César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport to Playa Blanca
Playa Blanca is about 32 km south of Lanzarote Airport. The cheapest way is bus 161 or 162-D (about €3.30). The fastest is a taxi, roughly 35–40 minutes for €47–55 on the meter.
Playa Blanca is the southernmost resort and the island's longest standard transfer. That still only means about 32 km. Three Intercity bus lines connect it to the airport: the stopping 161 (about 55 minutes to the harbour), the faster 162-D (about 25 minutes) and a single late line 61 at 22:30. A metered taxi costs about €47–55 depending on the time of day.
How far is Playa Blanca from César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport?
Playa Blanca is 32 km (20 miles) from César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport by road, about 38 min by car outside rush hour. In a straight line it is 24 km. By public transport, Intercity Bus Lanzarote line 162-D (semi-direct) takes about 25 min and costs €3.3.
Every way to get there
Our verdict: Intercity Bus Lanzarote line 162-D (semi-direct) is the one to take: €3.3 with no change, and about as quick as going by car. Timetable: From airport approx. 10:20, 12:20, 13:20, 14:20, 15:20, 16:20, 17:20, 19:20.
What it costs for your group
The bus / shuttle is charged per person, while a taxi is one price for the whole car — so the more of you there are, the better door-to-door value looks.
| Group | Bus / shuttle (per person) | Taxi (per car) | Best value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo · 1 traveller | €3.3 | €47 | Bus / shuttle |
| Couple · 2 travellers | €6.6 | €47 | Bus / shuttle |
| Family of 4 · 4 travellers | €13 | €47 | Bus / shuttle |
Which option should you choose?
| If your priority is… | Our pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | Intercity Bus Lanzarote line 162-D (semi-direct) | From €3.3, about 25 min, no change needed. |
| Speed | Intercity Bus Lanzarote line 162-D (semi-direct) | 25 min, from €3.3. |
| A group of 4 | Intercity Bus Lanzarote line 162-D (semi-direct) | Four tickets still come to about €13.2 — less than a car. |
| A late-night arrival | Taxi or pre-booked transfer | Intercity Bus Lanzarote line 162-D (semi-direct) stops overnight — timetable: From airport approx. 10:20, 12:20, 13:20, 14:20, 15:20, 16:20, 17:20, 19:20. |
By transport mode
Bus / shuttle
Comes from Arrecife, so airport times are about 20 min after its Arrecife departures; no resort detours. Playa Blanca station ~20 min, harbour ~25 min. Fare ~€3.30 per guides (not published by operator).
Where to catch it: Bus stop outside Terminal 1 (also calls at T2)
Times: From airport approx. 10:20, 12:20, 13:20, 14:20, 15:20, 16:20, 17:20, 19:20
Best for solo & budget travellersBus / shuttle
Via Puerto del Carmen, Puerto Calero and Yaiza; Playa Blanca station ~47 min, Muelle (harbour) ~55 min. Cash, notes max €10.
Where to catch it: Bus stop outside Terminal 1 (stop 263), then T2
Times: Daily from T1: 07:30, 08:30, every 30 min 09:00–16:30, then hourly 17:30–21:30
Best for solo & budget travellersBus / shuttle
Last bus south; routes via Uga and Yaiza.
Where to catch it: Bus stop outside Terminal 1
Times: Daily 22:30 from T1, harbour ~23:24
Best for solo & budget travellersTaxi
Estimate from Aena-published tariff (€3.85 + €1.35/km + €2.10 airport supplement by day; €4.25 + €1.55/km nights, Sundays, holidays).
Where to catch it: Official rank outside Terminal 1 arrivals
Times: 24 hours
Best for small groups in a hurryPrivate transfer
Car for up to 4 from about €80 at Suntransfers (≈£65 saloon on comparison sites). Ask for child seats when booking.
Where to catch it: Arrivals hall, Terminal 1; flight is tracked so a delay doesn't cost you the booking
Times: 24 hours
Best for families, groups & late arrivalsShuttle
Per person; Playa Blanca tends to be the last drop, so allow about an hour.
