Planning your journey to the Caminito del Rey? Our guide to getting to El Chorro and the Caminito del Rey explains how to reach the area by car, train or public bus, where to park, and how to plan your arrival. The shuttle bus is different: it is not a bus service to the Caminito del Rey from Málaga or other cities, but the local service that connects the northern and southern ends of the route. This guide focuses specifically on how that shuttle works.
If you park near the northern start of the Caminito del Rey, you will need the shuttle bus after your walk to get back to your car. The Caminito is a one-way route, finishing in the El Chorro area, where the shuttle bus connects with the northern access points.
The shuttle bus costs €2.50 per person. You can buy the bus ticket online when booking your Caminito del Rey entry, or pay the driver when you board. Cash is accepted, but card payments are not, so it is a good idea to carry €2.50 in change.
You can also do things the other way around: park in the El Chorro area and take the shuttle bus to the northern start before your walk. The advantage is that your car is waiting for you at the end of the Caminito.
Get Your Guide for the Caminito del Rey
If you prefer to visit the Caminito del Rey as part of an organised tour, GetYourGuide has a range of guided trips that include transport to and from the Caminito. This can be a convenient option if you are staying in Málaga, Seville or elsewhere in the area and don’t want to arrange parking and shuttle buses yourself.
A guided tour also means you have someone to explain the history and landscape of the Caminito del Rey as you walk.
Book a guided tour through Viator
Another option is to book a guided tour through Viator, with many tours including transport to and from the Caminito del Rey. This takes away the need to organise parking and shuttle buses yourself, which can make the visit much simpler if you are travelling from Málaga or another nearby town.
Add the shuttle bus when booking your Caminito del Rey ticket
If you are booking your Caminito del Rey entry through the official online system, you can add the shuttle bus to your booking. This is the easiest option if you know you will need the bus, as you don’t have to worry about finding cash after your walk.
The shuttle bus costs €2.50 per person, and the current entry-plus-shuttle option is listed at €11.55 per person. Check the price shown during the booking process before completing your purchase, as ticket prices and booking options can change.
If you park at the northern end of the Caminito del Rey, remember that you will need the shuttle bus after your walk to return to your car. The Caminito is a one-way route, running from the Guadalhorce reservoir / Kiosko area to El Chorro, where the walk finishes.
If you have parked in El Chorro, you can instead take the shuttle bus before your walk to reach the northern entrance. This can be a convenient option because your car will then be waiting for you when you finish the Caminito.
The shuttle bus service currently operates from 07:40 to 20:00. The journey takes approximately 15–20 minutes to reach the stop near El Kiosko.
Timetables can change, so check the current service times when planning your visit, particularly if you have an early entry time or are travelling by train.
Parking at the Caminito del Rey Visitor Reception Centre
If you park at the Visitor Reception Centre, you will need to take the shuttle bus towards the northern entrance of the Caminito del Rey.
From the Visitor Reception Centre, the bus takes approximately 5 minutes to reach El Kiosko. From there, it is around a 15-minute walk to the entrance of the Caminito del Rey.
Allow plenty of time before your booked entry time, particularly if you are parking here and using the shuttle bus. It is better to arrive early than risk missing your entry slot.
The Visitor Reception Centre car park is also a useful option if you want to leave your car at the northern end of the route. After completing the Caminito in El Chorro, you can take the shuttle bus back towards the Visitor Reception Centre.
More information on how to get your entrance permit here.
Caminito del Rey Shuttle Bus: Complete FAQ Guide for Hikers
No. The Caminito del Rey is a linear, one-way route, running from the northern access near the Guadalhorce reservoirs to El Chorro in the south.
This means you cannot simply walk back to where you started. If you have parked at the northern end, you can use the shuttle bus from El Chorro to return to your car. Alternatively, you can park in El Chorro and take the shuttle bus to the northern access before starting your walk.
The shuttle ticket is €2.50 per person and allows travel in both directions on the day of your visit.
The shuttle bus costs €2.50 per person. You can add the shuttle to your Caminito del Rey booking when buying your entry ticket online, or buy a ticket directly from the driver when you board.
Cash is accepted but card payments are not, so make sure you have enough cash with you. The €2.50 ticket allows you to travel on the shuttle in both directions on the day of your visit.
The shuttle bus operates throughout the day, with services currently scheduled between 07:40 and 20:00. The exact departure times vary but are normally every 30 minutes.
The journey between El Chorro and the northern access area takes around 15–20 minutes. From the Visitor Reception Centre, the journey to El Kiosko is only around 5 minutes..
