Plane
Since each island has its own airport, the plane has become a very comfortable and fast way to move around the archipelago. Currently, air connections between the islands are served by two airlines: Binter Canarias (tel902391392, www.bintercanarias.com; flights to all islands and to Morocco and Portugal) and Islas Airways (tel902477478, www.islasairways.com; flights to Tenerife, Great Canarię, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote). Most connections are from Tenerife (Tenerife North) and Gran Canaria, from where you can get to each of the islands of the archipelago without changing. Flights last from 30 min (e.g.. Tenerife-La Gomera) do 1 at. 30 min (Lanzarote-Teneryfa-La Palma). Tickets cost 60-100 €, depending on route and flight time.
Prom
Naviera Armas ferries operate between the islands (tel902456500, www.navieraarmas.com) and Fred Olsen catamarans (tel902100107, www.fredolsen.es). So one, as well as the other company has its supporters and opponents. Fred Olsen ferries are a bit more expensive and – at least according to the ad - faster than Navier Armas, however, they have one major defect – are completely closed and it is not possible to get on board during the crossing. At first glance, it does not seem important, however, in many cases (e.g.. cruise from Tenerife to La Gomera) the views during the crossing are really beautiful and it would be a shame to see them only from behind the splashed glass. Moreover, it is very important for people suffering from seasickness to get some fresh air. The difference in sizes also speaks in favor of Navier Armas – powerful ferries are much more resistant to waves than smaller catamarans.
Bus
Outside the capital of Tenerife, Santa Cruz, which has one tram line, the only public means of transport on the islands are buses, called tuguagua – another visible Latin American influence. However, if someone, instead of o estación deguaguas (Bus Station) zapyta or bus station, will surely be understood. Each island has a separate public transport system, which allows you to reach virtually all important places, although buses run rarely to the less popular ones.
In Tenerife and Gran Canaria, the system is even model, although as far as connections between big cities are frequent, to reach smaller centers and villages you have to be patient. In larger towns, coaches usually depart from bus stations, in the smaller ones near the main square or stops. In Spain, buses are entered through the front door, and it comes out from the back. Tickets are purchased from the driver. Excluding bus stations, most of the stops on the route are so-called. stops on request: it is best to inform the driver when getting in, that he is a tourist and ask, to stop in a specific place. More information on bus transport on each of the islands can be found in the guide section.
Special season tickets apply on most of the islands, bono-bus, worth 12 i 24 €. You can buy them at bus stations and at selected kiosks. After boarding the bus, the pass is inserted into a special validator, and the driver deducts the amount for the journey to the destination, which the traveler will indicate. This way you can save from 20 do 50% for the ride (generally, the longer the route to cover, the greater the discount). More people can use one pass.
Car
Access to the Canary Islands by your own car is, for obvious reasons, rather impossible. You can, of course, decide to take a ferry, but it is completely unprofitable, especially if you compare the ferry prices (very expensive) and car rental on site. Persons, which, however, for some reason opt for such a solution, should remember to bring a registration certificate and a Green Card.
Renting a car on the islands is much cheaper than on the mainland, the price is 25-50 € per day. Good to remember, that the longer the rental period, the cheaper – for renting a car for three days you pay approx. 60-90 €, and for a week approx. 130-180 €. Of course, the higher the vehicle class, the higher the price, although sometimes it is possible to rent a better car for a lower price. By booking a vehicle online before arrival, you can count on approx. 20% discounts. With low gasoline prices, that means, that renting a car for several people is much more profitable than using buses, not to mention the comfort or the ability to reach the farthest corners of the islands. Tourists using the services of a travel agency will be gladly assisted by residents in renting a car – unfortunately, the prices they propose are much higher than those in the rental companies, so it's worth looking for on your own.
There are many international and local rental companies on the islands. When deciding to rent a car, you must check, what are the rental conditions.
If the price is suspiciously low, it is worth asking, what is the daily mileage limit (limited mileage) and make sure, whether the price includes accident insurance (CDW – collision damage coverage) and theft (TP – theft damage coverage), because many rental companies lower the cost of renting a car, abandoning these fees. The landlord must have finished 21 years and have had a driving license for at least one year.
Rental vehicles are not allowed between the islands without permission, which is usually hard to come by. The exceptions are Lanzarote and Fuerteventura – part of the rental company offers to rent a vehicle on the first island and return it to the second. Below are the addresses of selected rental companies.
cicar (tel900202303, www.cicar.com). Canary Islands Car has offices on all islands.
Faycan (tel902107707; www.faycan). The official Hertz representative has offices on all islands except El Hierro.
Notice (tel902202303; www.avis.es). Has offices
on all islands except El Hierro and La Gomera.
An additional advantage of traveling by car in the Canary Islands is the low price of gasoline (gasoline) thanks to its tax exemption. At the time of collecting information for the guidebook, gasoline in the Iberian Peninsula was on average 0,89 € (Super 95) i 1 € (Super 98) per liter, and in the Canary Islands respectively 0,67 i 0,73 €.
Thanks to EU subsidies, many new roads have been built in the Canaries in the last dozen or so years, and the rest were modernized.
In addition (pool Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) the islands are free from traffic jams and parking problems.
Winding and steep roads can be difficult, which are not missing (The Palm, La Gomera and El Hierro are actually only winding roads). Traveling with one of them, it is a good practice for the locals to gently honk before each sharp turn. There are many gravel and unpaved roads on the islands, usually leading to places undiscovered by mass tourism.
To drive a car in the Canary Islands, you must have finished 18 years and driving license. The allowed speed is 40 km / h. in a built-up area, 100 km / h. in undeveloped terrain and 120 km / h. on the highways, of which there aren't many on the islands.
The permissible blood alcohol content is 0.5 ‰. All passengers must wear seat belts.
Deciding to hitchhike, like everywhere you have to use a little common sense. In most cases, catching a bargain is not a problem, although you have to admit, that locals stop more often than tourists. The safest and easiest way to catch a bargain is El Hierro and La Gomera, where even among the inhabitants hitchhiking is a very popular way of getting around.
Security and Police
The Canary Islands are among the safest places in the world: the townspeople are joking, that's probably why, that criminals cannot get very far. This is especially evident on El Hierro, La Gomera and in smaller towns of the other islands, where hardly anyone locks the door of a house or a car. Only in the south, in the major tourist resorts of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, you are vulnerable to pickpocketing. Basic safety precautions must be observed on the islands, that is, do not leave valuables in the car (rental vehicles always attract petty robbers) nor leave them unattended on the beach or by the pool.
In the Canary Islands, as in all of Spain, they keep order: Civil Guard (green uniformed officers of the Civil Guard, patrolling mainly roads and countryside), Municipal police (City Police), and Policia Nacional (officers, which can only be found in large cities; they also guard state facilities).
In case of trouble, you can count on their kind help (general emergency number 112; National Guard 091, City Police 092).