Where to catch it: Shuttle meeting point in T1 arrivals
Times: Flight-dependent
Best for budget travellersPlaya Blanca & Arrecife in photos
Buying tickets in Arrecife
Intercity Bus Lanzarote tickets are bought on board from the driver. There are no ticket machines at the airport stops. The operator asks you to pay the exact fare or use a note of no more than €10. Bank cards are accepted only when the on-board terminal is working, and a 2026 travel guide reports that contactless cards have not been accepted since December 2025, so carry coins. The operator does not publish a fare table online. Guides quote about €1.40 for short trips (Arrecife, Puerto del Carmen) and about €3.30 to Playa Blanca.
The Bono General rechargeable card costs €2, takes top-ups of €5–50 and gives 10% off each fare. It is not personalised and can pay for several passengers on the same trip. It is sold on board and at the offices in Arrecife bus station, Playa Blanca bus station and the Arrecife Intercambiador. Children under four travel free if they do not occupy a seat. Suitcases go in the luggage hold where the bus has one, and the driver decides what can be carried inside.
Taxi scams & safety in Arrecife
Use only the official taxi rank outside Terminal 1 arrivals. Aena advises passengers to avoid drivers offering rides elsewhere in the terminal and to ask for a receipt if they want to make a complaint. Lanzarote taxis are metered, with no fixed airport fares. The approved tariff Aena publishes (BOC no. 59, 24 March 2023) is:
- Tariff 1 (weekdays 06:00–22:00): €3.85 minimum, €1.35/km
- Tariff 2 (nights 22:00–06:00, Sundays and holidays): €4.25 minimum, €1.55/km
- €2.10 supplement for trips to or from the airport or port; waiting time €18.50/hour
- Christmas nights (24 and 31 Dec, 5 Jan, 22:00–24:00): €6.54 minimum
Check that the meter is running and showing the right tariff for the day and time. Prices quoted online for pre-booked transfers are per vehicle, not per person, and are often higher than the meter for short trips such as Arrecife or Playa Honda.
Getting from ACE to Playa Blanca
The long transfer, by Lanzarote standards
Playa Blanca is at the island's southern tip, facing Fuerteventura across the Bocayna strait. It is as far from the airport as most visitors ever go. "Far" here means about 32 km of fast road, the LZ-2 past Puerto del Carmen and the Yaiza turn-off. A car does it in 35–40 minutes. The bus takes longer because it calls along the coast first. Neither option is hard. They just suit different budgets and arrival times, and there are three bus lines to choose from depending on when you land.
Three bus lines, one destination
Line 161 does most of the work. It leaves Terminal 1 at 07:30 and 08:30, then every half hour from 09:00 to 16:30, then hourly from 17:30 to 21:30. That timetable was the same for the weekday, Saturday and Sunday we checked in late October. It runs through Puerto del Carmen's seafront, Puerto Calero and Yaiza village, reaching Playa Blanca bus station in about 47 minutes and the harbour (Muelle de Playa Blanca) in about 55.
Line 162-D is the semi-direct one, and the timetable is worth checking for it. It starts in Arrecife, calls at the airport about 20 minutes later, then runs straight down the main road with no resort detours. Airport departures are roughly 10:20, 12:20, 13:20, 14:20, 15:20, 16:20, 17:20 and 19:20. Playa Blanca bus station is about 20 minutes later and the harbour about 25. That is quicker than a lot of taxi queues.
Line 61 is the safety net. One bus, 22:30 from Terminal 1, takes the long way via Uga and Yaiza and reaches the harbour at about 23:24. After that there is no public transport south until the morning.
Fares and paying on board
There is no official fare table online. Travel guides consistently put the airport–Playa Blanca single at about €3.30, near the top of the island's fare range. Pay the driver in coins or a note of €10 or less, because drivers will not change bigger notes. The operator says bank cards work only when the terminal on board is working, and a 2026 guide reports contactless has not been accepted since December 2025. Children under four travel free if they sit on a lap. If you will ride the buses again during your stay, the Bono General card costs €2, gives 10% off and can pay for several people at once.
