Málaga Airport to the city centre: train, bus, taxi or transfer
Four ways from the arrivals hall to the centre of Málaga — how each one works, where to find it and what it costs.
Last checked on 15 September 2026
There are four ways from Málaga Airport to the centre of Málaga: the Cercanías C1 local train, EMT’s airport express bus (line A), a taxi from the rank at arrivals, or a private transfer booked before you fly. Which one suits you depends mostly on your luggage, the time you land and where exactly in the city you are staying.
Everything below was checked against Aena, the airport operator, the rail operator Renfe, the city bus company EMT Málaga and Málaga City Council, which publishes the official taxi tariffs. Fares and timetables can change, so the official page for each option is linked underneath it.
Cercanías C1 train
Renfe’s local line C1 runs from the airport station to Málaga Centro-Alameda in one direction and along the coast through Torremolinos and Benalmádena to Fuengirola in the other. Towards the city it calls at Guadalhorce, Victoria Kent and Málaga María Zambrano, the main station for high-speed AVE trains. Aena gives approximate journey times of 8 minutes to María Zambrano and 12 minutes to the centre.
- Where to find it
- At the airport’s Cercanías station, Aeropuerto, on line C1.
- Fare
- Fares depend on the number of zones travelled: a one-way ticket costs €1.80 for 1 or 2 zones, €2.05 for 3, €2.70 for 4 and €3.60 for 5. On Renfe’s fare-zone map, Aeropuerto station is in zone 1 and Málaga Centro-Alameda in zone 0.
- How to pay
- Buy a ticket at the station ticket office or a Cercanías self-service machine, or pay at the turnstiles with a contactless bank card or your mobile phone.
- Timetable
- Departure times are published on Renfe’s Cercanías Málaga timetable page (linked below).
- Best for
- Light luggage, and a hotel near Málaga Centro-Alameda or María Zambrano — or along the line in Torremolinos, Benalmádena or Fuengirola.
- Good to know
- If you pay by card or phone, validate at both the departure and the arrival station: otherwise Renfe charges the fare for every zone in the network. A ticket bought at a machine or ticket office must be used within two hours.
EMT airport express bus (line A)
EMT Málaga, the city bus company, runs the Línea Express Aeropuerto — line A — between the arrivals stop and Paseo del Parque in the city centre. On the way into town it calls at Explanada de la Estación by the María Zambrano train station, the bus station, Avenida de Andalucía and the Alameda Principal.
- Where to find it
- At the bus stop on Floor 0 (Arrivals). EMT also sells tickets at its kiosk beside the exit door of the arrivals terminal.
- Fare
- A single airport ticket costs €4.00 for one journey, with no free transfer to other lines. Luggage is carried free, and children under 3 do not need a ticket.
- How to pay
- Pay in cash on board, tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard on the validator as you board, or buy a QR ticket in the EMT Málaga app and validate it on the bus.
- Timetable
- EMT Málaga gives a frequency of 20–25 minutes at peak times. The day’s departures from the airport and from Paseo del Parque are shown on the line page (linked below).
- Best for
- Light luggage, and a hotel near one of the stops in the centre, or onward travel from the bus station.
- Good to know
- Drivers are not obliged to change notes above €5, so have coins or a small note ready if you pay in cash. Ordinary EMT tickets and travel cards are not valid on line A.
Taxi
Taxis wait at the rank at arrivals. Fares within the city of Málaga are regulated: Málaga City Council publishes the official tariffs, which include separate tariffs and a minimum fare for journeys that start at the airport. Aena lists Taxi Union and Unitaxi as the taxi companies at the airport.
- Where to find it
- At the taxi rank at Arrivals.
- Fare
- From the airport, the minimum fare is €18.24 on weekdays between 06:00 and 22:00 (tariff 4), €22.48 on weekday nights and during the day at weekends and on public holidays (tariff 5), and €25.80 late on Friday evenings and on weekend and public-holiday nights (tariff 9). The rate per kilometre is €1.05, €1.25 and €1.43 respectively.
- How to pay
- Neither the airport nor the council’s tariff document lists payment methods. Ask the driver before you set off whether you can pay by card.
- Best for
- Going straight to your address when you have not booked ahead.
- Good to know
- Supplements are added for each piece of luggage in the boot (€0.58) and for night journeys between 00:00 and 06:00 (€2.23, on tariffs 5 and 9). The August Fair, Easter Week, 24 and 31 December and 5 January follow their own tariff hours, set out in the official document. Journeys that leave the municipality of Málaga use Andalusia’s interurban taxi tariffs.
Private transfer with HolidayCab
Book before you fly and a driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a name sign, follows your flight if it is late and takes you straight to your address. The price is fixed per vehicle and paid when you book, so there is nothing to sort out on arrival — the simplest option with children, a lot of luggage or a late landing.
- Meet & greet with a name sign
- Flight tracking — the driver waits if you are delayed
- Fixed price, no hidden fees
- Private vehicle — no shared rides, no detours
from €37.50 per vehicle, taxes included
See vehicles and pricesTravelling on a package holiday?
If a transfer is part of your package holiday, check your travel documents for the meeting point before you queue for a taxi.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is there a train from Málaga Airport to the city centre?
- Yes. Renfe’s Cercanías line C1 runs from the airport station to Málaga Centro-Alameda, calling at María Zambrano on the way, and Aena gives an approximate journey time of 12 minutes to the centre. You can buy a ticket at the station or pay at the turnstiles with a contactless bank card.
- How much does the airport bus to Málaga cost?
- When we checked on 15 September 2026, a single ticket on EMT’s airport express line A cost €4.00. You can pay in cash on board, with a contactless Visa or Mastercard, or with a QR ticket from the EMT Málaga app. Fares are set by EMT Málaga, so check emtmalaga.es before you travel.
- How much is a taxi from Málaga Airport?
- Taxi fares are regulated by Málaga City Council. When we checked on 15 September 2026, the minimum fare from the airport was €18.24 on weekdays between 06:00 and 22:00, and higher at night, at weekends and on public holidays.
- Can I get from Málaga Airport to Torremolinos, Marbella or Nerja by public transport?
- Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola are on the C1 train line from the airport. Aena also lists Avanzabús lines from the airport to Marbella bus station and to Estepona, and an Alsa line to Nerja. With luggage, a private transfer from the airport is usually much simpler.
- What is the easiest option with children or a lot of luggage?
- A pre-booked private transfer or a taxi. With a transfer, the vehicle is chosen in advance for your group and luggage, and the driver waits for you in the arrivals hall.
Photo credits Pop9000 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Tyk (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Andrzej Otrębski (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Té y kriptonita (CC BY-SA 3.0)