MALLORCA ISLAND - GETTING AROUND

On foot

The cities and towns on the island of Mallorca are easy to explore on foot. Palma de Mallorca in particular, as well as the Playa de Palma area down to S`Arenal, are very beautiful and millions of tourists each year walk down Palma`s narrow streets and the Playa de Palma promenade. Keep in mind, however, that the towns and villages outlined on TripMasters` dedicated page sprawl for 25 miles along the southern coast, so getting to all ten of the cities and towns on foot would perhaps be unrealistic; you will need transportation to get you from one city or town to another in most cases.

By taxi

Taxis are perhaps the best mode of transportation between towns and cities on the southern coast of Mallorca, and further afield as well. Taxis can be hailed from the street; they can also be hired by calling ahead or queuing at a taxi stand. The taxis in Palma and environs are white, with a red and yellow stripe down the middle of the car (symbolizing the flag of the Balearic Islands). Taxis in other parts of Mallorca will be white, but sometimes with a diagonal black or blue stripe. The light on top of the taxi will show as green when vacant.

Taxi stands (parada de taxis in Catalan) can be found in nearly all of the towns and villages on the southern coast of Mallorca, and at multiple points in Palma. The taxi stands in Palma are located at the Palma de Mallorca Airport; at Passeig del Born; at Avinguda de Gabriel Alomar near Parc de Sa Feixina; at Avinguda de Joan March across from the Estacio Intermodal; at the corner of Avinguda de Joan Miro and Carrer Castell de Bellver; and at the corner of Carrer de Company and Carrer de son Espanyolet. There are also taxi stands at Son Fuster and Verge de Lluc Palma Metro stations. There are also three taxi stands in Peguera, three in Santa Ponsa, two in Magaluf, and a taxi stand two blocks north of the beach (at Cami de les Meravelles) in Playa de Palma. You can find taxi ranks at Port d`Alcúdia portside, at the Bellevue resorts, and at Platja de Muro. There are also ranks in Can Picafort, Cala Millor, Cala Ratjada, Cales de Mallorca, and Cala d`Or.

Taxis are metered, and by law drivers are required to give you a receipt if you request one. Flagfall between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. island-wide starts at above €3, rising to €4 for late night. Expect to pay over €1 per each 0.6 miles traveled, and approximately €20 per hour of waiting time. There are also surcharges ranging from €3 to €8 for trips to/from the international airport, and to/from the mountainous parts of Mallorca. On the taxameter, the final amount you will pay when you arrive will be noted on under "A PAGAR", which means "to pay". Extra fees are also clearly labeled under the running fare above text that says "SUPLEMENTOS" or "SUPL.".

As of 2022, there are 18 taxi companies licensed to conduct business in Mallorca. Palma has the most, with five, as Palma typically also deals with the southwestern coast. Phone numbers by city and region are below:

-Palma and the southwestern coast: Taxis Palma Radio (+34 971 401 414), Radio Taxi Ciutat (+34 971 201 212), Fono Tele Taxi (+34 971 200 900), Taxis Radio Telefono (+34 971 743 737), Taxies (+34 914 444 444).
-Calvià: Radio Taxi Calvià (+34 971 680 970)
-Cala d'Or: Taxis Cala d'Or (+34 971 657 058)
-Muro: Agrupación Radio Taxis de Muro (+34 971 860 404)
-Alcúdia: Asociación de Taxis Alcúdia (+34 971 549 870)
-Llucmajor: Asociación Radio Taxi Llucmajor (+34 971 440 212)
-Manacor: Asociación Taxis Manacor (+34 971 822 492)
-Sóller: Asociación Taxis Sóller (+34 971 638 484)
-Campos: Asociación Radio Taxi Campos (+34 649 958 489)
-Cala Millor: Asociación Tele Taxi Cala Millor (+34 971 586 969)
-Inca: Radio Taxi Inca (+34 971 881 020)
-Pollença: Radio Taxi Pollença (+34 971 866 213)
-Portocolom: Asociación Radio Taxi Portocolom (+34 971 824 347)

By bicycle

Mallorca is a popular destination for cyclists from Europe who want to practice in warmer weather than what they experience at home. The west and northwest of the island is mountainous, but the southern coast is fairly flat and conducive to biking regardless of skill level. A number of routes are recommended by the Balearic Islands tourism board; you can view them by going to www.illesbalears.travel/en/baleares/sports-and-active-tourism/cycle-tourism. You can rent a bicycle in Palma or at one of the resort towns along the southwestern coast; the going rate is €10 to €15 per day, while mountain bikes are more expensive. Popular bike rental shops in Palma include NANO Bicycles (Carrer de la Mar 10, +34 971 667 360) and Ride a Bike Mallorca (Carrer de Tous i Maroto 5, +34 971 422 866). Bike rentals are also available from many resorts in the northern and eastern towns.

By car

Having a car will allow you the freedom to explore all of Mallorca, even places off the beaten path and away from the coast. If you decide to rent a car for your trip to Mallorca, you will be able to reserve one during the TripMasters booking process. After booking, you will be picking your car up at Palma de Mallorca Airport and not in Palma or any other resort town. The car rental companies (save for Alamo, which is located near general parking) are located in the arrivals hall. Sixt, Enterprise, Hertz, Goldcar, Avis, Europcar, Thrifty, and Alamo, among others, are represented at Palma de Mallorca Airport. Rental prices average between €40 and €80 a day. U.S. driver`s licenses are accepted in practice in Mallorca, and it is recommended that you apply for your International Driving Permit and take it with you to Mallorca in addition to your U.S. license.

