TRANSPORT IN GRANADA

It’s a small, beautiful, very walkable city, so you’ll handle most of your day-to-day on foot or by bike. But for rainy days, when you’re in a rush, or when your campus is a bit further out, here’s everything you need to know about transport in Granada as an Erasmus student.

First things first: in Granada, walking is your best option

Seriously, this isn’t a cliché: Granada is a small city, and its historic centre is perfect for exploring on foot, uncovering corners you won’t find in any tourist guide. Many students even choose their flat with walking to class in mind, and it’s not a bad idea, since you save money on transport and get to know the city in a completely different way.

Cycling is the second best option, though with one catch: Granada doesn’t yet have a public bike-share system like Barcelona’s Bicing or Madrid’s BiciMAD, so if you want to cycle, you’ll need your own bike.

Public transport options in Granada

Urban buses: the network that covers the whole city

Granada has 28 urban bus lines operated by Transportes Rober (easily recognisable by their red colour), covering practically the entire city, including steeper areas like Albaicín or Sacromonte. Lines C30 and C32, for example, take you up to the Alhambra.

Frequency: between 5 and 20 minutes depending on the line and time of day.

Price:

• Single ticket: €1.60
• With Credibus (regular): around €0.88 per trip
• With Credibus Universitario: €0.31 per trip

Night buses (búho): lines 111 and 121 run in the early hours, typically from midnight to 5:00 a.m., on weekends and public holidays. Perfect for getting home after a night out without relying on a taxi.

Granada Metro: simple, modern, and with views

Granada’s metro (really more of a tram) is, quite literally, the simplest in the world: a single line crossing the city from north to south in under an hour, with 26 stops, only two of which are underground. So besides getting around fast, you get to take in views of the city along the way.

It connects the centre with areas like Albolote, Maracena, Armilla, or the Health Technology Park (PTS), along a 16 km route. Key stops for getting around the centre: Recogidas and Universidad.

Operating hours:

• Monday to Thursday, Sundays and public holidays: 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
• Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of public holidays: until 2:00 a.m.

Price:

• Single ticket: €1.35
• Multi-trip pass: from €5 (with per-trip discount)
• Monthly pass (30 days, unlimited use): around €16-24 depending on current rates
• Tourist pass (1 day, unlimited): €4.50

⚠️ Important: the metro does NOT reach the historic centre or cover most of Granada’s tourist attractions (Alhambra, Albaicín…), so you’ll rely on the bus or walking to get there.

Interurban buses (Consorcio): for getting out of the city

If you want to get around the metropolitan area or take a trip to nearby towns (Santa Fe, Monachil, La Zubia, or even the Lecrín Valley), the Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano de Granada is your option. Prices vary by distance, between €1.50 and €3.05 for a single ticket, though with the Consorcio card the price drops significantly (a trip to Monachil, for example, can cost you under €0.50).

The Consorcio card, by the way, is the most versatile of the bunch: it works on urban buses, interurban buses, and the metro, so if you plan on getting around outside the city centre fairly often, it might suit you better than the Credibus.

Taxi: fast, and cheaper than you’d think

Granada’s taxis are white with a diagonal green stripe, bearing the city’s crest. You can hail them directly on the street when their green «libre» (free) light is on, or book one by phone (+34 958 28 00 00), through their website, or via the Pidetaxi app.

The great thing about Granada is that, being so small, a trip from one end of the city to the other usually costs only €15-20, so for short trips within the centre the price is quite reasonable, especially if you split it between a few people.

Uber also operates in Granada, so it’s another option worth considering if you’d rather book from your phone.

Getting to and from Granada

Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén Airport

It’s 17 km from the centre, in the municipality of Chauchina. To get there:

• By bus: line 245 connects the airport with the centre (with stops at Avenida de Andalucía, the bus station, Gran Vía de Colón and Paseo del Violón), with a journey time of around 40 minutes.
• By taxi: a trip to the centre costs approximately €25-35 depending on the day (slightly pricier on weekends).

Bus Station

Located on Avenida Juan Pablo II, to the north of the city, about 3 km from the centre (around 20 minutes by bus or taxi). It has 28 platforms and good connections via urban lines 5, 21 and 33, plus a metro stop right at the entrance.

Train Station

It’s in a fairly central location (Avenida de los Andaluces), just 1.5 km from the centre, so it’s easily walkable. It also has a metro stop at the entrance and several nearby bus lines (4, N1, 21 and 33).

This is where high-speed trains (AVE) depart from, with connections to Madrid (around 3h35), Barcelona, Córdoba, Málaga, Seville or Almería. If you’re a student, you can apply for the Tarjeta Plus 10, which gives you a 50% discount on 10 return or one-way trips. It’s non-transferable and can be purchased at station ticket offices or travel agencies.

Tips for getting around Granada like a local

• Sort out your Credibus Universitario as soon as you arrive: it’s the difference between paying €0.31 or €1.60 per trip, so there’s no reason to wait.
• Prioritise walking or cycling whenever you can: Granada is built for it, and you’ll get to know the city in a much more authentic way.
• Remember the metro doesn’t reach everywhere: for the Alhambra, Albaicín and much of the historic centre, you’ll rely on the bus or walking.
• Transfers are free within a time window: both with the Credibus and the Consorcio card, you get 60-90 minutes to transfer without paying again.
• For weekend trips, check out the Metropolitan Transport Consorcio: Sierra Nevada, the Lecrín Valley or nearby towns are a very affordable bus ride away.