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You’ve landed in Lanzarote, the bags are off the belt and now you need to get to the hotel. Lanzarote airport transfers are short because César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport sits right beside Arrecife, but the timing can catch you out: the main daytime bus to Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca, line 161, makes its last run from the airport at 21:30.
Below we compare your transfer options, run through each main resort, explain the buses and taxi fares, and cover children, late flights and the trip home.
Lanzarote Airport Transfers: Your Options Compared
There are five ways off the airport: a private transfer, a shared shuttle, a taxi, the public bus or a hire car. None of the main resorts is far away, so the choice comes down to when you land, who you’re with and how much luggage you’ve got.
| Option | Best for | Good | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private transfer | Families, groups, late arrivals, villas | Driver waits in arrivals, straight to your door, child seats arranged ahead | Costs more than sharing; book in advance |
| Shared shuttle | Couples and solo travellers | Cheaper per person, still pre-booked | Several hotel drop-offs and a longer ride |
| Taxi | Short hops when nothing is booked | Rank outside arrivals, metered at official rates | Queues when flights land together; child seats not guaranteed |
| Public bus | Light packers on a direct route | Cheapest way to Arrecife, Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca | Limited late services and no direct line to Costa Teguise or the north |
| Hire car | Anyone planning to explore the island | Freedom from day one | Desk queues, deposits and parking at some hotels |
If you’re leaning towards a car, our guide on how to save money on car rental covers the deposits and extras that push the price up at the desk.
How Far Is Lanzarote Airport From the Main Resorts?
Not far at all. The airport is on the east coast between Playa Honda and Arrecife, roughly in the middle of the island’s tourist strip. Here’s how each main base works from arrivals.
| Where you’re staying | Drive from the airport | Direct airport bus? | Our pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrecife and Playa Honda | A few minutes | Yes: line 22 (Mon to Fri) or 23 (weekends) | Bus or taxi |
| Puerto del Carmen | Short, along the coast to the south-west | Yes: lines 161, 61 and 162 | Any option works |
| Costa Teguise | Short, beyond Arrecife to the north-east | No: change in Arrecife | Transfer or taxi |
| Playa Blanca | The longest of the main resort runs | Yes: lines 161, 61 and 162 | Pre-booked transfer |
| Famara, Haría, Órzola, rural villas | Further, on smaller roads | No | Private transfer or hire car |
Playa Blanca is also where the ferries to Corralejo on Fuerteventura leave, and Órzola, up in the north, is the port for La Graciosa. A private transfer can take you straight to either.
What to Expect When You Land at Lanzarote Airport
After passport control and baggage reclaim you walk into the arrivals hall, where transfer drivers usually wait with name boards and the car hire desks sit. The taxi rank and the bus stops are on Floor 0, Arrivals, at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
Passport control can take longer than it used to. The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is being rolled out across the Schengen area, and the UK government’s travel advice for Spain says British visitors may need to register fingerprints and a photo, sometimes at a separate booth before the immigration desk, so expect longer waits at the border. Children aged 11 or younger don’t give fingerprints but may be photographed. That’s the best argument for a transfer that tracks your flight and doesn’t charge for reasonable waiting time.
Private or Shared Transfer: What’s the Difference?
A private transfer is booked just for your party. The driver meets you in arrivals, helps with the bags and drives straight to your accommodation, at a time that fits your flight.
A shared transfer works like a shuttle. You travel with other passengers and the vehicle drops everyone at their hotels in turn, so it costs less per person but takes longer, and you may wait for another flight before setting off.
For a couple with hand luggage going to Puerto del Carmen, sharing makes sense. For a family of four with a buggy, two big cases and a midnight landing, we’d pay the extra for a private car every time.
How Much Is a Taxi From Lanzarote Airport?
Taxis are metered at rates set by the Canary Islands government. Aena, which runs the airport, publishes the tariffs approved in the Boletín Oficial de Canarias on 24 March 2023 and advises taking a cab only from the official rank in the terminal.
| Charge | Fare 1 (weekdays, 6am to 10pm) | Fare 2 (nights, Sundays, holidays) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum fare | €3.85 | €4.25 |
| Per kilometre | €1.35 | €1.55 |
| Airport or port pick-up | €2.10 | €2.10 |
| Waiting time (per hour) | €18.50 | €18.50 |
Aena doesn’t publish fixed prices to each resort, so ask the driver for a rough figure before you set off. Two things to know: a big flight arrival can mean a queue at the rank, and a taxi may not carry the right child seat.
Is There a Bus From Lanzarote Airport?
Yes, five lines stop at the airport, all from Floor 0, Arrivals. According to Aena’s timetable:
- Line 22 runs to Arrecife Monday to Friday, from 5:45 to 23:15, about every 40 to 50 minutes.
- Line 23 covers Arrecife and Playa Honda at weekends, from 7:17 to 22:17, about once an hour.
