Autobus from the airport to Velez Malaga

[Mowser]

DA
Honest. I did check to see if any buses went your way. Apart from Alsa there are a number of local services. I was simply trying to see of there was a connection. Eg ...

There's a bus to Benamargosa but only a few per day. Friends of ours hopped on a school bus from Benamargosa to Cutar. This may be a possibility.

[Devils Advocate]

Catch the train €1.40 from the Airport into Malaga centro (last stop) walk down to the bus station near the new port, have a coffee in Franks opposite the bus station and catch the bus to Velez. They run all the time. We used to taxi all the time from the airport to Rincon @ €40 a time. We now use public transport and save €75 return. I think thats sensible if you have plenty of time and its not pi==ing down with rain.

€75 is a couple of nice lunches. Also Franks have very nice Tapas.

Costakid..............that sounds spot on, many thanks for that. Franks may now become part of our new holiday first day ritual

As an aside when you say Centro, I'm taking it that's a different station to what the other guys are saying?.........ie not opposite the bus station.
Again many thanks for that info. appreciated.

[Mowser]

Here's another site.
http://destinia.com/bus/movelia/buy-bus-tickets

[IreneD]

The bus stop from the airport to the bus station is in front of the cafe Gabrinus, outside Arrivals. As you walk past Gabrinus towards the bus stop, the taxi rank is on your right.

And Mowser is being nice,

[Free at Last]

Brilliant F@L top info

Purely out of interest. Are both the train and Bus from the airport to Malaga both in similar places of ease to get to from arrivals?

And again,simply out of interest what are the costs of both of those runs aprox?

It seems like quite a run if the train takes 15 minutes to get to the bus station..........as you say it would be longer on bus if traffic was bad. I think I'd use the train now if it's hassle free........and catch a cheeky beer or two in Malaga seeing as the buses run half hourly......perfect!!!

Glad I asked this question now.......many thanks. I thought it would be a big problem.

Dave thanks

De nada!

The bus stop at the airport is right outside as you leave the Arrivals hall. You pay on the bus, last time I used it it cost €2 but that was ages ago, could be more now. Again last time I used it the journey took at least half an hour but that was when the roadworks for the Metro were bad, could be better now.

The train station is a little bit further but not very much. Leave the arrivals hall, cross over the small road and you will see the train station in front of you, you just need to walk across the forecourt. There are ticket machines just inside the entrance, the fare is now €1.70 (the machines give change and there is an option to change the language into English although I'm sure you won't need it). There are only two stops before Malaga Maria Zambrano (Guadalhorce and Victoria Kent), or if you want to stay on to the Malaga Centro station it's one stop further. It can sometimes be a bit of a scrum trying to get on the bus at the port, though, and there is only one ticket window which can be a problem if there is a queue and the bus is due any minute!

When we used to come on holiday we used to take a taxi from the airport as we were in a hurry to get there, and take the bus back as we weren't in such a rush to leave! Now we're not earning we don't mind it taking about 90 minutes longer to save €60, time is one thing we have plenty of!

[alisonb]

A few comments to add -
1. Sometimes the driver will take your fare on the Malaga Velez bus, and sometimes he won't! If there's not a queue at Alsa desk, best to buy there.
2. Bus from airport to bus station not as long as 1hr 20min. We did it in less than half an hour. That bus has proper luggage racks whereas on the bus to Velez, you have to put cases in the hold.
3. It's a long walk to port with suitcases, and it's usually a scrum at port bus stop. Get a coffee around the bus station - even though it's not as pretty, and get straight off home
4. We've often got a lift to Velez then done the bus. We usually stop off for lunch in Malaga, so don't pay through the nose at the airport. The bus station is surrounded by restaurants.

We can't do this all the time as one of the flights we often use doesn't land until 11pm. If it's after 10pm you have to be quick, as last Velez bus leaves Malaga bus station at 11pm.

[Devils Advocate]

F@L, thanks again for that...........like your reasoning for getting the bus TO the airport

Alison, appreciated...........some cracking tips there. Thanks very much for that!

[Nimrod]

A few comments to add -
1. Sometimes the driver will take your fare on the Malaga Velez bus, and sometimes he won't! If there's not a queue at Alsa desk, best to buy there.

So if the driver doesn't take your fare is he going to let you travel for free or throw you off ?

[Mowser]

Buying you ticket at the desk guarantees you'll get a seat. If the route at a particular time is busy, there may be no seats left.

