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Is There Uber in Tenerife? 4 Alternatives

ByKatie Caf Updated on

Uber has just launched on the Spanish island of Tenerife, in the southern city of Santa Cruz, however, it’s likely not going to be the Uber that you’re used to. Uber in Tenerife only calls Uber Black (luxury) cars or the app can be used to hail regulated and metered taxis to your location, similar to the app Cabify. Using Uber won’t be the best way to get around for the majority of travelers in Tenerife, here’s some info on popular transportation alternatives on the island.

✔️ Essential Info

  • Uber has just launched in Tenerife
  • Only available in Santa Cruz city currently
  • There is no standard Uber in Tenerife, instead you have Uber Black (luxury) and Uber Taxi, where metered cabs are called to your location through the app.
  • Taxi Price: A 15-minute taxi ride in Tenerife will be around €15, and a 1-hour taxi ride should cost around 100 Euros. 

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✈️ Tenerife Airport Transfer Service

You cannot take Uber X directly from the airport terminals, but this private transfer service is just as convenient and budget-friendly.

→ Book It!

4 Uber Alternatives in Tenerife

1. Taking Taxis in Tenerife: What You Need to Know

✅ Taxis in Tenerife are white

✅ A taxi will flash a green light if it’s available for hire. 

✅ Taxis are metered. 

✅ Taxis charge a slightly different metered rate for days, nights, and weekends.

✅ Taxi drivers frequently do not speak English. 

There are lots of private transfer services in Tenerife that use the word “taxi” and even pick up passengers off the street. Unless cabs are white with a medallion on the side, these aren’t official taxis and they won’t charge you the official metered rate.

  1. Use an official taxi rank.
  2. Call a taxi company from your phone or through your hotel.
  3. Use a taxi-hailing app like Cabify or Uber. 

Depending on where you are located in Tenerife it might be easier to get a cab than in some other places. For example, it’s easier to take a taxi from the airport to your hotel or Airbnb because there’s a taxi rank right outside than it is to take a taxi to the airport from your hotel when you’re departing. 

📞 Taxi phone numbers in Tenerife by municipality ⤵

  • Adeje municipality: (+34) 922 71 54 07, (+34) 922 71 44 56
  • Arona municipality: (+34) 922 397 074, (+34) 653 916 278
  • Santiago del Teide municipality: (+34) 922 861 627, (+34) 679 446 311
  • Guia de Isora municipality: (+34) 922 747 511
  • Puerto de la Cruz municipality: (+34) 922 378 999, (+34) 659 515 756
  • Icod de los Vinos municipality: (+34) 922 121 600

The ease of hailing a cab in Tenerife will depend on your location. Since the island is a very popular tourist destination, you’ll be able to find taxi ranks outside of both major airports as well as in any tourist area, but if you’re outside of the city center, it will be a lot more difficult. If you plan on venturing off the beaten path, it would be better to rent a car than rely on taxis to get around.

Tenerife isn’t generally considered a “budget” travel destination, but taxis on the island are relatively affordable and competitive with the rates in mainland Spain. For context: a 15-minute taxi ride in Tenerife will be around €15, and a 1-hour taxi ride should cost around 100 Euros. 

💸 Taxi fares for the 🌙 night-time (10 PM – 6 AM) + weekends ⤵

Action / Distance
Price
Fee to turn on the meter€3.45
Per Kilometer€1.26
Waiting time per hour fee€15.05
Airport/Harbor fee€1.70

💸 Taxi fares for the ☀️ day-time (6 AM – 10 PM) ⤵

Action / Distance
Price
Fee to turn on the meter€3.15
Per kilometer€1.10
Waiting time per hour€15.05
Airport/Harbor fee€1.70

2. Renting a Car

Rental cars in Tenerife are quite affordable, with most makes and models ranging between 30 euros per day to 60. It’s definitely cheaper to rent a car and drive yourself in Tenerife than it would be to hail multiple taxis per day. 👉 Car rental availability & prices in Tenerife

✔️ Tenerife is in Spain, where they use manual transmission more than automatic. If you don’t know how to drive a stick be prepared to pay more for an automatic transmission car, or they might even sell out entirely!  