From Peguera in the southwest to Cala Ratjada in the northeast, the driving distance is roughly 60 miles and takes about an hour and a half, meaning it is feasible to explore the entire island if you wanted to. The largest freeway, the Ma-1, connects Palma with the towns to the west and southwest, such as Illetes, Palmanova, Santa Ponsa, and Peguera. The Ma-20 is the ring road which separates the inner city of Palma from its northern environs. The Ma-19 connects Palma and Llucmajor to the east. Other key motorways include the Ma-13, which connects Palma and Alcúdia, and the Ma-15, which connects Palma with Artà and Cala Ratjada. The cities of the east coast can be reached easily via Manacor, which is on the Ma-15. Motorways with just one or two numbers are major freeways, motorways with four numbers are smaller and may be two lanes in spots.

By bus

Bus transport in Mallorca is administered by Consorgi Transports Mallorca (CTM). Also under the jurisdiction of the CTM is the Empresa Municipal de Transports de Palma de Mallorca (EMT), which offers bus service specifically for the capital of Palma (de Mallorca). The lines you will need to know for your trip about are as follows:

-EMT Line A1 runs from the international airport to the center of Palma (de Mallorca). The route picks passengers up in two areas, just outside the arrivals hall and outside the rental car area, dropping people off along the Passeig Mallorca just north of the Plaça de sa Feixina and the Porta de Santa Catalina. The first bus departs from Passeig Mallorca at 4:45 a.m. and the first bus departs from the international airport at 6:15 a.m. Buses leave every 15-25 minutes until just after midnight, with buses leaving Passeig Mallorca every 25-30 minutes until roughly the same time.
-EMT Line A2 runs from the international airport east to S`Arenal. Buses depart from S`Arenal (at stops along Carrer Dragonera and Carrer Sant Bartomeu, among others) every 30 minutes beginning around 5:45 a.m., with buses leaving the international airport beginning at 7:15 a.m. with the same frequency.
-EMT Line 1 travels from the Palma ferry port to Passeig Mallorca via the international airport.
-For tourists who are staying to the west and east of Palma, tourist buses run from Illetes to Plaça Columnes (Line 4) and from S`Arenal to Plaça Reina (Line 25). Dozens of buses leave approximately every 25-35 minutes from both locations traveling toward Palma. Buses run until the midnight hour in the eastern direction and until the 1 a.m. hour in the western direction from the center of Palma.
-EMT's Circular Centre Ciutat, or Line CC, loops through and around Palma's Old City, stopping adjacent to Palma Cathedral, the Palace of l'Almudaina, Plaça d'Espanya, and the Palma bus station, among other stops. This bus route's starting station is on Carrer de la Balanguera and buses leave every 30 minutes Monday through Friday from 7:15 a.m. until 8:35 p.m. There is no service on weekends, holidays, or festival days on this line.
-CTM's AEROTIB bus service, which consists of four lines that run to and from the international airport and the major tourist centers on the island. Line A11 connects the airport with Palmanova, Magaluf, Santa Ponça, Peguera, and Camp de Mar, among other stops. Line A32 goes north, stopping in places such as Inca, Sa Pobla, Alcúdia, Platja de Muro, and Can Picafort. Line A42 connects the airport with Vilafranca, Manacor, Cala Millor, and Cala Bona, among others. Line A51 goes southeast to S`Arenal, Llucmajor, and Campos. Buses run approximately every 60-75 minutes from around 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. NOTE: AEROTIB routes only run during the summer season, which according to the company is June 15-October 31.
-After a recent restructuring that occurred in winter 2021 during COVID-related lockdowns, bus lines have been divided into five quadrants. Buses that leave Palma for the southwestern resorts such as Magaluf and Peguera will be numbered in the 100s. Buses that leave Palma to towns like Valldemossa will be numbered in the 200s. Buses that run to Inca, Sa Pobla, Alcúdia and Can Picafort start in the 300s. Buses in the eastern interior, like to Manacor and Cala Millor, are numbered in the 400s. Finally, the southeastern coast from S`Arenal east are numbered in the 500s.

Tickets can be bought via contactless pay upon boarding and disembarking buses as well as at kiosks at train/bus stations. Tickets can also be bought on-board the bus with cash, although that will be the most expensive way to get around. Bus journeys are quite affordable, with as many as four transfers possible per person for under €15. Contactless pay is preferred, with CTM offering a 40% discount for paying in this manner. For more information on CTM (and EMT), visit www.tib.org/en/web/ctm.

By train and Ferrocarril de Soller

CTM's train service consists of three lines, all of which start in Palma (de Mallorca) at the train station at the Plaça d'Espanya. Line T1 terminates at Inca train station, T2 at Sa Pobla train station, and T3 at Manacor train station. These routes exclusively cover the interior of Mallorca, so if you are wanting to visit coastal areas such as Magaluf, Port d`Alcúdia, and Capdepera, you will need to take a taxi, drive yourself, or take a bus. T3 is the singular train line that covers the eastern interior; the other two lines travel north-northeast from Palma (de Mallorca).

There is also an electrified train called the Ferrocarril de Soller, which takes travelers 14 miles north from Palma to the town of Soller. The narrow-gauge railway was first built in 1911 and the train cars, approximations of how the train cars would have looked back in the 1910s, provide a scenic route through the Serra de Tramuntana to the northwestern part of the island. When in Soller, you can ride the 1913-era tram to the Port of Soller. You can buy tickets at the Estacio Intermodal; it is only possible to buy tickets to the Ferrocarril the day of the journey. For more information, visit trendesoller.com/en.

By the Palma Metro

There is a Metro service in Palma (de Mallorca) administered by EMT; the nine-stop Metro service consists of just one line, running from the Plaça d'Espanya to the Universitat de les Illes Balears north of the city. As a tourist, you will most likely not use this service as it connects to few attractions. One-way tickets average between €2 and €5. For more information, visit www.tib.org/en/web/ctm/metro.