The journey from El Chorro to the northern access area takes approximately 15–20 minutes. If you park at the Visitor Reception Centre, the shuttle takes around 5 minutes to reach El Kiosko, from where it is approximately a 15-minute walk to the Caminito entrance.
Yes. You don’t have to buy the shuttle bus ticket when you book your Caminito del Rey entry. You can buy the €2.50 shuttle ticket directly from the driver when you board the bus.
Cash is accepted but card payments are not, so make sure you have cash with you. The ticket allows you to use the shuttle in either direction on the day of your visit.
Visitors can book guided tours via platforms like Viator or GetYourGuide, which often include full transport. Alternatively, if you travel by train to El Chorro, take the shuttle before your hike to the trailhead, then walk back to the station after finishing.
The shuttle is a basic minibus and accepts both adults and children. While it’s not wheelchair-accessible, most people with moderate mobility can board with assistance. Keep in mind that the trail itself includes stairs, bridges, and narrow walkways.
Independent guides like this one and other regional tourism websites provide helpful planning tips, including info on transport, parking, and accommodation.
✔ Confirm your trail start location, especially if there are detours or repairs.
✔ Arrive early to account for parking, shuttle wait times, and walking to the entrance.
✔ Bring exact change for the bus fare.
✔ Pack water, sun protection, and wear sturdy footwear.
✔ If staying locally, consider nearby guesthouses or hotels listed on trusted guides.
Bus Shuttle Timetables (Other Languages)
Visitors sometimes search for the Caminito del Rey shuttle bus timetable using different languages. If you are looking for the current shuttle service, these are some of the search terms commonly used:
- French: horaires navette Caminito del Rey
- Spanish: horario autobús Caminito del Rey
- German: Shuttle Fahrplan Caminito del Rey
- Dutch: shuttle dienstregeling Caminito del Rey
- Italian: orari navetta Caminito del Rey
These searches all refer to the Caminito del Rey shuttle bus, which connects the northern access area around El Kiosko and the Visitor Reception Centre with El Chorro, where the route finishes.
For the current timetable and shuttle information, see the timetable section above. north and south access points.
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Hello, I have ticket on Tuesday 17 March with 10:30 entrance. However, I have just learned the earliest train I am able to get to El Chorro arrives at 10:02. Seems like I will not be able to make it on time, so I will not be able to enter Caminita? Or is there still option to get to the entrance gate on time? Thank you
Hi Nika, yes, you are right, the 9am train from Malaga gets in at just after 10 so there is no way you will get to the start point on time. As an alternative you could go the day before and stay the night? The Garganta hotel is well placed: https://caminodelrey.es/restaurant-la-garganta-el-chorro/
You could try to change your ticket entry time by contacting the official site (presuming you bought the tickets there.)
If not then the options are hire car or taxi….. I presume you are staying in Malaga? maybe ask your accommodation if they know of another way to get to the Caminito del Rey
Hello. I bought two tickets for the King’s Path at 12:40 PM on May 20th. Where can I buy tickets in advance for the return bus to El Kiosko? On the Caminito del Rey website there is information that you cannot buy tickets from the driver, but on the “Bus service” website you can buy tickets for 2.50 per day, you cannot pay by card.
Hi Waldemar. When you booked your tickets there should have been an option for you to also buy the shuttle bus tickets as well but maybe you missed that part. Not to worry. You can buy your bus ticket from the driver when you get on the bus. As you note it’s 2,50 and only cash accepted. Have a great trip!
Hello, I am going on the guided tour on friday the 3 of february, 9:50 o’clock:
Question 1:
I have read, that the starting point on thirsday (2.2.2023) will be at the south end. And on friday (3.2.2023) the starting point will be at the north end. Now i am not sure, where the starting point is, because it depends on the fact if the repair of part of the route will be finished in time on thursday?????
I have to be at the starting point at 9:50 o’clock. And i come by car from camping torremolinos near Malaga. I wanted to parc at the south end (el chorro), but i think that’s not possible, because the shuttle bus starts at 8:30 and on friday only drives once an hour?
Question 2:
When i am sure that the starting point is at the north end, where can i park my car there?
Question 3:
Where can i find the shuttle bus there?
Question 4:
Where is the meeting point?
Question 5:
What time should i be there, parking my car, to be in time for my start?
Sorry for the many questions, thanksfor answering them, with kind regards, Jolanda
Hi Jolanda. These questions need to be directed at the people you booked a guided tour with. Was it the official site or a third party site?
Re where to start the walk, the official site is stating that all will return to normal on the 2nd of February but really, you need to confirm this with the people you bought your guided tour from…..
Please let us know how you get on….
Hi Clive,
What’s bus schedule for November 2024. I am staying at El Chorro the day before the hiking day (11/5/2024). When is earlies time of ticket I can book? 9:00? 9:30? 10:00?
