Public transport on Mallorca

[geoffk]

I’m thinking of a having short break in Mallorca in September to sample their rail system - the recently-electrified “main line” across the island, the Metro line to the University and the “heritage” Ferrocarril de Sóller, along with the Sóller tram. There are three flights a week to/from Exeter until October. This isn’t a destination I’ve ever considered before, not being a fan of holiday resorts, and I’ll certainly be avoiding the peak season. I was surprised to read how big Palma is, with a similar population to Bristol.

Some of the on-line information is out of date as I wasn’t aware at first that Metro line M2 has been withdrawn and the “main line” trains now make extra stops. Also there two bus operators, one in palma city and the other sercving the rest of the island.

A few questions -

What are the best ticket options? There doesn’t appear to be a day ticket for trains and buses and buying single tickets is likely to be expensive. I’ve seen mention of an Intermodal Card but this appears to be for residents only. I see there is a combined train and tram ticket to Sóller.

Are there any recommendations for photography - i.e. good scenic views and also places to avoid for reasons of security or anti-social behaviour? There are several videos on line and one of the guys was shouted at for filming at the underground Palma station. Without a car it’s going to be difficult to reach remote locations away from stations. I see that both Metro and the Sóller railway serve Son Sardina and this is the only place where the Metro runs above ground so that would be a station to aim for.

Any other useful tips welcome!

 

[D1511]

The train to Sóller is certainly worth doing, and the trip up through the mountains will present lots of photo opportunities, and Sóller itself is quite nice, if a bit posh.
I'd also recommend the train to Inca.....it's a pleasant market town with nice shops and some superb restaurants........the C'an Ripoll is magnificent and very reasonable. And because it is about as far from the sea as it is possible to be in Mallorca, there are much fewer tourists.
For a scenic diversion, there are regular service buses from Inca up to Lluc, which is a very scenic trip up into the Tramuntana mountains. There are some nice circular walks around Lluc that give a taste of the limestone scenery of that area, including one interesting walk to Camel rock, a remarkable karst formation that does look rather like a camel!
Mallorca is a beautiful island and don't be put off by a few nasty resorts around the coast and their visitors.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Series 1 episode 4 of the Mallorca Files comedy drama series is largely set on the Palma-Soller heritage train.
It's cheesy drama but very watchable, and shows a lot of the route, the on-train ambience and the surrounding scenery.
Originally a BBC programme, all the episodes are now on Amazon Prime.
Most of the episodes show various beautiful parts of the island, and there's at least two featuring the Soller train.

 

[jupiter]

I think it’s a lovely island and best appreciated out of season I think. Been many times but always picked up a car so can’t help with the trains.

 

[Harpers Tate]

I really enjoyed riding the "Main Line" out to both Sa Pobla and Manacor. Likewise (but in a different context) the heritage route to Sóller. Yes, most of the services to those termini are slower presently than they were when I did it as then, they did skip many of the immediate suburban stops. But once you get out into the countryside beyond Inca......

At Manacor, if you are up for it, you can rent a bicycle and ride the rest of the way up to Arta along the formation. That's interesting in that there was a plan to reconstruct that and work began to ready the route. Glorious new stations were built and the formation cleared - but the rails were never relaid (yet?).

 

[Segedunum]

The regional 'TIB' branded buses now do tap in tap out with contactless cards and devices. I'm not aware of any day pass but fares aren't particularly high. They're easy to use and the drivers on routes that serve anywhere vaguely touristy will speak some English.

The whole rail network is now electrified and uses some reasonably pleasant Series 81 CAF EMUs. A curiosity is that Sa Pobla services still call at 'Enllaç' (meaning 'transfer' or similar IIRC). This was previously used as the wires ended there and you'd transfer to DMUs for travel to Manacor and Sa Pobla. Manacor services now skip it and it doesn't serve an awful lot, but I believe there was some objection to closing it entirely.

I haven't used the system in years but completed it (every station and all) back in 2015.

 

[ac6000cw]

We've been twice, last time in 2023 (when we stayed in Santa Ponsa, a seaside resort 16km west of Palma with good express bus connections to it. On the earlier visit we were touring around the island by car).

Yes, it's a great island to visit, but if you need any convincing, a few pics from my September 2023 visit (below) might help.

P.S. When we were on it, the Soller Railway and Trams were packed, so I'd think about booking ahead or at least turning up early to stand in the queue at Palma station to buy tickets.

"Sóller Railway - Montage" : Four photos of the 'Ferrocarril de Sóller' 3ft gauge heritage electric railway which carries over a million passengers a year between Palma and Sóller, on a steeply-graded 27 km route through the mountains. It was opened with steam power in 1912 and electrified in 1929 at 1200V DC, using four 33 ton, 360 hp Carde & Escoriaza-Siemens Schuckert-Brill railcars, which are still the motive power and normally haul up to six carriages. The four photos are at Sóller station, showing clockwise from top left the busy main platform, a railcar, a carriage and tramcar, and the workshop.

"Sóller Tramway - Through the Parasols" : Motor car #1 (built 1913) threads through the parasols and tables in Plaça de sa Constitució, Sóller.

"Sóller Tramway - Montage" : Four photos of the 'Tranvía de Sóller' heritage electric tramway which runs over a 4.8km, 3ft gauge route between Sóller and the Port of Sóller. It opened in 1913 and is electrified at 600V DC, using a variety of (immaculate) motor and trailer cars dating from 1890, 1913, 1937 and 2001/2002. On the day of our visit, services were formed of a motor car hauling up to two trailers or four trailers sandwiched between two motor cars - and were packed with tourists! Clockwise from top left are the tram shed, an enclosed trailer, motor car #23 (1937, ex-Lisbon) and an open trailer.

"SFM EMU arriving at Inca" : A modern CAF-built EMU arrives at Inca station on the double-track line from Palma. 5km beyond Inca the line splits into single-track branches to Sa Pobla and Manacor. The Mallorca system was originally 3ft gauge but over 40 years ago the surviving Palma - Inca section was converted to metre gauge. The Sa Pobla and Manacor branches were re-opened in the early 2000s, and the whole system electrified at 1500V DC in 2018.

 

[nwales58]

What are the best ticket options? There doesn’t appear to be a day ticket for trains and buses and buying single tickets is likely to be expensive. I’ve seen mention of an Intermodal Card but this appears to be for residents only.

Here is a link to TIB (the island council’s transport body) official fare information in english:

Home - CTM

Interurban public transport in Mallorca: bus, train and metro. Information on the TIB network: lines, timetables, tickets, customer services.

www.tib.org

… If you are a visitor we recommend using your bank card, which offers the best price and maximum flexibility. …

Tap on+tap off, zonal, with multi-person discount.

 

[ac6000cw]

Tap on+tap off, zonal, with multi-person discount.

...which when we used it two years ago seemed to work well, and is much easier than having to ask for/buy tickets.

It caps the maximum journey cost to 4 'hops' across zonal boundaries and allows 2 transfers between routes/modes per journey - https://www.tib.org/en/bitllets-i-tarifes/sistema-tarifari-zonal

 

[chrisjo]

Full list of trains and other rail vehicles past and present here (scroll down to 'TIB (SFM)'):

Listadotren.es

www.listadotren.es

There is now no practical distinction between the Metro and the 'railway', they are different brands but the trains can and do run on both. You will see trains originally bought for the Metro on the main line to Inca, and the main line platforms have had low-level extensions added on to cater for them. They are in the process of repainting (actually vinyl wrapping) all their trains blue.

Palma-Soller railway here:

Listadotren.es

www.listadotren.es

Soller-Port Soller trams here:

Listadotren.es

www.listadotren.es

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Jun 2025 ==

Tram platform at Binissalem mainline station

 

[185]

Be aware that on some buses, the data feed is loaded up onto google maps wrongly by TIB. The timings are right, but some buses are pick up only for many miles, meaning journey planner offers you a bus you can get on, but the driver might not let you off. When contacted (in mallorquí), TIB didn't reply. Drivers have said it causes a lot of problems, and best ask when you board.

 

[Segedunum]

There is now no practical distinction between the Metro and the 'railway', they are different brands but the trains can and do run on both.

The Series 91 tram-trains in your post weren't destined for the Metro - the idea was that there'd be an extension of the railway from Manacor to Arta which had the trains ordered for it but the decision was then made not to bother extending after all.

They'd usually spend their day parked up in the Estació Intermodal in Palma then would get used on the 'Inca Exprés' trains in the peaks. Perhaps they see wider use now?

 

[chrisjo]

The tap on+tap off works very well until your major UK bank's AI security algorithm decides that making repeated small debit card payments in a foreign country is evidence of Fraudulent Activity and blocks your card and your payment for a ticket, then texts you to tell you what they've done 10 minutes after you've tapped on and boarded the train. This has happened to me twice now, once on Mallorca and once with Renfe.

 

[ac6000cw]

The tap on+tap off works very well until your major UK bank's AI security algorithm decides that making repeated small debit card payments in a foreign country is evidence of Fraudulent Activity and blocks your card and your payment for a ticket, then texts you to tell you what they've done 10 minutes after you've tapped on and boarded the train. This has happened to me twice now, once on Mallorca and once with Renfe.

