Palma is compact and largely walkable, so most visitors get around the historic centre entirely on foot. For the beaches, hilltop sights and the airport you'll want the cheap and comprehensive EMT bus network, while the historic Sóller railway offers a scenic route into the mountains. Here's everything you need to know about airport transfers, city buses, trains, taxis, bikes and hiring a car to explore the wider island — with fares, hours and practical tips.
Getting around Palma — options in detail
1.Airport to city (bus A1 & taxi)
Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) sits just eight kilometres east of the city, so transfers are quick and cheap. The easiest budget option is the EMT airport bus, line A1 (the 'Aerobús'), which runs roughly every fifteen minutes from around 05:00 to 01:00, linking the terminal with Plaça d'Espanya, the centre and the port/Paseo Marítimo in about twenty minutes for a flat €5. Taxis wait outside arrivals and cost roughly €20–25 to the centre depending on traffic and time, a sensible choice for groups or those with luggage or an early flight. Pre-booked private transfers and shuttle services are also widely available and useful for reaching the resorts. If you're planning to explore the island, picking up a hire car at the airport is popular, though you won't need one for the city itself. Ride-hailing availability is limited compared with mainland Spain. For most city-bound visitors the A1 bus offers the best value, while taxis win on convenience — both are straightforward and there's no train link to worry about.
Hours
Bus A1 ~05:00–01:00, every ~15 min
Price
Bus A1 €5; taxi ~€20–25; transfer ~€15+
Getting there
PMI is ~8 km east of the centre; A1 bus to Plaça d'Espanya & the port
Insider tip: The A1 airport bus is by far the cheapest transfer; taxis have a fixed-ish meter fare of around €20–25.
2.EMT city buses
Palma's public transport is run by EMT (Empresa Municipal de Transports), a comprehensive and inexpensive network of city buses that is the main way to get around beyond the walkable old town. Buses radiate from the central Intermodal station beneath Plaça d'Espanya, which also houses the trains and metro, and reach all the key points visitors need: the beaches at Cala Major, Illetes and Playa de Palma, Bellver Castle, the Fundació Miró and the outer neighbourhoods. Single tickets bought on board cost around €2, but fares are noticeably cheaper if you load a rechargeable travel card, and there are day and multi-trip options worth considering if you'll ride often. Daytime services run roughly from 06:00 to 22:00, with a handful of night buses on busy routes in season. The buses are modern, air-conditioned and generally reliable, and route information is easy to find via the EMT app and at stops. For most visitors, though, central Palma is compact enough to explore entirely on foot, with buses reserved for reaching the beaches, hilltop sights and the airport.
Hours
~06:00–22:00 daytime lines; some night buses
Price
~€2 single on board; cheaper with a card
Getting there
Hub at Plaça d'Espanya (Intermodal station); routes citywide
Insider tip: Buy a rechargeable Intermodal/Palma card or the 'targeta ciutadana' equivalent to pay less per ride.
3.Sóller train & tram
Separate from the modern commuter network, the Ferrocarril de Sóller is a historic narrow-gauge railway and one of Palma's best-loved experiences in its own right. Opened in 1912 and still using original polished-wood carriages, it runs from a charming old station on Plaça d'Espanya up and over the Serra de Tramuntana to the mountain town of Sóller, a roughly one-hour journey through orange groves, tunnels and a spectacular viaduct. At Sóller, a vintage open-sided tram continues down the citrus valley to the seaside at Port de Sóller. It's more scenic attraction than practical transport, and priced accordingly — around €25 one way or €32 return, with the tram an extra few euros — but the ride is genuinely memorable and a wonderful, car-free way to reach the mountains and coast. Trains run several times a day, more frequently in summer; book ahead in peak season and take a morning departure to allow time to explore Sóller and its port. It leaves right beside the main Intermodal transport hub, so it's easy to reach from anywhere in the city.
Hours
Several departures daily from Plaça d'Espanya
Price
~€25 one way, ~€32 return; tram +€8
Getting there
Ferrocarril de Sóller station on Plaça d'Espanya, beside the Intermodal hub
Insider tip: This is a scenic heritage line, not commuter transport — treat the fare as the price of a memorable excursion.
4.Metro & regional trains
Palma has a modest but useful rail system centred, like everything else, on the Intermodal station beneath Plaça d'Espanya. Two metro lines serve the city and its outskirts — M1 runs out to the university (UIB), handy mainly for students, while M2 heads towards Marratxí — and the SFM regional trains (Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca) fan out across the island's interior to towns such as Inca, Sa Pobla and Manacor. Fares are cheap, starting from around €1.50 depending on zones, and the trains are modern and comfortable. For most visitors, however, the rail network is of limited practical use: it's oriented towards inland commuter towns rather than the coastal resorts and beaches that draw tourists, most of which are reached by bus or car instead. Where it does come into its own is for day trips to the market towns of the interior — Inca's famous Thursday market and leather shops, for instance, or Manacor for the pearl factory and onward buses to the east-coast caves. Everything connects at the central Intermodal hub, so combining metro, train, city bus and the Sóller line is seamless from one location.
Hours
~06:00–22:15 roughly
Price
From ~€1.50 depending on zones
Getting there
All lines depart the Intermodal station under Plaça d'Espanya
Insider tip: Handy for reaching inland towns like Inca and Manacor, but of limited use for the main coastal sights.
5.Taxis, bikes & car hire
Beyond buses and trains, Palma offers the usual mix of taxis, bikes and hire cars. Official taxis are white, metered and plentiful, found at ranks across the city or booked by app and phone; they're reasonably priced for short city hops and the airport run, though fares add up over longer island distances. Palma is also increasingly bike-friendly, with a flat, well-signed cycle path running the length of the seafront from the centre out towards Cala Major and Portitxol, plus a city bike-share scheme and numerous rental shops offering everything from city bikes to road and e-bikes — a lovely way to explore the waterfront and the old town's edges. The historic centre itself is best tackled on foot, being compact, largely pedestrianised and dense with sights. Where a car really pays off is for exploring the wider island: the hidden coves, mountain villages and viewpoints of the Tramuntana and the south coast are far easier to reach with your own wheels, and hire cars are cheap and widely available, especially from the airport. In the city, though, you can happily manage without one.
Hours
Taxis 24h; bike share and rentals daytime
Price
Taxi base ~€4 + ~€1/km; bikes from a few €
Getting there
Taxi ranks citywide; bike lanes along the seafront and centre
Insider tip: For exploring the island's coves and mountains you'll want a hire car; for the city, walking and bikes suffice.