Travelling to and from Fuerteventura
By air
The fastest and easiest way to get to Fuerteventura from most (European) countries is by air. Fuerteventura has an airport, El Matorral. It’s located in the eastern part of the island, near to its capital city, Puerto del Rosario.
By boat
Another way to get to Fuerteventura is taking the boat from southern Spain (Cadiz) to Lanzarote. Following a transfer at Lanzarote, take the ferry from Playa Blanca in the south of Lanzarote to the northern point of Fuerteventura (Corralejo).
Check https://www.trasmediterranea.es/en/routes/cadiz-lanzarote-arrecife and https://www.directferries.com/cadiz_arrecife_ferry.htm for more information.
Getting about on Fuerteventura
By bus
There is a bus service on Fuerteventura. The local bus company is called Tiadhe (www.tiadhe.com).
However, the frequency of the service varies a lot and it depends on the route. There is a bus from the airport to the bus station in the capital of Puerto del Rosario every half hour. The bus station in Puerto del Rosario is the island’s hub for all its bus services. From here you can change buses to get to other places on the island: southbound to Gran Tarajal and Morro Jable, northbound to Corralejo, the airport and Caleta de Fuste (in the east).
In the more remote places, especially in the mountainous area in the west, there usually is a bus only once or twice a day. Getting back to your point of departure within the same day may require some careful planning.
Generally buses are on schedule and a lot cheaper than taxis, especially when you’re travelling longer distances.
What’s rather annoying though is the lack of a proper timetable at bus stops. If there is a schedule at all, it will mention the departure times from the starting point of the service, not the ones at the relevant bus stop. This makes it look as if the bus is always late. You’ll have to do a bit of guesswork or enquire at the nearest shop – they will know.
If you’re planning to rely on buses a lot, we advise you to buy a Tarjeta Dinero (or Bono). This swipe card will give you a 30% discount on bus rides and makes paying your fare very easy. Inform your driver of your destination, insert the card into the machine, and the remaining credit will show. There are a few stationary shops that sell these cards. The bus stations in Puerto del Rosario and Corralejo also sell them. If you don’t have a card, make sure to bring along enough cash.
By taxi
All holiday places have at least one taxi rank, and you can usually find a price list there. You can also hail a taxi in the street. Fares are usually very reasonable, especially for shorter rides.
Fare class 1 applies on Mondays through to Fridays from 6am till 10pm. Outside these hours fare class 2 applies. The price per kilometre covered is € 0,55 (Class 1) or € 0.63 (Class 2), with a minimum of € 3.15 (Class 1) or € 3.45 (Class 2). An additional € 1.70 is charged for rides to the airport and the harbour.
Check the cost calculator on www.taxisfuerteventura.es.
Example: based on fare Class 1 and 2 persons, the total fare for a taxi ride from Gran Tarajal to the airport (a 40 km or 35-minute journey) is € 51.
By rental car
There are many car rental companies on Fuerteventura. In addition to the well-known brands (Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Budget), there are local ones too (Cicar, Alamo, Orlando). We used Cicar and were quite happy with their service.
Last-minute offers are usually cheaper, but you’ll run the risk of no cars being available. The sooner you book (via the internet), the less you tend to pay. Compact rental cars usually cost around € 40 per day or at least € 130 per week. This is including taxes and an all-risk insurance.
Please note: regular passenger cars are often not allowed on unpaved roads in the west and south of Fuerteventura. Any damage you might incur will not be covered by the insurance. So if you’re planning to go off road be sure to rent a 4-wheel drive SUV.
Fuel is relatively cheap. On average you’ll pay € 0,10 – € 0,20 less than e.g. in Great Britain. Make sure to fill up in time! Gas stations can be few and far between, especially in the south and the west of Fuerteventura. There are enough gas stations in the bigger cities and alongside main roads though.
The maximum speed in built-up areas is 50 km/h. Outside built-up areas it’s 90 km/h. There are hardly any main roads on the island. Mind you, the fines for speeding are high and the tickets can be sent to your home address.
Good news for cyclists! Drivers overtaking cyclists are required to keep a 1.5 m lateral distance from the cyclist. To prevent losing precious points on their drivers licence, the locals make sure to abide by this rule.
