Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain Hotels and City Guide

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - Transport

Getting Around Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

There are three easy ways to explore Las Palmas; on foot, by car, or by using the local bus service. The city itself is divided into several districts, most of which are easily explored on foot.

Vegueta and Triana districts, for example, both have some of the city’s oldest buildings and are vibrant places to explore. Passing through in a car or bus would skip most of the regions’ atmosphere.

Using Buses in Las Palmas

The bus service is reliable and very cheap, and is run by a company called Guaguas. The buses are painted a sunny yellow colour and known locally as 'guaguas' (pronounced 'gwa-gwa). A single journey costs just €1.20, payable directly to the bus driver. You can also buy a card of ten journeys, which costs just €6.50. These can be purchases from some banks and shops. The city has two main bus stations, San Telmo Station in the city center and Santa Catalina near the port.

Driving around Las Palmas

Having a car can be more convenient than taking a bus, especially if you intend to attend meetings or have a schedule to adhere to however the traffic can be an issue as road congestion within the city is common during peak times.

There are several car hire outlets on the island, with most known brands having a desk at the airport. In addition to relatively inexpensive car hire costs, petrol is also quite reasonable, making car hire a great way to explore Las Palmas and the island. You can often get a discount for a longer hire period, hence hiring a car for a three-day stay or longer can be a very economical option and a fantastic way to explore the mountainous centre of the island.

Car hire companies which operate at the airport and within Las Palmas include: Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Alamo. A week's hire of a four-door economy-class vehicle costs from $260 (price checked March 2011).

Hotels in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain