Many holidaymakers hire cars when they come on holiday to Andalucia, but locals and tourists alike find that the vastly improved public transport system is both cheaper and more convenient in many ways.

One of the most popular bus routes is the Marbella-Fuengirola stretch, which picks up every 25 minutes from bus stops along the coast, and drops off at the most popular holiday spots and beaches, such as Calahonda, Cabopino, Elviria and Costabella to name but a few. Prices are excellent and it costs only €1.30 for the trip from Fuengirola to Cabopino for example.

Buses also leave Marbella regularly for the airport and some of the most fabulous, outlying places of interest such as Ronda and Seville. National buses can also be taken from the major resort towns to Madrid and beyond, and provide a comfortable alternative to driving. Amid the craziness of a Spanish summer, it is also a great comfort to know that after one too many glasses of sangria at the local beach bar, you don´t have to worry about driving home or parking on the busy streets.

Another cheap, comfortable and efficient form of transport which currently runs between Malaga and Fuengirola, is the local train which leaves each station at 25 minute intervals, stopping along the way at various stations in and around Fuengirola, Benalmadena, Torremolinos, Malaga Airport and the Malaga City. A ticket between Malaga and Fuengirola is approx.€2 return, and this route is expected to be extended along the coast as far as Marbella within the next 12 months.

For trips late night trips after the buses and trains have stopped running, there are two main taxi firms in Marbella and Mijas-Costa who can be called direct if you are nowhere near a taxi rank, and although their prices are reasonable, they do charge extra for weekend and night time trips.