GETTING AROUND ON THE COSTA DEL SOL
It’s quite easy to get around the Costa del Sol as the A-7 (old N-340) ties the coast together from one end to the other. The AP-7 is a toll motorway running slightly further inland. This makes traveling by car especially easy. Only during rush hours and peak months – June to August – and important holidays, does this road suffer tail backs in certain, key areas. Usually around Malaga city, around Fuengirola and around Puerto Banus.
BY TAXI
Jose Mas has been handling our airport transfers for over 10 years and offers our guests a flat rate of €90. He is a lovely chap, speaks fluent English and Spanish and a few other languages too. He is helpful, reliable and safe and I often hear how he goes the extra mile for our guests; helping them with their grocery shopping having stopped on the way to the apartments from the airport!! Anyway, he is fab. Taxi’s from the airport normally charge upwards of €100 and more depending on day and time of day.
It is illegal for a taxi to take more than 4 passengers.
Every town and city on the Costa also has a taxi service. These services are controlled and monitored by the local town hall, which means that service varies from one town to the next. Some towns, for instance, suffer from a shortage of taxis, which means long waits must be endured during peak times and especially during the summer months.
Please do not hesitate to let me know if you require assistance with airport transfers or car hire.
CAR HIRE
The major international car rental companies have offices in most Andalucian cities and at the major airports such as Malaga Airport. However the smaller local car rental companies tend to be less expensive. You may be approached at airports by representatives of local car hire companies, most of whom are reputable. If you’re a visitor, it’s advisable to reserve a rental car before arriving, particularly during peak periods.
Please ask us about local car hire companies, we recommend a few.
BY CAR
Rush hour on the A-7 is mostly concentrated from Málaga capital to just beyond Marbella and some of the traffic can be avoided by taking the AP-7 “Autopista del Sol” motorway between Fuengirola and Marbella and then after Marbella heading to Estepona. It takes place during the early hours of the morning from at least 7:00 a.m. to around 10:00 a.m. and picks up again during the start and finish of the Spanish lunch hour (2:00 to 5:00) – although it is not nearly so heavy then – and when work lets out, around 8:00 in the evening.
During the summer months the main motorways are especially clogged in the evenings on the weekends, when locals working in city and other areas along the coast flood to the beaches and then all try to return home from around 7:30 p.m. onwards. This is especially a problem on Sunday evenings. August is the all around most difficult time on local roads as the coast is full of both tourists and nationals from across the country who have come to the beach for holiday.
BY TRAIN
The coast is only connected by train from Málaga city to Fuengirola. If you want to visit Málaga city, Torremolinos, Benalmádena or Fuengirla without the hassle of looking for parking in these crowded places, park your car or rental vehicle at Plaza Mayor and take the train. It’s inexpensive, convenient and, at some points, scenic. The train does stop at the airport.
BY BUS
The bus offers a way around the Costa del Sol. Every town and city has a municipal network of busses providing transportation to the public. In larger towns you can visit the bus station for information about inter-municipal services – and busses to other parts of Spain.
