Car, motorbike or bike? Getting around by area

Palma: the one place you can manage without a car

In Palma, many residents get by without a car. City buses cover the barris, the M1 metro runs north from Plaça d’Espanya to the university, and trains to Inca, sa Pobla and Manacor leave from the same station. BiciPalma, the city’s public bike scheme, has been adding electric bikes and stations, and a cycle path follows the shore from the cathedral east towards Portixol.

Driving in the centre has rules worth knowing before you buy:

• A low-emission zone (ZBE) covers the area inside the Avingudes and the seafront. Since December 2024, cars without a DGT environmental label need an authorisation to enter. From 1 January 2027 cars with the B label will also be excluded, and from 2030 those with the C label.
• Twelve restricted areas (ACIRE) in the old town are open only to authorised vehicles, such as those of registered residents, owners of homes or garages and businesses. Motorbikes do not need an authorisation.
• On-street parking in central sectors is paid and time-limited (ORA). Residents registered on the municipal census can apply for a permit for their own sector.

Inland towns: trains help, a car still matters

The Raiguer towns along the Ma-13 motorway are the best connected outside Palma. The railway runs from Palma through Marratxí, Santa Maria, Binissalem and Lloseta to Inca, with trains every 10 to 20 minutes on weekdays. Beyond Inca, lines continue to sa Pobla and, through Sineu and Petra in the Pla, to Manacor.

Living within walking distance of a station makes a daily commute to Palma realistic. Outside the town centres, though, most families keep at least one car. Village shops are limited, health units keep set hours and several villages have no station.

The coast and countryside: plan on a car

Along most of the coast, in the North, Northeast, East, Southeast and South, a car is close to essential, especially in winter. TIB buses link the main towns and resorts with Palma all year, but many trips mean a change, and some lines run only in summer. A country house down a farm track needs a car for every errand.

In summer the road to the Formentor lighthouse in the north is closed to private cars during the day. Visitors go by shuttle bus, by bike or on foot, and the DGT, Spain’s traffic authority, publishes the dates and hours each year.

The Tramuntana: mountain roads and motorbikes

The Ma-10 crosses the Serra de Tramuntana from Andratx to Pollença, through Estellencs, Banyalbufar, Valldemossa, Deià, Sóller and Escorca. It is a slow, winding road, and storms and rockfalls can close sections. Sóller is easier to reach from Palma through the toll-free Sóller tunnel.

Motorbikes and scooters are easier to park than cars, and in Palma they are exempt from the ACIRE authorisations. Riders must wear an approved helmet. Since 1 October 2026, a change to Spain’s traffic rules also requires riders and passengers to wear protective gloves on roads outside towns and closed shoes that cover the whole foot on all roads. Check with the DGT which motorbikes your driving licence covers in Spain.

Cycling: training rides and everyday trips

Cycle tourism peaks in spring, with events such as the Mallorca 312, and the Tramuntana roads, such as the winding road down to Sa Calobra, draw large numbers of riders. The Balearic Government sees it as a way to extend the season, while some residents complain about congestion on the mountain roads.

• Drivers must leave at least 1.5 m when overtaking a cyclist, moving partly or fully into the next lane.
• Cyclists must generally wear a helmet on roads outside towns; under-16s must wear one everywhere.
• Outside towns at night or in poor visibility, cyclists must wear a light or reflective item visible from 150 m.
• The 29 km greenway on the old railway from Manacor to Artà is open to cyclists and walkers, away from traffic.

For everyday use, a bike works best in Palma and in flat towns on the plain. In the hills and on fast main roads, most residents use the bike for sport and the car for errands.