Arrival & Transport

The Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) is the most flown-to airport in Spain during summer and one of the busiest in Europe. It is located just 8 km east of Palma's city center and is excellently connected.

Flights from Germany

Virtually every German airport offers direct flights to PMI — from the major hubs (Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne, Stuttgart) to smaller ones like Nuremberg, Hanover, Leipzig, Dresden, Bremen, Dortmund, Paderborn, Münster, and Memmingen. The flight time is 2:00 to 2:30 hours.

Airlines: Eurowings (largest offering from Germany), Ryanair, Condor, TUIfly, Lufthansa, easyJet, Wizz Air, Vueling. In the high season, up to 50+ planes fly daily from Germany alone.

Flight Prices (Guidelines, Round Trip)

Transfer from the Airport

Bus (EMT Line 1): Runs every 12–15 minutes from the airport to the city center of Palma (Plaça Espanya). Duration: 20–30 min, Price: 5 euros. Night buses also available. Best option for Palma vacationers without a rental car.

TIB Buses: Direct buses from the airport to Alcudia/Can Picafort (Line A32, approx. 9 euros, 1h), Cala Millor (A42), Cala d'Or (A51), Manacor, and other coastal towns. Seasonal (May–October), timetables on tib.org.

Taxi: Fixed price to Palma center approx. 20–25 euros (depending on the hotel). Taxi stand directly in front of the terminal. To Alcudia approx. 65–75 euros, to Cala d'Or approx. 70–80 euros. Surcharge at night and on holidays.

Rental Car: All major providers have counters in the terminal. In high season, pickup can take 30–60 minutes — be patient. The Ma-19 motorway leads directly from the airport to Palma's ring road.

Private Transfer: Bookable in advance from 25–35 euros to Palma, from 90–120 euros to Alcudia. Providers: Shuttle Mallorca, Hoppa, GetTransfer.

A rental car is almost indispensable on Mallorca if you want to see more than Palma and a single beach resort. The island is small, but the public buses do not reach all attractions — and the most beautiful calas, Tramuntana villages, and wine fincas are off the bus routes.

Prices by Season (Small Car, e.g., Seat Ibiza)

Providers

International: Sixt, Europcar, Hertz, Avis, Enterprise — reliable standard, more protection in case of problems, more expensive.

Local (often cheaper): Goldcar (beware: aggressive insurance upsells!), Record Go, OK Rent a Car, Hiper Rent a Car, Centauro. Read reviews beforehand!

Comparison Portals: CHECK24, billiger-mietwagen.de, rentalcars.com — here you will find the best prices. Always book with full insurance without excess!

Important Tips

• Full insurance without excess is mandatory: Either through the comparison portal (billiger-mietwagen.de often has the best packages) or through a travel credit card (Barclays Visa, Advanzia Mastercard Gold). The roads in the Tramuntana and the narrow old town alleys take their toll — scratches happen quickly.
• Parking in Palma: Avoid the old town by car! Parking garages: Parc de la Mar (2.50€/h), Plaça Major (2.20€/h), Avinguda Gabriel Roca (2€/h). Blue zones (ORA): Max. 2h, approx. 1.50€/h. Free: at the Porto Pi harbor (weekend).
• Tramuntana Roads: Narrow, steep, hairpin bends without guardrails. Take a small car, not an SUV. The road to Sa Calobra (Ma-2141) is legendary but not for beginners. Tip: Drive in the morning when the tour buses are not yet on the road.
• Fueling: Petrol approx. 1.50–1.65 euros/liter (2025). Gas stations everywhere, even inland. More expensive on highways. Cheapest: Cepsa and Repsol at supermarkets.
• Speed Limits: In town 30–50 km/h, country roads 90 km/h, motorway (Ma-1, Ma-13, Ma-15, Ma-19) 120 km/h. Speed cameras are frequent, especially on the Ma-19 near the airport and the Ma-13 to Alcudia.
• Automatic or Manual: Automatic is significantly more expensive and quickly booked out. Those who can only drive automatic must book especially early.

TIB Buses — The Public Bus Network

The TIB bus network (Transport Interurbà de Mallorca) connects Palma with the island's main destinations. The buses are modern, air-conditioned, and reliable. Timetables and real-time info on tib.org or in the TIB app.

Important Bus Lines

Intermodal Station Palma (Plaça Espanya): The central hub for all buses and trains. Almost all TIB lines start here.

Payment: Cash with the driver (exact change!) or the rechargeable TIB card (20% discount). Children under 4 travel free.

Tren de Soller — The Historic Railway

The railway from Palma to Soller (opened in 1912) is Mallorca's most nostalgic experience. The wooden carriages rattle 27 km through the Tramuntana, passing through 13 tunnels and crossing a viaduct. Travel time: approx. 1 hour.

