IBIZA - GETTING AROUND

Ibiza`s public and private transport facilitates travel around the island and provides easy access to most of the main tourist spots. Although road travel will be the most widely used means of getting around on the island, sea crossings enable visitors to travel around the island. Ibiza is only a small island but getting around sometimes can be a bit of a nightmare especially if you are visiting for the first time. From circles with no apparent reason, to badly placed road signs not to mention the lack of footpaths, there are many things you should know before driving, riding a scooter or even walking from A to B in Ibiza. There are many different transport options that are available when planning your trip to Ibiza but the fact is that you will need some kind of transport be it public or private to make the most of your trip. If you don`t know the island and staying in a country villa for example, it might be difficult to explain to a taxi dispatcher to come to where you are so in most cases the best option would be to have a rental car.

Most hotels are in areas where you can catch a bus, taxis can be called for you and most of the time you can just walk to a beach or restaurants.
By Car

Hiring a car is one of the best ways to get around Ibiza and will provide the most freedom and comfort for travel. You really need a car if you want to get to the quieter beaches or explore the interior. During off season, driving is pretty calm and relaxed, during the summer the roads become more hectic.
Speed limit on the main roads is 50 mph, but you will rarely see a sign, so common sense is recommended. There are one or two photo radar machines which are sign posted but easily missed, so be careful. If driving, you must have two warning triangles, two reflective bibs, a spare tire and spare headlamp bulbs. Children under 12 years of age are only allowed in the front seat with approved safety belts.

Drunk driving is an issue on the island and extra forces are sent over in the summer season to help control it. There could be random police checks usually at the roundabouts or rondas, where if stopped you will be breathalysed. The limit is 0.25 and anything over that is penalized accordingly with either a fine or the night in prison depending on how much over the limit you are and whether or not your manners fail you. The taxi service here is quite efficient, as is the disco bus and drunk driving should be avoided at all times. Also beware of pirate taxis outside the clubs.

Parking on Ibiza
The large dirt car parks are generally free to park in. You will often find some "helpful" person trying to guide you into a space and then "politely" ask you for a donation, but you are under no obligation to pay. Parking on the streets however is a different story. Wherever there are blue lines and areas with green dotted lines, paying is essential. There are blue ticket machines within eyesight, they are quite straightforward and clearly state the paying timetable on them. It varies from town to town and from winter to summer so check the machines in each different town you visit before leaving your car. The ticket from the machine must be displayed on your dashboard. The maximum pay at one time is more or less €2 and generally allows for about 2hrs parking. Tourists need not worry about the dotted green lines as these are just for residents of the street they are on but are used like a blue zone. If you forget and find a fine on your windscreen when you return, it can be cancelled within the first hour. All you have to do is put another €3 in the machine and press the green button. An annulment ticket will come out which must be placed in the envelope provided and put into a slot in the machine with the fine. Tear the ticket at the dotted line and keep one of the two parts as proof of payment.

Parking is free where there are no lines on the street. Sundays and Fiesta days (holidays) are also free and so is the siesta time (generally from 2pm - 4pm) but again check the machine to be sure.

By Bus

The first thing to know about the bus service in Ibiza is that there are many different companies which don`t all connect, so going from A to B might actually involve going from A to C to B. You might also find that timetables don`t coincide and you have to wait 20 minutes when changing buses. As there in huge influx of tourists in the summer months there are more buses to more destinations than in winter. Buses run in the Summer months from approximately 7 am until 10 pm. The disco bus then takes over from midnight until 6 am, taking clubbers to and from all the major clubs and resorts. Be aware that some services will finish at the end of September, mid October so check the time tables and dates at the website below. The buses are air-conditioned and an extremely economical form of transport.

Four bus companies operate to different parts of the island and fares don`t typically exceed €3 for the longest journey. Buses between the airport and the central port area operate hourly between 7.30am and 11.35pm. From April to October they are half-hourly (6.30am to 11.30pm).

The Discobus
service operates from June to September and runs all night between the various clubs. (discobus.es)

The following companies operate on routes from Ibiza town and various different areas of the island.
Autobuses Lucas Costa
Autobuses Empreseas H.F Vilas
Autobuses San Antonio
Autobuses Voramor El Gaucho

For timetables and route plans visit www.ibizabus.com

Taxi

If there are 3 or 4 of you travelling, taxis are a comfortable and relatively economical way to travel. You can flag a taxi down at any time of night and day if the green light is showing. Taxis are charged on a meter system (similar to the rest of Europe). It`s always good to get an idea of who your driver is before jumping in and heading off. Some drivers are averse to driving to remote places as this means they won`t get a paid trip back again and are much happier to take you to populated areas for this reason. Always tell them where you want to go and ask more or less how much it will cost; they all have meters now but better to get an idea before you go

A taxi from the airport costs €15-€20 to Ibiza town.
Only get proper licensed taxis when you come out of a club.

Bike

Ibiza offer the perfect terrain for cycling and cycle touring. For lovers of cycling, the islands have become one of the leading tourist destinations in Europe. You can find bike rental companies on all four islands, to allow you to enjoy the routes, savor the natural setting or simply use them as a means of transport. Cycling, with the landscape and the sea in the background, becomes a temptation hard to forgo.

Hiring a bike is a great way to explore Ibiza. You can pick up maps of cycling routes from tourist offices. From San Antonio, for example, there is an easy route along paths through fields to the village of San Rafael in the centre of the island.

Ibizasport, based in San Antonio, is a reputable bike-hire company. They also have routes for all levels on their website and can provide guides to accompany you. Bikes from around €15 per day, including helmets and water bottle (ibizasport.com).

Scooter

You can find scooter hire places in every town and in abundance so it pays to shop around a little for best rental prices. You should always wear your helmet that is provided not only for protection but to avoid the hefty fine of 200 Euros for not wearing it. The roads in Ibiza are very slippery in summer months due to the length of time that go without rain so please take extra care when cornering and breaking.