How to Get From Malaga Airport to Malaga City Center [2024]

How to Get From Malaga Airport to Malaga City Center [2024]

Are you wondering what’s the fastest and easiest way to get from Malaga airport to Malaga city center? In that case, you came to the right place!

This article has all the details you need to make your journey easy and comfortable, including insights that you only get from a local!

Are you ready to plan your journey?

Distance from Malaga Airport to Malaga City Center

The distance between Malaga airport and Malaga city center is between 12 to 15 km, depending on where in the city you need to get to.

The historic centre of Malaga is marked on the map below.

Malaga Airport to Malaga City Center: Transport Options

There are a number of transport options available to you, here is a quick glance at all of them, with a more detailed guide available for each option below.

Transportation Mode Details
By Bus Direct express bus from airport to center, 10 minutes, €4, 7am-midnight
By Train Short ride under 10 minutes, few euros, every 20 minutes until midnight
By Car 20-minute drive (depending on traffic)
By Taxi Short 20 minutes ride, up to €20
By Uber Usually cheaper than taxi, prices vary with time & demand
Alcazaba in Malaga
Alcazaba in Malaga

1. Malaga Airport to City Center by Bus

There is an intercity bus line with EMT, which leaves the airport every 30 – 45 minutes and arrives at Paseo del Parque in Malaga central.

You can check the timetable here. The first bus from the airport terminal level leaves at 7am and the last one at midnight.

The cost of the one-way trip on the bus is 4 euros and you can buy the tickets from the bus driver.

You can take the bus from the main bus station in the airport, by following the signs for the bus stop as you head out through the arrivals. The journey takes around 10 minutes.

The stop ID is number 7502 and the name of the stop is Aeropuerto (Servicios Administrativos).

2. Malaga Airport to City Center by Train

The train network from Malaga airport is on the commuter C-1 line, which runs between Fuengirola main train station and Malaga Centro.

It’s a convenient and comfortable commuter train that is never so full that you wouldn’t get in, and it runs very frequently. Bonus point – the ticket costs just a few euros, so it’s perfect for budget travellers.

Below are all the details you need to get from Malaga airport to Malaga city centre by train.

Where to take the train from?

When you get out of the main airport building at arrival, head straight down the road following the signs for the train station, which is all the way at the back of the airport.

There are two sets of escalators that will take you down to the platforms, with ticket booths available by the entrance. Make sure you get the train in direction of Malaga Centro, not Fuengirola.

There are ticket machines by the entrance, select a day ticket and find either Malaga Centro or Malaga Maria Zambrano in the list. If you’re staying somewhere in the old town, you can get off at Malaga Centro as it’s a fairly easy walk from there to most destinations.

If your hotel is not close to the stations, you’re better to get off at Malaga Maria Zambrano, as it’s much easier to get a taxi to your hotel or accommodation. Unlike the Malaga Centro station, Malaga Maria Zambrano has a really big taxi rank outside for convenient access to a taxi.

The tickets for the train cost just a few euros per person. You can pay by card or cash.

The machine will give you a printed ticket with a QR code that you scan at the gates.

Train Facilities and Journey

The trains are very spacious with lots of room for luggage and rarely that crowded that you wouldn’t be able to get on. The train has also space for bikes and toilets.

There is usually a security guard on the train (not checking the tickets, just ensuring order) and masks are still compulsory on all forms of public transport in Spain (accurate as of late Sept 2022).

The trains towards Malaga from the airport tend to be a lot less crowded than those going towards Fuengirola direction.

The trains run every 20 minutes or so, and the journey takes under 10 minutes.

There are lifts for those who use wheelchairs or families with prams, with designated gates that you can pass through. Personel is available at the gates if you get stuck or have any issues with your ticket.

The train stops at the following stations:

Guadalhorce

Victoria Kent

Malaga Maria Zambrano

Malaga Centro

Train Timetables

The first trains leave around 5.30am and the last ones before midnight, at 23.40pm.

Please be careful where you check the timetables for these train connections as they are almost always not accurate. The best way is to check the Renfe website and their timetable here.

Weather for Malaga in October:
Corners of old town in Malaga

3. Malaga Airport to Malaga City Center by Car

The journey from Malaga airport to the city centre is a relatively easy 25-minute trip via the MA-21 highway. The journey duration depends on the time of the travel as you may hit traffic in the city.

The journey details are marked on the map with directions below.

4. Malaga Airport to Malaga City Center by Taxi

If you’re planning to get a taxi from the airport, that’s very easy to arrange as there is a big taxi rank right next to the arrivals.

As you get out of the airport arrival hall, turn to the right and walk all the way to the end of the path. You will see taxis parked right at the end of it.