Thank you so mcuh!
I want to come to El Chorro from Malaga by train. Where is the M-347 bus stop that will take me El Sillon del Rey?
Hi Clive, not sure if you are still running the site. We are going on the guided tour at 3.40pm today.
I think we will get the 2.30 bus at the south entrance to get to the start on time.
On the tickets I changes the names but just put my passport number on the. All as I didn’t know the others… do you need the passports and correct id’s on the tickets to get in? Thank you.
Hi Anna… Let me know how you get on, especially with your ID not matching you entry tickets?
Can I park at El Chorro, get the bus to the start at 13.00 , do the walk and then return to the car?
Hi John, that shouldn’t be a problem.. Quite a few people do that. I suggest you be there for 11 ish to park the car and get the 11:30 shuttle bus to the kiosko/kings chair area.. From there it is a 20 minute walk to the start point and you should really be there half an hour before your entry time… Don’t forget your entry tickets in the car, like I heard somebody did last month!!!! 🙂 Have a great day and let me know how you get on…
Hallo Clive,
Wir sind Ende Mai in El Chorro und haben für Samstags Tickets für 12.20 Uhr bekommen. Da wir aber im La Garganta wohnen, könnten wir auch früher zur Tour starten. Auf Nachfrage wurde uns 10.00 Uhr angeboten. Jetzt sind wir aber unsicher, wo genau wir um 10.00 Uhr sein müssen und wie lange wir mit dem Shuttlebus bis dahin brauchen. Kannst du uns bitte eine Info schicken, wie viel Zeit wir einplanen müssen vom la Garganta bis zum Eingang? Wir müssen uns sehr bald entscheiden und freuen uns über deine Nachricht.
Vielen lieben Dank, Gaby
Hallo Gabi. Ich spreche kein Deutsch, also benutze ich den Google-Übersetzer.
Der Shuttlebus fährt vor Ihrem Hotel ab und bringt Sie rechtzeitig zum Startpunkt des Caminito. Fragen Sie das Hotel, wenn Sie dort ankommen, um weitere Informationen zu erhalten.
Hi Clive, thanks a lot for that information. I have already contacted the hotel and hope to get the answer quickly. 🙂
Hi,
so apparently the shuttle buses only run till 4.30pm. Our entry slot for the hike is at 3pm, so we won’t make the whole hike by 4.30pm. Is there any other way to get back to the car park after the last shuttle bus has left?
Hello,
I would like to know how much does the shuttle bus costs to get back up at the starting point of Caminito del Rey? To (Sillon del Rey) parking spot. And, does it requires to book a ticket for the shuttle bus? And if so – where can I book it?
Best regards,
Kristine Prince
Hi I have just booked tickets for the Walk. I know where you get to the start of the walk. but at the end of the walk can you please tell me where you get the tickets for the bus or can you just pay on the bus. I booked my tickets and didnt see an option for paying for the bus so just took the tickets.
Hi Fiona… You can buy the tickets on the bus but make sure you have the change with you as I have had some feedback from people saying the drivers get a bit grumpy if you try to pay with a 50 euro note! 🙂 Have a great time and do let us know how you get on by leaving a comment here if you would like to…
The hike itself was nice and easy, nothing to complain about! But the shuttle bus system after, has room for improvement!
We ended up waiting almost 2 hours after our hike and didn’t get time for anything else we planned this day. The buses does not come often, they are packed, people were cutting in the line and generally a really unpleasant experience. When the second bus arrived and we got to enter, we were told off because we didn’t have cash, and they didn’t take card. How were we supposed to know the ticket office was in the hotel? We waited again in the back of the line, and didn’t get on until the second bus again arrived, and we waited forever on top of lots of other people. It ruins the experience and is not sanitary in terms of covid either. The taxi was also at least 20 minutes away.I really hope you improve this for later, because at this point, I’m not recommending people to go.
Thanks for your feedback Tina. Sorry you had a bad experience. I would recommend telling the people at the official website as well or maybe a comment on their facebook page…
Hi Clive,
thank you for your answer. I didn´t saw that we have to be at the checkpoint 30 minutes before we start. Our start time is 9.30 . We were so happy to get this tickets and now I hope that we are there right in time….
Hi there… So you really need to be parked for 8:30am in order to have enough time to walk to the checkpoint and be there at 9am…. Remember it takes about 30 minutes to walk from where you park your car around the kiosko bar area to the checkpoint…
Hello, we are very happy, to get a ticket last minute for friday. For our navigation to the right entrance, please can you mail us the adress? On our ticket we only found accesso norte.
Thank you!
Best regards