How to get around Ibiza without a car: bus, bike, boat and taxi
Yes, getting around Ibiza without a car is doable, especially if you stay in Ibiza Town, San Antonio or Santa Eulalia. Since April 2026 there's a new bus network with more than sixty routes, beach buses in season, night buses at weekends and scheduled boats. The rural north is the exception.
For years we've watched people arrive convinced you absolutely need a car in Ibiza, and others end up stranded in a gorgeous villa a forty-minute walk from the nearest supermarket. The truth is somewhere in between: getting around Ibiza without a car works really well in some areas, so-so in others and terribly in a few. This guide helps you work out which one you'll be sleeping in before you book anything.
Getting around Ibiza without a car is possible, but it depends where you stay
The island is about 40 km from end to end and almost everything revolves around three big towns: Eivissa (Ibiza Town), Sant Antoni de Portmany (San Antonio) and Santa Eulària des Riu (Santa Eulalia). Buses between them are frequent, every 15 or 20 minutes on the trunk routes in season, and from any of the three there are coves you can reach by bus or boat.
The trouble starts outside those towns. Ibiza has plenty of isolated farmhouses, agroturismos in the middle of the countryside and hillside developments with no pavements. If your accommodation is out there, the bus might pass two or three times a day, or not at all. So the right question isn't "do I need a car?" but "where am I going to sleep?". If you haven't decided yet, our guide to where to stay in Ibiza by type of trip compares the areas.
There's another reason to take this seriously: from June to September inclusive, the Consell (the island council) puts a daily cap on hire cars and vehicles arriving by ferry. In 2026 the cap was 17,668 vehicles a day, of which up to 14,000 could be hire cars. In the middle of August that means expensive cars and, sometimes, none left at all. We explain it in our article on car and scooter hire in Ibiza.
The 2026 bus network in two minutes
On 1 April 2026 the island's entire public transport system changed. It's now run by a single operator (Alsa, under the Consell's Transport Públic d'Eivissa brand), with a renewed and largely electric fleet, and the routes have new names. If you've got a printed guide or a blog post from a couple of years ago talking about the "L3" or the "L10", ignore it: those routes no longer exist under those names.
The new network makes sense once you know the letters:
- T (trunk): link the big towns with high frequency. The T1 runs from San Antonio to Ibiza via Sant Rafel, the T2 via Sant Josep, the T3 links Santa Eulalia with Ibiza, and the T4, T5, T6 and T7 cover the north and the San Antonio-Santa Eulalia axis.
- A (accessibility): reach smaller places such as Cala Llonga, Sant Carles, Cala de Sant Vicent, Sant Miquel or Cala Vedella. Less frequent, but many run all year.
- P (beaches): the seasonal ones. They go to Cala Comte, Cala Bassa, Cala Salada, Cala Gració, Benirràs, Ses Salines or Cala Tarida.
- U and UE (urban): within a town or its surroundings, such as the U4 from Ibiza to Playa d'en Bossa.
- N (night): Friday and Saturday nights and the eve of public holidays, all year.
- D (disco bus): summer nights, between the towns and the clubs.
- AERO: five routes to the airport.
The shortest journey costs €1.70 paying by bank card on the bus and €2.40 in cash (October 2026 fares). For people staying a few days there's the T4 pass: €25 for 96 hours of unlimited travel. The route-by-route detail, with fares and winter timetables, is in our guide to Ibiza bus routes.