The journey from the airport to Malaga will take around 20 minutes, depending on traffic, and where in the city you need to get to. The price depends on the time of the day and the final destination for your journey.

You can get the best estimate for the on-demand taxi prices following their pricing model below.

Normal Tarif (6am to 10pm weekdays) – Taxi meter starts at €1.55 plus €5,50 airport supplement; per kilometre travelled is €0,88; minimum service from the airport, €15,21.

Evening & weekend Tarif (after 10pm up to 6am weekdays, and weekends + public holidays) – Taxi meter starts at €1.89 plus €5,50 airport supplement; per kilometre travelled is €1,07; minimum service from the airport, €19,01.

If you’re arriving in the middle of the night and you don’t want to take the risk of having to wait for a taxi, you can also pre-book a taxi with a driver. In my experience, this is more expensive than taking a taxi from the stand (by at least 10 euros), but the prices will vary depending on where you’re going.

Having a pre-booked taxi also makes sense if you’re arriving with a bigger group or have a lot of luggage, as the taxis available at the stand are normally the standard size, not the bigger vans.

5. Malaga Airport to City Center by Uber

Uber is a popular service on Costa del Sol and covers almost all of the major cities. If you’re planning to get one from the airport, it’s certainly an option, although not as convenient as getting a taxi from the rank at the arrivals hall.

Uber cars don’t have the same privileges as normal taxis when accessing the airport, so you will have to probably navigate through the parking lot and locate the driver there.

If you arrive late at night or are not sure if there will be enough taxis available, you can also pre-book your uber driver in advance on the app. The costs will of course vary, mainly depending on the availability of the drivers and time of travel, but you can expect to pay similar to a normal taxi, or slightly less.

Castillo de Gibralfaro, Malaga
Views of Malaga from Gibralfaro Castle

Malaga: Most Popular Activities & Tickets

Questions about Malaga Airport to City Center Routes

How far is it from Malaga airport to Malaga city centre?

The distance between Malaga airport and the historic city centre is between 12 to 15 kilometres.

How much is a taxi from Malaga airport to Malaga city centre?

That’s hard to estimate, but you can expect to pay from 10 to 15 euros onwards, depending on where in Malaga you need to get to.

Can you take a train from the airport to Malaga city centre?

Yes, you can take the local C-1 suburban line from the direction of Fuengirola, which stops at Malaga Maria Zambrano and Malaga Centro. The trains run every 20 minutes from 6am until before midnight. The train stop is just at the end of the airport parking lot.

How do I get from Malaga airport to Malaga?

There are a number of convenient travel options from the airport to Malaga center. You can take a commuter train which is under 10 minutes ride and costs around 2 euros. The other option is a local bus or a taxi.

Where is the bus stop at Malaga airport?

The bus stop is just outside of the airport terminal, next to the administrative buildings. Once you get out of the arrivals hall, follow the signs with the bus that will take you there.

Malaga old town
Malaga old town

I hope you found this guide useful – if there was anything I did not cover in this guide, feel free to leave a comment below and I will be happy to include it.

In the meantime, below are some great ideas and options for exploring Malaga.

What to Do in Malaga?

Car Museum in Malaga: Fashion & Vintage Cars Under One Roof

How to Spend One Day in Malaga: the Highlights Tour

The Alcazaba of Malaga: All You Need to Know for Your Visit

Malaga Cathedral: The Unfinished Masterpiece

Immerse Yourself in Modern Art at the Centre Pompidou, Malaga

Best Day Trips from Malaga by Train

What to Do in Malaga? Best Travel Tips from a Local Expat

Best Day Trips from Malaga by Bus: Travel Tips from a Local Expat

13+ Stunning Photography Locations in Malaga, Spain

Southern Spain Travel Tips

Find Best Hotels

Find Hotels

I have been using booking.com for all my trips in Spain and abroad, and it’s the best place to book your hotel.

Find Car Rental

Find Car Rental

To rent a car, I highly recommend Discover Cars, an award-winning price comparison site for car rentals.

Book Your Tour

Local travel companies offer many day trip options from almost all the destinations in Southern Spain. You can check them out here.

Book Local Transport

To get the cheapest bus or train tickets, take a look at Omio to find the timetables and prices.

Find Cheap Flights

Get the best flight deals when you book early via Skyscanner.com

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links - if you decide to book using one of the links, I will earn a small commission that helps me run this site. This is at no extra cost to you.

Hi, I'm Lucia

At Viva La Vita, I will help you to discover Southern Spain like a local!

I've been living on Costa del Sol since 2020, and fill these pages with first-hand insights, personal experience and practical tips that will help you plan a wonderful trip to Spain.

Make yourself at home and find the best places to explore in Andalusia and beyond.

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