Running the numbers on a taxi
Taxis queue outside Terminal 1 and run on the official meter. On the daytime weekday tariff, 32 km at €1.35 each plus the €3.85 starting charge and the €2.10 airport extra comes to roughly €47–50. At night, on Sundays and on holidays the rate rises to €1.55 per km and the fare is nearer €55. Tourist guides quote €45–50, which is consistent with that. Split four ways it is about €12 each, a reasonable alternative to an hour on the bus with suitcases.
Use the marked rank and nothing else. Aena tells passengers to avoid drivers soliciting fares elsewhere in the terminal, and you are entitled to a receipt.
Pre-booked cars and shuttles
On this route the main benefit of a private transfer is that the driver tracks your flight. If the plane is two hours late, the car is still there and the price has not changed. Suntransfers currently starts at about €80 for a car of up to four, and fixed-price comparison sites show around £65 for a saloon. Either way that is more than the metered taxi. You pay extra for certainty, child seats on request and a vehicle sized for golf bags or a buggy.
Shared shuttles cost from about €9.30 per person and take around an hour, because Playa Blanca is usually the last drop after a run through the other resorts.
Picking your option by arrival time
- Landing late morning or afternoon: look for the next 162-D first. If it is more than half an hour off, a 161 will usually leave sooner.
- Landing in the evening: 161s run until 21:30 and the line 61 at 22:30. Leave yourself time to get through baggage reclaim.
- Landing after about 22:15: taxi or a pre-booked car. Do not count on the 22:30 if your bags are slow.
- Heading straight to the Fuerteventura ferry: the harbour stop is the end of the 161, 61 and 162-D lines, so you get off right at the port.
Things worth knowing in Playa Blanca
The town has two main stops. The bus station (Estación de Playa Blanca) is up by the main road, and the harbour (Muelle) is on the seafront, a few minutes further on. Hotels around Las Coloradas or Montaña Roja are some way from both, so a short local taxi from the bus station may still be needed. Going back to the airport, the late line 162 leaves Playa Blanca station at 22:25 and 23:25 and passes the terminals at about 23:16 and 00:16, which is useful for night flights home.
ACE to Playa Blanca — FAQ
How far is Playa Blanca from Lanzarote Airport?
What is the cheapest way to Playa Blanca from the airport?
What is the fastest way to get to Playa Blanca?
How much is a taxi from Lanzarote Airport to Playa Blanca?
What time is the last bus to Playa Blanca?
My flight lands at midnight — what are my options?
Which bus stop is closest to the Fuerteventura ferry?
Sources
Fares and times on this page were last held against their official sources on 21 October 2026. Operators change prices without notice — if you spot a difference, the operator’s own page is the authority. How we check fares.
- Intercity Bus Lanzarote – line 161 Aeropuerto–Puerto del Carmen–Playa Blanca timetable · checked 2026-10-21
- Intercity Bus Lanzarote – line 162-D Arrecife–Aeropuerto–Playa Blanca · checked 2026-10-21
- Intercity Bus Lanzarote – line 61 Aeropuerto–Puerto del Carmen–Uga–Playa Blanca (22:30 departure) · checked 2026-10-21
- Intercity Bus Lanzarote – line 162 Playa Blanca–Aeropuerto–Arrecife (late runs) · checked 2026-10-21
- Aena – César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport: getting there by bus · checked 2026-10-21
- Aena – César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport: taxi rank and official fares (BOC no. 59, 24 Mar 2023) · checked 2026-10-21
- Intercity Bus Lanzarote – customer service (payment, luggage, children) · checked 2026-10-21
- Intercity Bus Lanzarote – transport cards (Bono General) · checked 2026-10-21
- The Flashpacker – Lanzarote by bus 2026 (fares from €1.40, no contactless since Dec 2025) · checked 2026-10-21
- Suntransfers – Lanzarote Airport to Playa Blanca (private and shared prices) · checked 2026-10-21
- AirportTaxiHub – Lanzarote fixed-price transfers (checked 19 Oct 2026) · checked 2026-10-21
