I am coming into Malaga airport. 
I have been told that the best way to get to Granada is by bus.

Is it possible to get a bus from the airport to Granada or do I have to go to Malaga bus station?
Is it best to book in advance or to buy the ticket when I arrive? 

Is it cheaper if I buy tickets in advance. 

This is a very common question.

In my opinion it is best to buy a ticket to Granada from Malaga in advance.
It makes things easier if you aready have the ticket and it is one less thing to worry about on arrival.

For the Malaga Airport (AGP) to Granada route, there is no substantial price penalty for buying tickets on the day versus booking far in advance.

• Standard Fare: ~€14 to €16 one-way.
• Advance vs. Same-Day Difference: €0 to €2. Standard fixed rates apply across most departures.

Risk Factor: Seat Availability
The main issue with buying on arrival isn't the cost, but bus capacity. Direct buses run right out of Terminal 3 arrivals, making this route very popular. If a flight delay pushes arrival into peak hours or if multiple flights land simultaneously, the immediate next bus can sell out, leaving a wait at the airport terminal for the following departure.

Recommended Booking Strategies:

• Option 1: Book on the Alsa App After Landing
  Wait until passing through passport control and collecting luggage. Open the Alsa app or website and purchase a ticket for the next available departure. If the direct airport bus is full, take the local C1 Cercanias train from the airport to Malaga Maria Zambrano central station (a 15-25) minute ride), where buses to Granada run every hour or so.
• Option 2: Book in Advance with a "Flexi" Add-On
  Select a bus ~1.5 to 2.5 hours after scheduled flight landing time. During checkout on Alsa's platform, opt for the Flexi rate / cancellation protection (usually €1–€2 extra). This allows ticket changes or cancellations up to 2 hours before departure if the flight is delayed.

To buy tickets online go to https://alsa.es

A good site for quickly comparing prices of trains and buses etc is OMIO Click here

If you miss a bus they normally let you onto the next bus without paying again as long as you have a ticket but many people also say that this is not the case. 

So there is a maybe 50/50 chance that you can reuse your existing ticket. 


Shuttle bus from Malaga Airport to Malaga City Centre
It is easy to get to Malaga bus station. There is a shuttle bus from Malaga Airport to Malaga City Centre, there are 10 bus stops along the way.  The total journey time is around 15 – 25 minutes. It costs just about 3€ and you can pay the driver direct. The bus station stop is  Estación de Autobuses (Maria Zambrano). There is a bus around every 20 – 25 minutes from 7am until midnight from the airport. 


Alsa Bus has a bus every hour from Malaga Bus Station  to Granada untiI 20:00h.

There are many more buses from Malaga Bus station than from the airport.

For advice about what to do if you arrive in Malaga after 8pm click here

Comments:

Lesley Weames (August 2026) 
I always book on the app because the queues can be horrendous at the bus stations although there are machines as well.
If you are making the same journey more than twice its much cheaper to buy a package of single tickets. It gives you this option on the app. They have to be used by the same person though.