[alisonb]

No, he'll tell you to go to the ticket desk, then sets off without you. The seats aren't numbered, and it's a general scrum to board, but since it's the end of the line, I've never seen it full. There is always still space when it gets to the port, although sometimes there are a lot of people standing. I've never travelled on the 11pm one, but a friend regularly gets it at the bus station and has never had a problem

[Nimrod]

No, he'll tell you to go to the ticket desk, then sets off without you.

Sounds about right.

[Devils Advocate]

So do you have to queue twice for tickets? Once at the airport and once at the bus station?.......can you just jump straight on the train?

It is starting to sound painful now if so. And SWMBO is now talking of staying in Malaga for the night and doing a bar crawl

Thanks

[Free at Last]

So do you have to queue twice for tickets? Once at the airport and once at the bus station?.......can you just jump straight on the train?

It is starting to sound painful now if so. And SWMBO is now talking of staying in Malaga for the night and doing a bar crawl

Thanks

You don't have to queue to buy a train ticket at the airport station - as I mentioned, there are ticket machines just inside the entrance (4 or 5 of them, usually no queue although I often end up helping out bewildered pensioners just to be able to get my ticket a bit quicker instead of standing watching them dithering ). You need to put your ticket through the machine to get the entrance doors to open (similar to the London underground) so no, you can't just jump on the train.

There might be a queue for tickets at the Alsa windows in Malaga bus station, there might not (there was nobody waiting at all when I got there yesterday). Sometimes the ticket office is closed and then you can definitely buy your ticket from the bus driver, no quibbles. As Irene mentioned, there are also a couple of Alsa ticket machines next to their ticket windows, but I must warn you they are often out of order.

It's not as painful as it sounds, honest. After you've done it the first time it's a breeze. Think of all the lovely tapas you'll be able to have for the price of that taxi fare, the queueing time will fly by!

[IreneD]

OH says it was a doddle........and he didn't have me with him issuing orders. If he can do it all by himself, I'm sure you and your wife will manage fine. He did take the bus from the airport though, don't know if that's easier than the train, it sounds as if it might be.

[Colinm]

You can buy the bus ticket from Malaga to Velez on line (alsa.es). Print out the confirmation and just show it to the driver.

[katy]

So do you have to queue twice for tickets? Once at the airport and once at the bus station?.......can you just jump straight on the train?

It is starting to sound painful now if so. And SWMBO is now talking of staying in Malaga for the night and doing a bar crawl

Thanks

Best idea you have had Don't forget you will have baggage and it will be 30C or more. Ever seen them struggling across that bridge with their wheelies. Unless it's changed with el crisis that train makes the Heathrow express look like a peaceful miniature railway ride Then there is total chaos at those bus stations......

Egged on by some old farts at the golf club my OH decided it would be good to take the bus from Naples Italy to Sorrento...bloody nightmare. Only the fact that he said he had made a big mistake and 2 days grovelling saved the holiday Made the €120 trip back look a bargain.

[Free at Last]

So do you have to queue twice for tickets? Once at the airport and once at the bus station?.......can you just jump straight on the train?

It is starting to sound painful now if so. And SWMBO is now talking of staying in Malaga for the night and doing a bar crawl

Thanks

Best idea you have had Don't forget you will have baggage and it will be 30C or more. Ever seen them struggling across that bridge with their wheelies. Unless it's changed with el crisis that train makes the Heathrow express look like a peaceful miniature railway ride Then there is total chaos at those bus stations......

Egged on by some old farts at the golf club my OH decided it would be good to take the bus from Naples Italy to Sorrento...bloody nightmare. Only the fact that he said he had made a big mistake and 2 days grovelling saved the holiday Made the €120 trip back look a bargain.

Bridge? What bridge? Since the new train station opened at the airport (must be at least 2 years ago now) there is no bridge involved and it's far, far closer - I agree it used to be a pain getting to the old station, but not any longer.

The train going into Malaga isn't crowded, either, it may be more so going in the other direction to Torremolinos and Fuengirola.

[Devils Advocate]

Phew, thanks [email protected] did lose my bottle a bit after Katys post

[frank]

Phew, thanks [email protected] did lose my bottle a bit after Katys post

Get a taxi, you can't take it with you! ¡La mortaja no tiene bolsillos!

[Devils Advocate]

Frank, so many people have slated me for never ever having used Spanish Public Transport........it has to be done, if only once. If Katy's scenario were to arise it is safe to say a taxi would indeed be hailed forthwith

As I said at the start..something different for us.

I know F@L and the other people who've kindly answered my post wouldn't tell me it was a doddle if it wasn't....would they?