El Chorro – Visitor Centre Shuttle Bus

The Caminito del Rey is a linear walk: you enter from the north, in Ardales, and leave from the south, in the El Chorro hamlet, several kilometres away by road. The shuttle bus solves that return trip: it links El Chorro with the car park of the Visitor Reception Centre and, in the opposite direction, takes people who arrive by train or leave their car in El Chorro up to the north.

Route and stops

According to the official website, the shuttle has three stops:

• CRV car park, at the Puerto de las Atalayas.
• El Chorro hamlet (Álora), about 300 metres from the point where you hand back your helmet at the end of the walk.
• Next to the El Kiosko restaurant, near the north entrance.

The journey to the El Kiosko stop takes about 15 to 20 minutes. The website doesn't publish the exact frequency on the car park page.

Times and price

The shuttle runs from 7:40 to 20:00. The official website's "how to get there" page says that, for those leaving from the south area, there are departures every 30 minutes from 8:30 to 16:30; if you depend on the first or last bus, confirm beforehand. The ticket costs €2.50 per person, is not included in the entry ticket and gives unlimited journeys in both directions on the day of your visit. You buy it on the official website, linked to your ticket, or pay in cash to the driver on boarding: cards are not accepted. The shuttle is not run by the Caminito del Rey but by a transport company.

Fitting it into your visit

There are two ways to organise it. If you park in the north (CRV or Ardales P1), you do the walk, hand back your helmet in El Chorro and take the shuttle back to your car. If you arrive by train at El Chorro station or park at El Chorro P2, you take the shuttle north before starting and, when you finish, you are already next to your car or the station.

In both cases keep the timings in mind: from the El Kiosko stop it is about 35 minutes on foot to the checkpoint along the 2.7 km path, and the official website asks you to be at the access area 30 minutes before your slot. The walk takes between an hour and a half and two hours; add the wait for the bus at the end.

Tips

Bring the exact fare in cash if you haven't bought it online. If you have to wait for the bus, you can have something at the La Garganta restaurant in El Chorro before heading back.