Buses

Line 3A Velilla–Taramay – all year round

The circular route starts and ends at Plaza de la Carrera in town and runs out along the beach past Playa Tropical. The times are departures from Plaza de la Carrera. The bus is typically at Playa Tropical 3–5 minutes later.

Winter: 16 September – 30 June

* On Saturdays not until 8:00. ** Monday–Friday only.

Summer: 1 July – 15 September

Monday–Saturday line 3A runs between 8:00 and 16:30. On Sundays and public holidays line 3A does not run – please use line 3B.

Line 3B Velilla – summer only

From 1 July to 15 September an extra line runs between the town and Velilla – also in the evening.

On Sundays some departures take a slightly longer or shorter route. From mid-July, line 3B is extended to a new stop at the roundabout on Avda. Pintor Domínguez de Haro by Playa de Cabria.

Stops on 3A

Outbound: Plaza de la Carrera · Estación de Autobuses · Avda. Juan Carlos I · Puerta del Mar · Góndolas · Paseo Reina Sofía · Aquatropic · Espigón · Playa Tropical 1 · Playa Tropical 2 · Velilla 1–4.

Inbound: Tesorillo 1 · Pozuelo · Galera 1 · Playa Cálida · Escuelas Taramay · Hercofrut · Taramay · Portichuelo · La Paloma · Avda. Fenicia · Plaza de la Carrera.

Tickets

A single ticket is only valid until you get off – you cannot change buses on it.

Experience from Playa Tropical: In winter the bus stops on the beach side by the rubbish bins. In summer it stops on the opposite side of the road.

From Málaga Airport to Playa Tropical

The direct ALSA bus runs from the airport to the bus station in Almuñécar in about 1¾–2¼ hours and costs around €8–9 (≈ 67,14 kr.). There are only a few departures a day (1–5 depending on the season), so buy your ticket in advance on alsa.com or via the ALSA app (iPhone · Android) – select "Aeropuerto de Málaga" → "Almuñécar".

1. Find the bus at the airport. Whichever terminal you land in: Go to Terminal 3, arrivals level. Walk out through the main exit from the arrivals hall and straight across the plaza to the road. The bus stop is on the arrival road opposite the transport interchange (intercambiador).
2. Ticket. ALSA has a sales desk in the arrivals hall in Terminal 3, but it is only staffed for part of the day – it is better to buy online. Show your mobile ticket to the driver. Your suitcase goes into the luggage compartment underneath the bus.
3. Get off in Almuñécar. The bus terminates at the bus station on Avenida Juan Carlos I – the white building with the blue arches at the entrance to the town.
4. The final stretch. Take local bus 3A from the "Estación de Autobuses" stop right by the station – it runs out along the beach and stops at Playa Tropical 1 and 2 (1 € (≈ 7.46 DKK)). Or take a taxi – it is only a couple of kilometres.

Plan B: via Málaga city

If the direct bus does not match your flight, there are far more departures from the bus station in central Málaga:

1. C1 train from the airport – the "Aeropuerto" station is located by the terminals. Take the train towards Málaga Centro and get off after about 10 minutes at María Zambrano. The ticket costs about 1.80 € (≈ 13.43 DKK) from the vending machine, and the train runs about every 20 minutes from around 6 AM to midnight.
2. Walk over to the bus station – Estación de Autobuses de Málaga on Paseo de los Tilos is a few hundred metres from the train station.
3. Take the ALSA bus to Almuñécar – there are many departures a day. From there, proceed as above with local bus 3A.

From Playa Tropical to the airport

1. Buy your ticket in good time on alsa.com: "Almuñécar" → "Aeropuerto de Málaga". Choose a departure that gives you at least 2 hours at the airport.
2. Get to the bus station. Take local bus 3A from Playa Tropical – it runs the full loop via Taramay and ends at Plaza de la Carrera, a couple of minutes' walk from the bus station. Allow plenty of time, or take a taxi.
3. Board at the bus station on Avenida Juan Carlos I. The bus goes directly to the airport and stops at Terminal 3 (departures).

Map of the journey

Red star = Playa Tropical. Click on a point for the name and distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap.

Door-to-door transfer

If you would rather be driven all the way from the airport to Playa Tropical, you can book a private transfer at a fixed price. The driver will wait in the arrivals hall with a sign bearing your name and will track your flight if it is delayed. The trip takes about 1¼ hours. Examples:

• Transfers Del Sol – British drivers who speak English. Fixed price with no hidden extras.
• Chofix – choose "English-speaking driver" when booking. From approx. €46 (≈ 343 kr.) (car) and €61 (≈ 455 kr.) (minibus) incl. VAT and tip.
• AJ Transfers – fixed price approx. €115 (≈ 858 kr.) for 1–4 people and approx. €168 (≈ 1,253 kr.) for 5–8. Pay the driver in cash or by card.
• MarbeTaxi – fixed price from approx. €110 (≈ 821 kr.) (car) to €150 (≈ 1,119 kr.) (7 people) according to their 2026 price list.

Regular taxi from the taxi rank runs by the meter: approx. 130 € (≈ 970 kr.) during the day and 155 € (≈ 1,156 kr.) at night for 1–4 people.

Always ask before booking: Does the driver speak English? Are tolls, waiting time and tips included in the price? Can you cancel for free? Prices here are indicative – check the current price on the company's own website. And remember Car sharing – maybe others from Playa Tropical are heading the same way.

Buses to surrounding towns

From the bus station in Almuñécar, regional buses run to destinations including Nerja with its famous dripstone caves, Motril with its extensive shopping options, and the white village of Frigiliana. Timetables and tickets: alsa.com.

Krone amounts are converted at 1 € ≈ 7.46 kr. and rounded.