 09:00 out / 13:30 return | ~€3.50 |
For more information about Playa Blanca bus services and other common visitor queries, browse our Lanzarote Travel Guide or visit our FAQs page.