Updated March 2023: With prices for Summer holidays reaching an all-time high, the cheapest way to get around the island is by taking the public TIB bus. Here is a quick guide to how to take the TIB bus in Mallorca.
The TIB buses are red and yellow and run island-wide. Do not confuse the TIB buses with the blue EMT buses that run in the Palma city limits.
If you are travelling from the airport to the centre of Palma using the blue A1 EMT bus, you will have to buy this ticket separately on the bus at the airport and tickets cannot be purchased online.
If you want to find out more about using the Palma EMT buses, check out this article here.
With the cost of car hire proving expensive, you can get around the island using the TIB buses for as little as 1,80€ per trip.
NEW FOR 2023: You can pay 40% less for your bus ticket by pre-purchasing your ticket online!
Taking the local buses in another country can be daunting, but as Europe’s number one holiday destination, Mallorca has made travelling on the TIB busses really easy. Here is my guide.
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TIB bus timetables, Mallorca
First, check where you wish to travel. The timetables of the TIB buses can be found here .
Just click on the area where you will be staying and wish to travel and you will be able to see the bus routes in that area.
But also click on the area that you wish to travel to which will show even more bus routes.
For example, click on the Soller area and you will see that you can get a bus from Alcudia to visit both Soller and Port the Soller. (Summer timetable only).
NEW FOR 2023 – Buy your TIB Bus ticket online
Save money and buy your TIB bus ticket online before you travel, which you can now do here
Buying your TIB bus ticket for travel within Mallorca online will save you 40% of the ticket price that you would normally pay when getting on the bus and paying by cash.
To purchase your ticket, click on the “buy” button, and enter your route (departure point and destination) and the day you wish to make your journey and how many passengers will be travelling with you.
Finally, pay for the ticket.
You will then be given a QR code which you must either print or keep on your phone. You must then use this QR code to scan the reader as you enter and exit the bus.
A QR code will be given for each passenger.
How much is it to travel on the TIB bus in Mallorca in 2023
Paying by cash on the TIB buses will mean paying more. Fares will cost a minimum of 3,00€.
You can see a guide to the zones here so you can calculate how much one trip will cost.
It’s much cheaper to use your bank card, mobile phone or wearable device to pay for your bus fare and you can see this in the table below.
The price goes down to 1,20€ per person for a group of five travelling together.
There is no discount for purchasing multiple TIB tickets online but it is still cheaper than paying by cash.
The cheapest option to travel by TIB bus in Mallorca is to use your bank card when getting on the bus.
The fare system works by the amount of “hops” taken crossing zones from one line to another and paying by card.
You can still pay with cash, but the fare will be more expensive. Make sure you are carrying cash with you just in case your bank card doesn’t work or your phone runs out of battery!
If you prefer to have your bus ticket bought and paid for before travelling, then purchase online.
For more information on TIB bus fares, click here. Enter your route and you can see how much the fare will cost if buying online, by card and in cash.
Travelling with family and friends on the TIB buses in Mallorca
You can use the same bank card for yourself and up to four other members of your family or friends.
Just tap the card on the reader for the corresponding number of people that are travelling on the TIB buses.
And when you leave the bus, make sure you “tap out” for the same number of people you “tapped” when you got on the bus.
So for example, tap twice getting on (for yourself and one other), and tap off twice when leaving.
The same applies if you have pre-paid for your ticket.
Scan the QR code for each person who travels when you enter and leave the bus.
Travelling with children on the TIB bus in Mallorca
Children under the age of 4 who do not sit on a seat can travel on Mallorca’s TIB bus service FREE.
How to take the TIB bus in Mallorca
When you get on board the bus, tap your bank card or phone (or QR code from your online ticket) on the reader which will register where you got on the bus.
Then when leaving, tap your card or phone again on the reader at the exit. This will calculate your fare to charge to your bankcard.
Tap your bank card again and up to four times more depending who is travelling with you. And do the same when leaving.
The good news is that no bank fees will be incurred by using the TIB buses.
However, if you have a bank card with a non-Euro currency, you will be charged an exchange rate. Therefore it may be worth considering getting a Revolut card which is considerably cheaper to use abroad.
The buses used for longer journeys across the island, so for example from Palma to Alcudia, will feature reclining seats and USB points to recharge your mobile phones.
All the buses are fitted with great air conditioning!
How do you know when you’ve arrived at your destination?
You will know when you have got to your destination as the TIB busses have monitors on the bus displaying the next stop.
In my case, I alighted at the Iberostar Ciutat Blanca hotel on Alcudia Beach.
Making a transfer on the TIB buses
The great news is that you can make up to two transfers on different modes of transport so bus, metro or train), so long as no more than one hour has passed after exiting one mode of transport and entering another.
What’s more, however long or elaborate your transfer is, no more than four transfer hops will be charged.
I also made a brief video about getting the TIB buses in Mallorca on Youtube here.
If you pre-buy your tickets online, then you will get a different QR code for each leg of the journey and you will get 2 free transfers across three bus lines (this applies to bus, metro or train) which will be useful if you are travelling from one end of the island to anyone.
If you are still unsure where to stay in Mallorca, check out some guides to areas here.
Using buses in Palma de Mallorca
The red and yellow TIB Buses do run through Palma, but you will also see the blue and white EMT buses. This is another bus company and the way of taking the bus is a little different to taking the TIB buses.
To find out more about taking the Palma EMT buses and some ideas of where to visit, check out this article here.
If you still want to hire a car in Mallorca
Getting the local bus isn’t for everyone. If you still wish to hire a car in Mallorca, please check out the rates here. I am now an official affiliate for Rentalcars.com.
If you book via this link I will get a tiny commission from your booking which will go towards supporting my channel and getting out to destinations.
Just search below and find the best rates on car hire in Mallorca. See how affiliate link helps my channel.
I enjoy your videos of Mallorca very much.my wife Marie and I visited the island for over 20 years and stayed in the same hotel every year usually twice a year.the hotel is in Cala estancia and it changed names a few times and is now alua sol.we are both 86 now and not so easy to travel.many thanks for your videos tour to watch Alex.
Hello Wallace and Marie. Lovely to hear from you! I know exactly where this hotel is and I pass it at the beginning of my live stream to Playa to Palma around a month ago. I’ll see if I can get a better look next time I’m there filming for you. Thank you so much for leaving me a comment! Regards Alex
Hello, thank you so much for your helpful information. Can you comment on traveling with children? I believe they should be free on TIB, but do they need an Intermodal card in order for them to be valid passengers?
Hello, yes, they will need an intermodal card to get the free transport. Babies I believe can go free on their parent’s lap.