Using a normal UK bank card for small foreign currency transactions probably isn't very good value anyway - use a card that charges none or minimal currency exchange/foreign usage fees. (I use Revolut and just top it up and manage it via their phone app as needed, but there's others around).

 

[chrisjo]

Using a normal UK bank card for small foreign currency transactions probably isn't very good value anyway - use a card that charges none or minimal currency exchange/foreign usage fees. (I use Revolut and just top it up and manage it via their phone app as needed, but there's others around).

Not sure how it works, but no fees were charged on any of the Tap in/out transactions that did go through during three holidays in Mallorca using a regular Via debit card on buses and trains.

 

[Taunton]

Majorca is a lot more than a holiday resort; Palma is a significant city in its own right, with a spectacular cathedral, and the Metro there just doesn't seem to have made any real transport impact, and has pretty much shut down since Covid. The one remaining line just requires two trains in service at peaks, only one in the off peak, and closes completely from Saturday lunchtime to Monday morning. It appears to have been wholly a means to scoop EU funding.

The main rail service, which I first rode in 1983 when it was being converted from 3 feet to metre gauge, a seemingly trivial change at considerable cost, has since worked through two generations of diesel trains, got electrified, and has ordered a second generation of electrics, which is at 1,500V DC, just too incompatible with the 1,200V DC of the historic Soller line. But never mind because that is a different gauge as well, still being on 3 feet. The main route is Palma to Inca; east of there the two branches run roughly hourly.

The 1983 gauge change was novel as on the double track route they did one track at a time, operating essentially single track, with just a couple of passing points, which didn't even have loops but required one train to reverse into a siding. I presume I was on the last of the 3 foot operation, with bulbous diesel railbuses similar to those that old French light railways used to have, and driver, engine and passenger seating all together within the bodywork..

The Soller line is the fascination, with 100-year old wooden-bodied electric trains, the motor cars being essentially locomotives, hauling up to six bogie trailers, and running round at the termini. There are only a few trains a day and they are extremely popular, being extensively marketed through tourist agencies, principally it seems to those from Germany. Unlike the rail systems covered above these trains are (of course) not air conditioned. The main depot is at Soller station, with a good range of historic stock all around.

The tramway from Soller to the Port is even more old fashioned, two-axle motor cars hauling antique trailers, and a regular service. Soller Port is a very pleasant small port and resort, little used from Britain and principally Germanic, and a nice place to sit in one of the many bars and cafes overlooking the sea and the tramway. It used to be very isolated from the rest of the island with a very switchback and narrow road over the mountains, but a road tunnel, paralleling the railway one, now gives a frequent express bus which notably beats the train, hence the latter becoming essentially a tourist run.

Majorca has a very extensive bus network, focused on the rail station in Palma (both train and bus are underground there), which seems to handle the vast majority of public traffic. The Palma-Inca line is paralleled by a motorway, where buses run very frequently and nonstop between the two. The rail services make play of being electric and thus environmental, but the main power station on the island, at Alcudia, is coal fired, with large ships bringing in the fuel.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

The gauge conversion to Inca came at the expense of shutting the rest of system - happily now partially reversed. It was FEVE policy to convert 'non-standard' lines to metre-gauge (or close them) so that standard stock could be procured and moved around as required. In another twist, the proposed tram link to the airport was to be standard gauge, but this has now been abandoned in favour of a proposed metre-gauge line branching off the main-line and running largely underground through the densely populated suburbs of Palma. I last visited in 1982 (!) - the remains of the line to the port and the tunnel under the cathedral were still visible then - I must pay another visit!

 

[King Lazy]

Just to share our recent experience.

We had a generally good experience of the TIB buses. They’re easy to use and fairly cheap and the website was I thought very good.

The issues we had were when a less than sunny day comes everyone wants to take the bus to Palma and if you’re not close to the start of the route buses are often full and standing when they arrive and you can’t get on.

I think the island could do with some services linking between bus routes without going into Palma. The system basically radiates from Palma which makes sense as it’s a big city, the main centre and far larger than anywhere else. But if you are in somewhere outside Palma and want to go somewhere relatively close the in and out of Palma trip can be a pain. We were in Santa Ponsa to the west and wanted to go to Valdemossa but after waiting for 3 buses to Palma that were already full we went elsewhere on a quieter bus. We found the buses to Port D’Andratx and other local places were superb. But the in and out of Palma journeys seemed difficult and often brought out the worst in people when it came to pushing and queue jumping to get on.

The queues at the stops for the buses were huge on the cloudy days. They could’ve filled an empty bus just from the stop we were at. On the sunny days it was noticeably different as everyone just went to the beach or pool. This wasn’t high season either. I dread to think what it’s like when it’s busy.