✔️ Be sure to Book Your Car Ahead of Time as they can run out in some makes and models. 

✔️ Know that they drive on the right side of the road in Tenerife, which is the same side as the United States but opposite of the UK. 

✔️ Tenerife has a lot of twisty turning mountain roads that can shake even the most confident driver. 

✔️ Paid parking costs around €2 per hour, and there’s usually a shortage of spots at popular beaches. 

✔️ You DO need a valid driver’s license from your home country. 

✔️ You will also need to show a valid passport at the rental office.

3. Public Transportation in Tenerife

There’s an extensive public transportation system in Tenerife that’s mostly concentrated around the main cities on the island. Taking public transportation in Tenerife is a great way to save money, as rides very rarely go over €5. The main forms of public transportation on the island are the metro tram, which only operates within cities, or the public bus, which goes all over Tenerife. 

Public buses in Tenerife are called Guaguas and are known for their bright green appearance. Taking the bus is a good alternative to taxis and Ubers in Tenerife.
Photo by cinetech via Flickr

🚐 Taking the Public Bus

The public bus in Tenerife is called the “Guaguas” which operates through the company TITSA. Guaguas are known for their iconic bright green color, you won’t be able to miss them while traveling the island. Prices for Guaguas journeys vary by distance, but they’re generally very affordable and range from €1-5. Rechargeable transportation cards can be purchased in person at the main stations, or through the app ten+móvil. 

>> Check out the public bus schedule in Tenerife on Titsa’s site here.

The public tram in Tenerife is a colorful way to get around the city in the absence of ride-sharing apps like Uber.
Photo by Yeray Hdez Guerra

🚊 Taking the The Tram

While the bus is the most extensive form of public transportation in Tenerife, you also have the option to take the tram as long as you’re only traveling within or between the main cities of San Cristóbal La Laguna and Santa Cruz. The Tenerife tram operates from 6 AM to midnight on the weekdays and 24 hours a day on the weekends. Trams operate frequently, between every 5 minutes and every half hour depending on the date and time of day. 

🚊 You need to buy your tram ticket before you board the tram. 

🚊 You always need to validate your tram ticket on the machine in every tram entryway. This system is common all over Europe. 

🚊 You can buy paper tram passes at the station with a fixed amount of money on them (think 10 euros, 25, etc).

🚊 You can also buy MetroTenerife tram passes on the app ten+móvil (also called ViaMovil). 

🚊 A tram ride usually costs less than €2 per trip.

>> Get more info on the Tenerife tram on MetroTenerife’s website here

4. Tenerife Airport Transfers

There are two main airports on the island of Tenerife, Tenerife South Airport (TFS) and Tenerife North Airport (TFN). Odds are you’ll be flying to the South Airport (TFS) because it’s much larger and busier. 

✈️ ➡️ Taking Taxis from the Airport

Both airports have taxi ranks where you can hail a cab to your hotel on the island. Taxis in Tenerife are metered and regulated, and your driver should be able to tell you the estimated fare based on which region you’re driving to. 

✈️ ⬅️ Taking Taxi to the Airport

It’s a little more complicated to take a taxi to the airport when it’s time to depart Tenerife than it is to take one from the airport when you arrive. This is due to the absence of ride-hailing apps in Tenerife, if your hotel isn’t near a taxi rank you need to call a taxi to come and get you when it’s time to leave for the airport. 

Most travelers just have their hotel concierge call up a taxi service for them, but if you’re staying in an Airbnb, or leaving for the airport at odd hours when it’s harder to get a cab, I strongly just recommend arranging your ✈️ Airport Transportation ahead of time to avoid any issues.

Katie Caf

Katie Caf, founder of Katie Caf Travel, is a seasoned travel expert who has explored over 30 countries and lived abroad in places like Egypt, Morocco, Mexico, India, Indonesia Thailand, Europe, and the USA. Her goal is to help other traveler see the world by providing first-hand accounts of what to expect on the road.

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