Gran Canaria Airport to Playa del Inglés by hire car

How far is Playa del Inglés from Gran Canaria Airport?

31.1 km by road and 27 minutes from the airport's terminal road. The GC-1 passes Bahía Feliz at 20 minutes from the airport and San Agustín at 26 before the Playa del Inglés exit, and Maspalomas follows at 30 minutes. The figures leave out traffic and parking.

Which exit do I take off the GC-1?

Exit 43, for the GC-500 into Playa del Inglés. Exit 37 is the earlier GC-500 turn towards Bahía Feliz and San Agustín, and exit 46 leads to Maspalomas.

The GC-500, the Carretera General del Sur, runs 42.9 km along the coast from El Doctoral to Taurito, through the resorts. Between the resorts the fastest way can be the motorway: from Playa del Inglés to Bahía Feliz it is 11.6 km and 13 minutes back up the GC-1, rather than the shorter line through the resort streets.

Where can I park in Playa del Inglés?

On the street, where the kerb allows it, or in a car park. San Bartolomé de Tirajana, the municipality that runs Playa del Inglés, removed its 120 to 130 parking meters in 2021, and a 2022 report found its blue zones were not operating. In neighbouring Maspalomas, Parking Maspalomas runs the Faro car park and Anexo II on Paseo Costa Canaria, both open 24 hours and charged by the minute.

Kerb markings follow national rules. A broken yellow line means no parking on that side, a solid yellow line means no stopping or parking, and a yellow zigzag marks a bus stop or loading place. Parking on the pavement, across a marked driveway or double-parked is banned everywhere in Spain.

What are the speed and alcohol limits?

Spain's general limits are 120 km/h on motorways and dual carriageways such as the GC-1, 90 km/h on ordinary roads outside towns, and inside Playa del Inglés 50, 30 or 20 km/h depending on the street, unless signs say otherwise: 50 where there are two or more lanes each way, 30 where there is one lane each way and 20 where road and pavement share one level. A hire car may only be driven on paved public roads.

The alcohol limit is 0.5 g per litre of blood, or 0.25 mg per litre of breath. For drivers in their first two years with a licence, Spanish law sets 0.3 g and 0.15 mg. The fine is 500 euros, and 1,000 euros for a driver over double the limit or caught in the previous year.

Where can I drive from Playa del Inglés?

Along the coast, from Playa del Inglés to Maspalomas is 3.5 km and 8 minutes, to San Agustín 4.2 km and 9 minutes, and to Puerto Rico 20.1 km and 21 minutes.

Inland, the GC-60 leaves the coast for the Barranco de Fataga. From Playa del Inglés the GC-60 reaches Fataga in 29 minutes. Fataga is a small white village in the ravine that belongs to San Bartolomé de Tirajana, and the Degollada de las Yeguas viewpoint looks down the barranco from the edge of the Amurga massif. Tejeda is 77 minutes from Playa del Inglés by the GC-60 and GC-603, and Roque Nublo 62 minutes; parking at the rock itself has been banned since 3 February 2025, so the car stays in Tejeda or at Cruz de los Llanos.

Can I leave the car in Playa del Inglés?

Yes, on the cars that allow it. Playa del Inglés is in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, where a one-way hire from the airport to the south coast can end, so a car collected in arrivals can be handed back at an address you give in the town, confirmed with the booking's support before you pay. The same small group of manual cars can be delivered there and returned at the airport.

How long does the drive back to the airport take?

Coming back takes less time than going out: Playa del Inglés to Gran Canaria Airport is 31.3 km and 25 minutes without traffic, north on the GC-1 to exit 16. The tank goes back at the level it had at collection, and the Repsol at km 16 of the GC-1 by the airport is open 24 hours. The terminal opens to departing passengers two hours before their flight.