In Alcalá de Henares, bus is the most popular mean of transport, as it happens in all middle size Spanish cities not having underground. Learn how to use it.
One-Way Ticket and Season Bus Tickets in Alcalá
In order to use bus service, first thing you have to purchase is a ticket. In Alcalá, there are different types of one-way and season tickets. If you do not usually get on the bus and you are only going to travel once, you can buy an ordinary ticket into the bus itself. Ordinary tickets are sold by the driver.
If you are going to travel in several different occasions or you have planned to go by bus every day; it is much cheaper to buy some kind of season ticket. There are three types of season tickets: 10-journeys bus pass, touristic season ticket and season tickets , and they are not sold in the bus.
10-journeys bus pass allows traveling, as its own name indicates, 10 times. It is sold in corner stores and other authorized points of sell, and it is not personal. It means that you can use it by yourself or pay the same journey for several travelers.
Touristic season tickets are specially thought for tourists, they are also sold in corner stores and they are valid until 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 days from its first usage. This season ticket is marked in its back with the users’ identity number or passport. Such kind of ticket is personal and nontransferable, and no more than one person can use it.
Season tickets are valid for longer periods and are issued by Consorcio de Transportes de la Comunidad de Madrid [regional govern entity] and they are personal and nontransferable, as touristic season tickets are. Besides general season ticket, there are special tickets for young and retired people, and for students of the University of Alcalá de Henares.
Bus Timetables in Alcalá
Most urban Buses in Alcalá de Henares run between 6 in the morning and midnight. On Friday, Saturday and festivities eves, some lines services are extended to 3:30 early morning. In order to know the concrete timetables of each line, we recommend taking a look to the webpage www.autobusesdealcala.com.
Running frequency varies depending on the hour and line, some lines run every 5 minutes while others could take even 20 minutes or an hour, as it is the case of special night buses running during weekends. If you do not like to wait next to the bus stop, you can see passing hours in its webpage.
There is also a SMS service indicating what time the next bus is arriving, you just have to send a message to the number 685 491 049 texting ALCABUS followed by an space and the stop number. The price of the message is the same as any ordinary text (SMS).
App for Android
If you use an Android smartphone or tablet, you can take advantage of an app to view all of Alcalá bus lines, stops, and arrival times. Please note that this is not an official app, but if you regularly use this way of transport, sure you will find it useful.
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Urban Bus Lines in Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares have 12 lines of urban transport within the city to cover transport necessities.
Choose one of the lines to see working days and holidays, and its respective timetables
Línea 1:
Barrio del Pilar (Hipercor) – Campo del Angel (Los Nogales)
Línea 2:
Plaza de Cervantes – Universidad/Hospital
Línea 3:
Plaza de Cervantes – Espartales
Línea 4:
Plaza de Cervantes – Cementerio Jardín
Línea 5:
Barrio del Pilar – Centro Comercial La Dehesa
Línea 6:
Barrio del Pilar – Paseo del Val
Línea 7:
Línea 8:
Barrio Campo del Angel – Paseo del Val
Línea 9:
Plaza Estación FF.CC. – Polígono Industrial Azque
Línea 10:
Línea 11:
Línea 12:
Plaza Cervantes – Jardín Botánico – Universidad
Other Practical Details about Buses in Alcalá
In order to get on and off buses you have to wait at a bus stop; clearly signposted and seen at first sight. It is only allowed to get on the bus by using the frontal door, and to get of only through the back ones. A little before arriving to your destiny, press the red button to notify the driver that you want to get down in the following stop. If nobody press the button and there is no one waiting outside to get on, the driver will pass by.
It is forbidden to eat or drink inside buses and, of course, to smoke; as it is also prohibited to talk with the driver, though if you need some instructions you can ask without hesitation.
If you travel with a small child in a stroller, you should place yourself on the central platform—place specially allocated for wheelchairs—and place it opposite to running direction with brakes activated. Besides, it is important to place yourself in a way that you do not disturb the passing by of other passengers.
In case of wheelchairs and strollers, if there are have problems to access the bus through its front door, it might be exceptionally allowed to do it by the central one. However, remember that going inside with a double stroller is not allowed in any case it; they are too uncomfortable.
If you have any doubt, you can ask both bus driver and users. In general, Spanish people are nice and if they know the answer to your question, they will say it to you without problem.
Additional information: