Titsa Bus Service

It can be daunting, travelling on public transport in a place you're not used to.

So many questions mean tourists may avoid visiting different areas of the island for fear of:

Getting on the wrong bus.

Not being able to get back.

Having no idea how to read the bus timetable.

Getting lost.

Not knowing how to pay? Ticket, pass or cash?

I know what you're thinking. 'Too confusing! We'll stay put thanks!'

Which is a shame. The guaguas (pronounced wag-wah) or titsa - yes, as English we giggle at the name too - are cheap and an easy way to get round the island.

There are numerous tickets and cards you can buy which entitle you to discounted bus travel. We, as seasoned travelers, have bought a tenmas card. It costs 2€ and you only need to buy one, no matter how many of you are travelling.

You pre-load the card with euros, via machines found at bus stations and airports. Imagine a reverse cash point. Insert your tenmas card, choose the amount you want to load onto it and then you can pay with either cash or card (we use a revolut card so we pay in euros but other multi currency cards are available)

When you get on the bus you must wait! Don't tap your card on the reader! First you need to inform the driver how many people are in your party (remember me saying you only need one card?) and where you are going. He will then press a few buttons to ensure you are charged the correct amount. Tap the reader (think contactless payment in a supermarket) and then everyone in your party can get on the bus.

When you exit the bus via the door towards the back, there is another card reader. If you are getting off the bus before it's final destination you MUST tap the reader again. If you don't you will be charged the amount for the full journey. However if you are travelling to the terminus it's not necessary.

Just thinking of exploring the island for a day whilst you are here? Ask at the information desk at the bus station, you can buy an unlimited travel day pass (10€ cost in February 2023).

Here for longer? You can buy a travel pass that lasts one month - cost 50€ It will, however, expire after the 30 days whether you have used all the €s or not. But it is a great way to get around the island on titsa

Confused? Not really sure? You can also pay by cash or card. It really is that easy.

Point to note: If you use a tenmas card and you haven't loaded it with enough €s then DON'T PANIC. You will just be asked to pay the difference in cash or card. So easy.

The buses we have travelled on from Puerto de la Cruz are:

103. Express bus to Santa Cruz.

102. Santa Cruz. If you're not in any rush it's a lovely journey through the local villages

343. North and South Airport.

350. La Orotava. Lovely place to visit looking down on Puerto.

325. Los Gigantes. For whale and dolphin watching

101. La Laguna. Original capital of Tenerife.

390. Mesón del Monasterio.

353. Los Realejos

HINT: Reading the timetable.

So if you Google titsa 343 (for the airport bus) on your phone you will only see the times it leaves Puerto. Turn your phone 90 degrees so that you are looking at it landscape. You will then see the time it leaves the south, via south airport and via north airport.

If the bus times don't suite your arrivals or departures, The Hoppa transfer service comes highly recommended by many people in the Facebook group.

Handy tip: some of the more modern buses (mostly longer distance ones) have USB ports for you to charge your mobiles. However the older buses don't so please don't rely on it!