Well-connected areas and areas where you'll struggle without a car
This table sums up what each area is like without a car in season (May to October). In winter frequencies drop everywhere and almost all beach routes disappear.
| Area | Without a car | What you have nearby | What you'll find hard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ibiza Town, Figueretes, Playa d'en Bossa | Very good | Frequent buses from CETIS station, AERO2, AERO3 and AERO5, boats to Formentera, U4, D2 disco bus | West and north coves, over an hour away |
| San Antonio and the bay (Cala de Bou, Port des Torrent) | Very good | T1 to Ibiza, P4 to Cala Comte, P5 to Cala Bassa, P7 to Cala Salada, boats to the coves | Getting back from Ibiza Town in the early hours midweek |
| Santa Eulalia, Es Canar, Cala Llonga | Good | T3 to Ibiza every 20 minutes, AERO4, P10, Es Canar market | The wild northern coves, less frequent buses |
| Inland Sant Josep, Cala Tarida, Cala Vedella | Patchy | A1, A14, A15, P9, AERO1 from Sant Josep | Cala d'Hort, dinners out, nightlife |
| North: Sant Joan, Portinatx, Sant Miquel | Tight | T4, T6, T7, A6, A8 to A11, P6 to Benirràs | Few buses, nothing at night except weekend night buses |
| Rural house or isolated villa | Poor | Depends on the nearest stop, sometimes 2-3 km away | Pretty much everything |
If you're travelling without a car and want beach, dinner and a bit of nightlife without relying on anyone, Ibiza Town and San Antonio are the safe bets. Santa Eulalia is the quiet, family-friendly option that still works well by bus.
Scheduled boats between beaches and towns
In season the sea is just another road, and often the prettiest one. There are three main routes:
- From San Antonio: boats leave from the harbour promenade for Cala Bassa and Cala Comte, and in some cases other coves around the bay. They take 25 to 40 minutes, run several times a day from May to October, and tickets are sold at the kiosks on the promenade.
- From Ibiza Town: "water taxi" style boats to Playa d'en Bossa and Figueretes, and of course the ferries to Formentera, with very frequent departures all day in summer.
- From Santa Eulalia: boats along the east coast to Es Canar and other beaches in the area, handy if you're staying on that stretch.
Each company sets its own timetables and prices and they change from year to year, so the practical thing is to ask at the harbour on your first day. If you're more interested in the trip than the transfer, see the options in Ibiza boat trips, and to hop over to the neighbouring island, the ferry from Ibiza to Formentera.
Bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters
Ibiza is not Amsterdam. According to IbizaPreservation's sustainability report published in 2025, the island has about 42 km of cycle lanes, but in scattered sections that don't link up well. In June 2026 the Consell announced almost six more kilometres, focused on San Antonio and Santa Eulalia, which haven't been built yet.
That said, cycling works in three situations:
- Within towns and along seafront promenades, especially in Ibiza Town towards Talamanca or Figueretes, and in Santa Eulalia.
- On rural tracks inland, outside the hottest hours, for people who know what they're doing and carry lights and water.
- With an e-bike, which transforms the island: the hills in the north and west stop being a problem.
What we don't recommend is cycling on the main roads between towns in July and August: narrow shoulders, heavy traffic and drivers who don't know the island. Electric scooters are useful in town, but Spanish traffic law doesn't allow them on intercity roads, so they're no good for getting from one town to another.
Taxis, Uber and ride sharing
Taxis in Ibiza charge the Consell's official tariff: in October 2026 the flag fall is €4.35 and each daytime kilometre costs €1.32. It's not cheap for long journeys, but split between four people going to a west-coast cove it's worth it. The problem isn't the price, it's finding a free one outside a club in August. Our article on Ibiza taxis: prices, apps and phone numbers has the dispatch companies and the tricks for getting one.
Uber has operated on the island since November 2023 with private hire vehicles (VTC), although their number is limited and caught up in a legal battle between the taxi sector, the Balearic government and the platforms. In high season surge pricing can go through the roof.
The option most people don't know about is ride sharing. Lots of seasonal workers and residents make the same journeys you want to make every day. In the Ibiza Connects app you can find or post a shared ride and split the petrol with someone going the same way.
A typical day without a car: three examples
If you're staying in Ibiza Town
In the morning, Dalt Vila and the market on foot. At midday, the U4 or a boat to Playa d'en Bossa, or the P3 to Ses Salines (it runs from June to September and takes about 45 minutes from the Can Misses bus station, known as CETIS). Back mid-afternoon, a shower and dinner in the Marina. If you're going out, from June to September the D2 disco bus links the port (next to Pacha) with the Ushuaïa area every half hour from midnight to six.
