If you are visiting Palma de Mallorca, this guide to EMT Palma buses will show you how to get around the city easily and cheaply to make the most of your holiday in Mallorca.

In this guide, find out how to recognise the city buses, how much they cost and which key areas to visit on the Palma EMT bus network.

Which bus to take in Mallorca

There are two different bus networks in Mallorca. The Palma EMT buses are blue and white and are easily recognisable.

They travel to all areas of the city, from the airport, through the city and even into Illetas in Calvia which is right on the edge of the Palma city limits.

Alternatively, the TIB Mallorca-wide buses are red and yellow.

These buses follow routes from Palma to just about all areas of the island, departing from Plaza España in the city and also from Palma Airport during the summer months.

If you would like to read more about taking a TIB bus to other areas of the island, please check out this guide here.

Taking the EMT Palma airport bus

If you are travelling to Palma from the airport, you can pick up the A1 EMT bus just in front of the taxi rank.

The buses depart every 16 minutes and the bus fare into Palma is 5€.

While EMT buses are cash only, there is a machine at the Palma Airport bus stop to get your bus ticket with a card. You won’t be able to pay by card on the bus.

It’s a very quick journey and depending on traffic takes around 15 minutes.

If you are travelling back to the airport during the Summer months, please leave enough time for your journey factoring in potential delays. In July and August in Summer 2022, many EMT buses were passing bus stops full.

You can also catch the A2 EMT bus from just beyond the airport taxi rank which will take you into Can Pastilla and El Arenal.

For buses to other areas of the island from the airport during the summer months, please check out the TIB bus timetables.

Alternatively, for peace of mind, you can book a holiday transfer bus from your hotel or resort here.

How much is the Palma EMT bus fare?

Fares for visitors are from 2€ per journey. Please note that buses are cash only and unlike the island-wide TIB buses, you cannot pay your fare by card. You can get an overview of the costs of travelling by EMT bus here.

If you plan to explore the city then I would recommend getting a prepaid card which costs 15€ and allows 10 trips around the city (equating to 1,50€ each).

You can buy these EMT prepaid cards from kiosks in Palma listed here.

If you are a resident, then travel on the Palma EMT and TIB buses is FREE. However, you must first have a Citizen Card or an Intermodal card to use on the EMT buses

To find out how to get these, please check out the information here.

EMT Bus Stops

This may sound obvious but make sure you are standing at the correct bus stop to get your bus.

The TIB buses and the EMT buses have different bus stops so check the timetable board to see if it is EMT or TIB to see which bus you can expect coming in your direction.

You can check the EMT bus stops here on this link, choose your line, and then press enter and you will see the location of the bus stops.

A Word of Warning – Taking public transport in Mallorca

With the public transport system now being offered free to residents, it’s likely the buses will be even busier than usual during the Summer months.

If you are using the A1 or A2 airport buses to get to the airport to take a flight, please make your journey in good time.

During the Summer of 2022, the buses were extremely crowded and many buses were passing by bus stops full.

To avoid missing your flight, you may wish to consider booking a holiday transfer which you can do here from your hotel or resort to give you peace of mind.

Also please watch out for pickpockets on public buses, particularly if they are very busy.

Alternatively, if you would like to read about taking a taxi in Mallorca, check out this article here.

Are facemasks still required on Public Transport in Mallorca

No! The requirement to wear a facemask on public transport was finally lifted in February 2023. Face masks are now only required in pharmacies and medical centres.

Is there an EMT Night Bus (Bus de Nit) in Palma de Mallorca

Yes, there is! It runs Friday nights, weekends and on public holidays through the centre of the city and out towards Porto Pi.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t cover the entire bus network. You can see the route and further down the timetable for the EMT Night Bus (bus de nit) in Palma here.

However, if you are having trouble getting a taxi in peak season in the centre of Palma and you are heading in the direction of Cala Mayor, Calvia or Andratx, get the night bus to Porto Pi, and pick up a taxi returning from a drop off into the city. It may save a wait in a long taxi queue in Palma.

Guide to EMT Palma buses – where to visit?

The Palma EMT buses will take you to the absolute highlights of the city quickly and easily.

To get an overview of the timetable and the network, check out the timetables on this link here.

This is just an idea of suggested days out by EMT buses in Palma.

Cala Mayor – EMT bus #4:

Take the Number 4 bus from Plaza España or anywhere along this route to Cala Mayor, the most accessible beach West of Palma.

Cala Mayor is one of Mallorca’s first holiday resorts. In fact entrepreneur Alan Sugar came on his honeymoon here in the 1960s.

This beach is very popular with residents and it can get very busy in the Summer. But it is the one place visitors can go during the winter and still be able to sunbathe and swim because the beach is incredibly sheltered.

It’s also one of Palma’s top surfing spots when the weather gets stormy.

To see what Cala Mayor beach is like during the winter, check out this video playing on the page.

Genova – EMT bus #46 and #47

Genova is a pretty village filled with traditional Mallorquin restaurants and accessible by the numbers 46 and 47 buses from Palma.

Make sure you stop for lunch here. Then take the walk up the winding road to the monument which looks out over the city for amazing views across the coast and Palma.

There is also a much longer walking route here which follows the hill tops all the way over towards Son Caliu (Palmanova).

It is also home to a beautiful underground caves attraction which is open year-round, so book your ticket here.

Illetas – EMT bus #4

Although technically in the Calvia municipality, Illetas is one of my favourite areas on the island with three beautiful beaches to choose from – Illetas beach, Cala Comtesa, and Cala Xinxell and all are accessible on the No 4 Illetas bus.

Take the bus right to the end of the line, where it stops, and you can easily walk to all these three beaches in 5 minutes.

Also popular with residents, the Illetas beaches can get very busy in the summer months, so my advice is to visit out of season where you really will find paradise so close to Palma.

Playa de Palma – EMT bus #23 and #24

The resorts of Can Pastilla and El Arenal are easily accessible from Palma on either the 23 or the number 25 EMT buses.

Here you will find miles of beautiful golden beaches, fantastic restaurants and great nightlife. Popular with our German visitors, you will also find restaurants serving both Spanish and international dishes.

There is also a great cycle and walkway back to Palma, so my recommendation is to get the bus to Playa de Palma and walk or cycle back!

Also if you are arriving at the airport, then pick up the A2 bus in front of the taxi rank which will take you to these resorts.

These are just a few ideas of where to visit on the EMT buses.

However, if time is short and you want to pack in as many key sights as possible then I would recommend booking a ticket on the Palma City Sightseeing bus here which works on a “hop on – hop off” basis and takes you directly to all the key sights.