Marbella is a Spanish vacation destination that gives you the nightclub party vibes of Spain’s Balearic Islands alongside the incredible museums, architecture, and tapas bars of the mainland.
Only a few miles away from Málaga, Marbella offers the luxury tourism that celebs crave yet is just as accessible and affordable for the backpacker who wants to spend their summer break under the Spanish sun.
And how best to get to Marbella? By bus, my fellow beach bums.
Image Credit: Getty Images, John Harper. Image Location: Marbella, Spain
Wait a minute, TRAINline; why would we take a bus to Marbella and not the train?
Fantastic question.
Who wouldn’t want to hop on one of Spain’s fabulous trains that connect you from Madrid to hundreds upon hundreds of tapas bars across the country?
As much as we wish it were the opposite, Spain’s train network simply can’t cater to every village, town, and city in this wonderful nation. But that’s why Spain’s bus routes get a gold star: when the rail lines end, the road begins for bus travel through Spain.
And that’s exactly how you’ll get to Marbella from places like Estepona, Gibraltar, and Málaga airport.
Image Credit: Getty Images, CBCK-Christine
How to best get to Marbella by bus
Trust us: a single, short bus ride is well worth the memories you’ll make in Marbella.
Bus from Málaga to Marbella
Although the train won’t get you from Málaga to Marbella, you should still note where the Málaga–Maria Zambrano train station is. Right across the street from Málaga’s main train terminal is Málaga’s main bus terminal: Estación de Autobuses de Málaga. A 45-minute bus ride will take you to Estación de Autobuses de Marbella with zero changes, the perfect amount of time to apply sunscreen then step off of the bus and onto the beach.
Bus from Marbella to Málaga Airport
Let’s put the bus from Málaga to Marbella route down, flip it and reverse it. Getting from Marbella to Málaga Airport is just as easy. You’ll catch the bus at Marbella’s main bus terminal, and take it directly to Málaga–Aeropuerto / Airport (AGP) Estación de Autobuses only steps away from the terminal.
Image Credit: Getty Images, MEDITERRANEAN. Image Location: Estepona, Spain
Bus from Estepona to Marbella
So you’ve flip-flopped your way across Estepona’s beaches and now you’re keen to see how the view from the sand is in Marbella. Perfect; there’s a seat on the bus waiting for you. Head to the east end of town; if you need a waypoint, you’ve gone too far if you hit the McDonald’s. Estación de Autobuses de Estepona is the bus terminal you’re looking for. Show your ticket and you’ll be parking in the bus terminal in Marbella in roughly 30 minutes.
Bus from Gibraltar to Marbella
If you’re one of those intrepid travelers arriving in Spain by sailing from Morocco, color us jealous. You’re already in the northern end of Gibraltar when you dock, so simply cross over the border into Spain and you’ll find Estación de Autobuses de La Línea de la Concepción. That’s your station for a 1-2 hour bus ride to the Marbella bus terminal.
Alternatively, if you catch the boat from Morocco to Algeciras on the Spanish side of the Bay of Gibraltar, you’ll hop off at the port and walk roughly one mile to the Algeciras–Estación de autobuses de San Bernardo bus station and take a 1-2 hour bus ride to Marbella bus terminal.
On both rail and road
Download the Trainline app and pretend that it’s called the Train-but-also-bus-line app. You can instantly see which areas of Spain have fast and easy train routes and which destinations you’ll need to connect to via bus. And best of all, you can purchase and store e-tickets for both modes of transport right on your phone. For more information on how to book train tickets online in Spain see our guide.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Lovattpics. Image Location: Marbella, Spain