If you're staying in San Antonio
The P4 leaves the bus station for Cala Comte several times a day in summer, or you take the boat from the promenade to Cala Bassa. Sunset along the café strip, dinner in the West End and, if you fancy Ibiza Town, the T1 runs every quarter of an hour on weekdays and takes about 45 minutes. To get back, the N1 and N4 night buses run on Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of public holidays.
If you're staying in the north
Here you need to plan. The T6 links Ibiza Town with Sant Joan and Portinatx, the P6 goes up to Benirràs Monday to Saturday between May and September, and the A6 runs from Sant Joan to Cala de Sant Vicent. Pick one cove a day, check the last bus back before you set off, and save the night out for the weekend or a shared taxi. Our guide to Ibiza beaches and how to reach them helps you see which ones have a stop nearby.
Common mistakes
- Trusting an old guide. Routes, numbers and some itineraries changed in April 2026.
- Not checking the last bus back from the beach. In high summer the last bus from many coves leaves between 19:00 and 22:00, and much earlier in May and October; miss it and a taxi to an isolated cove can take ages.
- Paying cash every time. By card or QR you save almost a euro per journey.
- Booking a villa "5 minutes from the beach" without asking whether that's 5 minutes by car.
- Assuming there's a bus all night midweek. The N routes run on Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of holidays; the disco bus only in season.
- Walking along the edge of a road at night. Many stops are on the roadside with no pavement: carry a light or arrange a pick-up.
- Leaving transport until you arrive. In August, hire cars and transfers sell out.
Sources and official information
- Transport Públic d'Eivissa (Alsa) · Routes and timetables
- Transport Públic d'Eivissa (Alsa) · Fares
- Ibiza Circular (Consell d'Eivissa) · Vehicle limit
- Aena · Ibiza Airport, taxis
- Periódico de Ibiza · Routes of the new network (27-3-2026)
- Periódico de Ibiza · Cycle lanes (13-2-2026)
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Ibiza without a car?
Yes. If you stay in Ibiza Town, San Antonio or Santa Eulalia, buses, boats and the odd taxi cover almost everything. Since 2026 there are frequent trunk routes, beach buses in season and a four-day pass for €25. The hard part is staying in the countryside or the north with no stop nearby.
What's the best area to stay in Ibiza without a car?
Ibiza Town is the best connected: airport, Formentera ferries, Playa d'en Bossa and buses to the whole island. San Antonio comes second, with buses and boats to the west-coast coves. Santa Eulalia works well for families and quiet trips, with the T3 to Ibiza every twenty minutes.
Are there buses to the beaches in Ibiza?
Yes, in season. The P routes go to Cala Comte, Cala Bassa, Cala Salada, Cala Gració, Benirràs, Ses Salines and Cala Tarida, among others. Almost all run from May or June to September or October and stop in winter. Always check the last bus back on the timetable website.
Do Ibiza buses run at night?
The N night routes run all year on Friday and Saturday nights and the eve of public holidays, roughly between 23:00 and 4:00. In summer they're joined by the D disco bus, which links the clubs with San Antonio, Ibiza port, Playa d'en Bossa and Santa Eulalia until dawn.
Is it safe to cycle in Ibiza?
In towns, on seafront promenades and on rural tracks, yes, with lights and outside the hottest hours. We don't recommend the main roads between towns in summer: heavy traffic and narrow shoulders. The island has about 42 km of cycle lanes, but they're very fragmented.
Is there Uber in Ibiza?
Yes, Uber has operated in Ibiza since November 2023 with VTC private hire vehicles, but there aren't many and prices rise sharply in high season. Official taxis are still the main option: take one from a rank, or book by phone or through the TaxiClick app with the island's dispatch companies.
