How to get from Lanzarote to Fuerteventura, Spain

You can get from Lanzarote to Fuerteventura by plane, or two ferry routes:

Our Issue:

You can save a lot of money on airfare if you’re willing to fly to a different airport and then use land transport to get to your final destination.

We did exactly this recently when we travelled from Jerez to Fuerteventura — instead of paying €300+ for a “direct” flight, which would include a stopover, we had a friend drive us to Seville airport, then flew to Lanzarote.

Since the flight arrived late, we booked a room in Puerto del Carmen, then travelled on to Fuerteventura the next day. When we left the islands, we flew from Fuerteventura to Milan — we rarely do round trips!

If you’re thinking of doing something similar, either to save money or to see more of the Canary Islands, you’ll need to know how to get from Lanzarote to Fuerteventura.

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1. Fly from the Airport – ACE to FUE – Near Puerto del Carmen

You can fly directly from Lanzarote Airport (ACE) to Fuerteventura (FUE). Simple.

But we decided to fly into Lanzarote, overnight in Puerto del Carmen, and catch the ferry the next day.

The budget way to travel from the airport to Puerto del Carmen is by bus. Unfortunately, it stops running at 10pm, so if you arrive at night, you’ll have to take a taxi. Our 15-minute trip cost around €13 and the driver was friendly and took the fastest route. The taxi stand is right outside the exit doors of the airport terminal.

If you arrive in the morning and aren’t interested in hanging around on Lanzarote, you can catch bus 61 direct from the airport to the port.

2. Bus from Puerto del Carmen to Playa Blanca, to catch the ferry

If you’re travelling with the biggest (and most expensive) ferry company, Fred Olsen, there’s a free shuttle to the port from Puerto del Carmen. We chose to travel with Naviera Armas, who had a really good special offer at the time.

We travelled to Playa Blanca by public bus. Buses from Puerto del Carmen run regularly but not often, and the route can be changed if there’s a special event on — Carnaval, in our case. Luckily the route change didn’t come into effect until 2pm, and we wanted to catch the 12.05 bus.

I say 12.05 because that’s what was on the timetable I saw online, but the bus actually arrived at 12.20. Since it’s a 40-minute trip, it would have been a rush to get to the port to catch the 1pm boat — luckily, though, our tickets were for the 3pm departure.

Bus 61 cost us €2.65 from Puerto del Carmen to Playa Blanca in 2013 — current prices are not available online, but it’s likely to be less than €4. You can catch the bus from Avenida Las Playas, the main road along the beach. There’s a stop opposite the casino, but be aware that the bus stop signs face the road — so look out for taxis in the taxi rank: they share the space.

The journey covered at least a third of the island, so it’s a cheap way to see some of the sights of Lanzarote, such as the arid hills and white villages. We arrived in Playa Blanca at around 12.55 and wandered into the town centre, where we followed a pedestrian street all the way to the port — allow at least 15 minutes between the bus stop and the port to find your way, though the walk itself is only about ten minutes.

3. Ferry from Lanzarote to Fuerteventura: Playa Blanca to Corralejo

There are two or three ferry companies to choose from, and in winter you’ll probably be fine buying your ticket on the day, though the websites will encourage you to purchase in advance — and you’ll likely get a discount if you buy online, too.

It’s certainly worth checking the timetables in advance, as there are often two-hour gaps between departures. However, there are bars and restaurants at the port, so you can have a drink while you wait.

The ferries leave right on time, so make sure you board at least 15 minutes early — the gangway came in five minutes before our departure time on our ferry. It’s a short trip: 20 or 25 minutes depending on which company you travel with, and you’ll be dropped in the beach town of Corralejo.

From here you can catch a bus to many parts of the island, such as the capital Puerto Rosario. To get to the airport you’ll need to travel to Puerto Rosario and then get another bus, but if your final destination is Corralejo, you’ve already arrived! Corralejo is pretty small so if you don’t have too much luggage you should be able to walk to your accommodation.

Note: this article was originally published in 2013, but was updated with current links and information in 2022