• Departure: Palma, Estacio Intermodal (next to Plaça Espanya) — 5× daily (10:10, 10:50, 12:15, 13:30, 15:10)
• Price: 25 euros one way, 32 euros round trip (2025). Children 4–12: 18€ one way
• Connection: In Soller, the historic tram (Tranvia) continues to the port of Port de Soller. 8 euros one way, 10 euros return, approx. 20-minute ride through orange groves

Tip: The ride is an experience, but expensive for mere transport. If you only want to go to Soller, take the TIB bus 210 (3.55 euros) and treat yourself to the Tren on one leg.

Metro Palma

Palma has a short subway line (M1) from Plaça Espanya via the University (UIB) to Marratxi. Not very relevant for tourists unless you are staying near the university. Price: 1.80 euros.

City Buses Palma (EMT)

The city bus network EMT Palma covers the entire city. Important lines for tourists:

• Line 1: Airport ↔ City Center (Plaça Espanya) — 5€, every 12–15 min
• Line 3: Port (Porto Pi) ↔ City Center
• Line 46: Bellver Castle (otherwise a steep walk)

Single ride: 2 euros (with the driver, exact change!). The EMT Palma App shows real-time data.

Mallorca is Europe's No. 1 cycling island. Every spring (February to May), over 20,000 cyclists from all over Europe come for training. The reasons: perfect climate, excellently developed roads, varied topography, and an established cycling infrastructure with rental stations, workshops, and bike hotels.

Cycling Season

• Main season: February to May — perfect temperatures (15–25°C), little traffic, dry weather. Hotels offer special cyclist packages with mechanic service and secured parking.
• Autumn: September to November — second top season, slightly warmer, occasional rain.
• Summer: Too hot for demanding tours (35°C+). If so, start early in the morning (before 8 AM).
• Winter: December/January — mild enough for the lowlands, mountains can be a cool 5–10°C.

Legendary Routes

Bike Rental

Mallorca has dozens of professional bike rentals with high-quality racing bikes, e-bikes, and mountain bikes:

• Racing Bike: From 30–50 euros/day (Carbon), 150–250 euros/week. Top providers: Mallorca Cycling Center (Playa de Palma), Pro Cycle Hire (Alcudia), Max Hürzeler (various locations)
• E-Bike: From 25–40 euros/day — ideal for the Tramuntana if you're not a racing cyclist
• Mountain Bike: From 20–35 euros/day — good trails in the Tramuntana and inland
• City Bike: In Palma, there's the BiciPalma rental system (1 euro/30 min.), plus Nextbike stations. Easy for tourists via app.

Safety

Mallorca's drivers are used to cyclists — nowhere in Europe will you be as respected as a cyclist. Since 2015, a minimum overtaking distance of 1.5 meters has been in place. Nevertheless: Helmets are mandatory outside towns, rear lights and reflective vests in poor visibility too. Drive slowly in the curves on the Tramuntana roads — cars and buses come towards you.

Mallorca is connected by ferry to the Spanish mainland and the neighboring islands. There are also numerous excursion boats exploring the coast and offshore islands.

Ferries from the Mainland

Two major shipping companies connect Palma with Barcelona and Valencia:

Tip: The night ferry from Barcelona is particularly popular — you save a hotel night and wake up in the port of Palma. Book a cabin (from 75 euros), the seat area is noisy. Book via directferries.de or the shipping companies' websites.

Ferries between the Balearic Islands

Highlight: The connection Alcudia → Ciutadella is perfect for a day trip or short trip to Menorca — only 1.5 hours crossing!

Boat Trips around Mallorca

• Cabrera National Park: Day trips from Colonia de Sant Jordi (45–65 euros, 8h). Snorkeling, hiking, blue cave. Limited spots — book early! Providers: Excursions a Cabrera, Marcabrera.
• Coastal Boat Tours: From Soller/Port de Soller along the Tramuntana coast to Sa Calobra and Cala Tuent (20–35 euros). Spectacular cliffs from the water.
• Catamaran Tours: From Palma, Alcudia, and Cala Ratjada. Half-day tours with swimming stops, lunch, and music (40–70 euros). Popular with families and groups.
• Dolphin Watching: From Alcudia and Cala Ratjada. No guarantee, but high sighting rate of bottlenose and striped dolphins (approx. 50–65 euros).
• Sailing/Yacht Charter: Mallorca is a top sailing area. Bareboat charter from approx. 200 euros/day (off-season) for a 10-m yacht. Skippered charter from 350 euros/day. Ports: Palma, Port d'Andratx, Soller, Alcudia, Porto Colom, Cala d'Or.

With Your Own Boat

Mallorca has over 40 marinas and ports. The most important for guest berths: Real Club Nautico de Palma (prestigious, expensive), Marina Port de Mallorca (modern, central), Port Adriano (design port by Philippe Starck), Club de Vela Port d'Andratx and Reial Club Nautic Port de Pollença. Berth prices in summer: 50–200 euros/night depending on boat size and port.