- Line 161 goes to Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca from 7:30 to 21:30, every 30 to 60 minutes.
- Lines 61 and 162 are the late runs south: line 61 at 22:30, and line 162 at 23:16 and 00:16 (a minute later from Terminal 2).
The bus is the cheapest way in if your resort is on the route and you’re travelling light. If you can’t make the last bus, don’t wait around: head for the taxi rank or book a transfer before you fly. Use the checker below to see what’s still running when you land.
Two Scots Abroad · Travel data
Will there still be a bus when you land?
Pick your resort, the day and the time you expect to walk out of arrivals. See the next airport bus Aena lists, which taxi fare applies and the transfer we’d book for your group.
Day you land
Travelling with
Our pick: a pre-booked transfer
Airport buses for this resort
| Line | Leaves the airport | Runs |
|---|
Times are Terminal 1 departures as listed by Aena (Terminal 2 is a minute later). Aena doesn’t give operating days for lines 61, 161 and 162, so check the Arrecife Bus timetable before you fly.
Source: Aena, César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport bus and taxi pages (taxi tariffs approved in the Boletín Oficial de Canarias no. 59, 24 March 2023) · As of November 2026 · twoscotsabroad.com
Travelling to Your Resort With Children
Spain's traffic rules require children up to 135 cm tall to use an approved child restraint suited to their height and weight. In practice, tell your transfer company the ages and heights of your children when you book, and confirm the seats are in the car. A taxi from the rank may not have the right one, which is the main reason families pre-book.
Groups, Golf Clubs and Reduced Mobility
- Groups: extended families, golf trips and hen or stag parties are better off in one minibus than in three taxis. Everyone arrives together and the luggage goes in one vehicle.
- Sports kit: mention golf clubs, bikes, surfboards or diving gear when you book, so the company sends a vehicle with room for it.
- Reduced mobility: ask specifically for an adapted vehicle, and say whether the wheelchair travels folded or with someone seated in it. Not every company has adapted vans available at short notice.
How to Book a Lanzarote Airport Transfer That Works
- Book early for school holidays, Christmas, New Year and Easter, when winter-sun demand peaks. Lanzarote is a regular in our round-up of warm places to visit in December, so those dates go first.
- Give your flight number as well as the landing time, so the company can track delays.
- Give the full street address of your hotel or villa, as resort names cover a lot of ground.
- Declare all luggage, including pushchairs, golf bags, bikes, surfboards and wheelchairs.
- Ask what's included: meet and greet, free waiting time, flight monitoring and what happens if you're very late.
- Check how you pay, card in advance or cash on arrival, and keep the company's phone number handy with roaming switched on.
- Book the return at the same time, so you're not chasing a taxi on your last morning.
Getting Back to Lanzarote Airport
Work back from your airline's advice on how early to arrive, add the drive from your resort and a margin for traffic, then agree the pick-up time when you book. From Playa Blanca or the north, allow a wee bit longer. And if you're still planning the days in between, our guide to things to do in Lanzarote covers the beaches, volcanoes and day trips.
Lanzarote Airport Transfer FAQs
Is There a Bus From Lanzarote Airport to Costa Teguise?
Not directly. Aena lists airport buses to Arrecife, Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca only, so for Costa Teguise you'd take line 22 or 23 into Arrecife and change. With luggage, a taxi or pre-booked transfer is simpler.
What Time Is the Last Bus From Lanzarote Airport?
Towards Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca, Aena lists line 162 at 00:16 from Terminal 1. To Arrecife, line 22 runs until 23:15 on weekdays and line 23 until 22:17 at weekends. Check the operator's timetable before you fly.
Do I Need to Book My Airport Transfer in Advance?
For peak holidays, yes. It's essential if you need child seats, land late at night or are staying somewhere remote, because taxis may not carry child seats and the buses stop running.
Are Child Seats Included in Lanzarote Airport Transfers?
It depends on the company. Always request them when you book, with your children's ages and heights, and confirm they're included in the price.
Should I Tip My Transfer Driver in Lanzarote?
Tipping isn't expected in Spain, but rounding up or leaving a few euros for a driver who's waited through a delay or wrestled your golf bags into the boot is always appreciated.
A Local Option for Lanzarote Airport Transfers
Alongside the big international booking sites, several companies based on the island run transfers. One is First Minute Transfer in Arrecife, which offers private and shared Lanzarote airport transfers to the resorts, plus excursions around the island. Its website says drivers meet passengers in the arrivals hall, private transfers include flight monitoring with the driver waiting until 10pm, and baby seats are free. It quotes around €39 for a private transfer to Arrecife and up to €160 to Playa Blanca, takes online bookings up to 24 hours before travel, and accepts card or cash in euros on arrival. As with any company, check what your quote includes before you pay.
Bus times, taxi fares and entry rules checked November 2026.
