Buses from Granada

Granada is a great base for exploring the province and the rest of Andalusia without a car. Buses leave the city for the villages of the Alpujarra, the coast, Sierra Nevada and Andalusia’s big cities. Here’s where they leave from and how to get there from Cueva de Lindaraja.

The bus station

Granada bus station is on Carretera de Jaén, in the north of the city. Most long-distance coaches and many of the buses to villages in the province leave from here. Don’t mix it up with the train station, which is on Avenida de Andaluces: they’re two separate buildings, quite far apart.

There are ticket offices at the station, but it’s easiest to buy your ticket in advance on the operator’s website or app, especially in summer, on bank holidays and at weekends.

Alsa: the province and Andalusia

The Alsa company runs many of the routes out of Granada. Some destinations our guests often go to:

• The Alpujarra. The white villages on the southern side of Sierra Nevada, such as Lanjarón, Órgiva, Pampaneira, Bubión, Capileira or Trevélez. Find ideas in our guide to the Alpujarra.
• The Costa Tropical. Almuñécar, Salobreña and Motril, the beaches closest to Granada. We tell you about them in the Costa Tropical.
• Málaga, with its airport, and the Costa del Sol.
• Seville, Córdoba, Almería and Jaén, among other Andalusian cities.
• Other cities in Spain, such as Madrid, on long-distance routes.

Timetables and fares change with the season, so always check them on the Alsa website. To plan a day out, have a look at our day trips from Granada.

Bus to Sierra Nevada

The Sierra Nevada ski resort is about 33 km from Granada. Autotransporte Tocina runs a bus from Granada bus station to Pradollano, more often during the ski season. It’s a good alternative to driving, as you avoid the mountain road and the car park. There’s more in our guide to Sierra Nevada and the timetables are on the Tocina website.

Metropolitan buses

The towns and villages around Granada, such as those in the Vega, are served by the buses of the Granada Metropolitan Transport Consortium (Consorcio de Transportes Metropolitano del Área de Granada). They’re the green buses you’ll see around the city, different from the city buses.

• Some routes leave from the bus station and others from stops in the city centre.
• The Consortium has its own travel card, which makes journeys cheaper and also works on the Granada metro.
• On its website you can look up routes, stops and timetables, including the airport bus.

Getting from the house to the bus station

The most practical way is the city bus, following in reverse the route we explain in getting here:

1. Walk down from the house to the C34 stop on Camino del Sacromonte and ride to Gran Vía, by the Cathedral.
2. There, take the 33 bus, which drops you outside the bus station.

A standard ticket includes an hour of free transfers, so one ticket covers both buses. Allow about half an hour in all, plus some spare time, especially if you have luggage. If you’d rather not change, a taxi takes you straight there. Everything about tickets and cards is in Granada city buses.

Tips

• Book ahead for the busiest destinations, such as the coast in summer or the Alpujarra on bank holidays.
• Check where your bus leaves from. Most buses leave from the station on Carretera de Jaén, but some metropolitan routes start in the centre.
• Leave in good time. Between the steps down from the house, the C34 and the change, it’s best to set off with at least an hour to spare.
• Bring something warm if you’re heading to Sierra Nevada or the high Alpujarra: it’s much colder there than in Granada, even in spring.