We tried the old trick of walking to a stop on the incoming route into town but the driver did set down only and took off.

I’d say hiring a car is probably a good idea for exploring as the bus system is very good compared with a lot of the UK but seemed to struggle to cope in larger settlements.

The Soller railway was a joy. It is beautiful but again gets very busy. I’ve heard that it is best to start in Soller as most people go out from Palma in the morning and return later.

The one issue I had was when we got to Palma. We wanted to watch the motor car/loco run round but they just ushered everyone off the station as a fresh load of people were waiting. I kind of get it as it’s not a spacious place but it seemed a lot like “we’ve had your money so leave now please”.

That said at the Soller end there were ample chances to photograph and watch operations.

The tram to Port de Soller is excellent too.

Unfortunately we didn’t get to experience the rail service. Mainly because of the aforementioned issue with getting into Palma. I was impressed with the bus/train interchange station and the services looked very frequent. Again I’d love a service like that on my local line here in the UK which I’d wager has a greater population catchment.

 

[ac6000cw]

We were in Santa Ponsa to the west and wanted to go to Valdemossa but after waiting for 3 buses to Palma that were already full we went elsewhere on a quieter bus. We found the buses to Port D’Andratx and other local places were superb. But the in and out of Palma journeys seemed difficult and often brought out the worst in people when it came to pushing and queue jumping to get on.

The queues at the stops for the buses were huge on the cloudy days. They could’ve filled an empty bus just from the stop we were at.

We stayed in Santa Ponsa in September 2023 and the situation was exactly the same re. the buses to Palma.

The Soller railway was a joy. It is beautiful but again gets very busy. I’ve heard that it is best to start in Soller as most people go out from Palma in the morning and return later.

The one issue I had was when we got to Palma. We wanted to watch the motor car/loco run round but they just ushered everyone off the station as a fresh load of people were waiting. I kind of get it as it’s not a spacious place but it seemed a lot like “we’ve had your money so leave now please”.

The station at Palma is quite small in relation to the number of passengers milling around when a train has arrived or is boarding, so I think they don't have much choice but to do that when it's busy.

That said at the Soller end there were ample chances to photograph and watch operations.

Agreed (that's partly why the Soller Railway & tram photos I posted up-thread were taken there).

Incidentally, if you want the maximum 'old electric railway' experience, try to get a seat in the Motor Car.

 

[Harpers Tate]

I think the thing to do - if (at least part of your) focus is the various transportation - is to stay in Palma itself, which is what I did. Depending on your ability/willingness to walk, you can pretty much choose your distance from the stations (all co-located) and then travel out by whatever means to your chosen destination. Mine was ~3km (40 minutes) away on foot, which suited me as I like to get some exercise daily.

 

[NorthWestRover]

I'll just add my positive experiences of Mallorca last October. Also based in Santa Ponsa, buses very easy - tap on tap off with Monzo card. Train and tram to Soller/Port Soller wonderful.

 

[geoffk]

Thanks for all your comments and advice. A few things to think about. The main line seems to be heavily fenced, at least judging by the photos on line which are in urban areas, so photography might be challenge. I expect trying to get on the Soller train at Son Sardina, where it briefly runs alongside the Metro, could be difficult if most travellers are making end to end journeys. The current timetable shows the Metro running every 20 minutes all day on Monday to Friday, with a 33 minute round trip. Every half hour on Saturdays with last departure at 14.30! I read about it somewhere else described as a white elephant.

I ought to notify my bank before I go and tell them to expect a large number of small transactions on my card!

 

[Harpers Tate]

I expect trying to get on the Soller train at Son Sardina, where it briefly runs alongside the Metro....

Well, yes, but then you will miss out on the "on-street" running (which is an entertainment in itself) immediately out of Palma terminus.

 

[ac6000cw]

Well, yes, but then you will miss out on the "on-street" running (which is an entertainment in itself) immediately out of Palma terminus.

...which is definitely worth doing, hauled by a near century-old electric motor car!

A somewhat thrown-together collection of clips from my 2023 ride in the Motor Car on the railway (Palma - Bunyola - Sóller plus another train arrival at Sóller) - late 1920s electric traction complete with whistles!

 

[geoffk]

...which is definitely worth doing, hauled by a near century-old electric motor car!

Definitely.

 

[stuu]

I ought to notify my bank before I go and tell them to expect a large number of small transactions on my card!

TIB process all payments for an individual card in one transaction overnight so there won't be lots of smaller transactions.

One useful feature in Palma is a free circular bus around the city centre which runs half hourly or something. Handy for seeing some of the sites and getting an idea of what the city is like