You don’t usually get excited about buses.
They turn up…or they don’t. They’re late…or they’re packed. That’s about it.
But this is actually something a bit different.
Tenerife gets double-decker buses…finally
TITSA are bringing in Spain’s first double-decker buses, with 13 set to be running before the end of summer.
The first one’s already landed in Santa Cruz, straight off the boat, and will soon be put into service on some of the busiest routes on the island.
And if you’ve ever tried getting from the north to the south at the wrong time of day, you’ll know what does this means.
More space on the routes that need it
They’re starting with the 110 route between Santa Cruz and Costa Adeje.
That line’s busy…all the time.
It runs every 15 minutes and still manages to feel full more often than not, so increasing capacity from 59 seats to 85 is a decent jump.
You’re looking at around 44% more space per bus, which should take a bit of pressure off…in theory.
Other routes getting them include:
112 – Santa Cruz to Los Cristianos
108 – Santa Cruz to Icod de los Vinos
All key routes, especially for commuters and anyone who doesn’t fancy driving the TF-1 or TF-5 every day.
Not just bigger…a bit more modern
These aren’t just old-school double-deckers rolled out for the sake of it.
They’ve got cameras instead of wing mirrors, which is something you’ll start seeing more of now. Better visibility for drivers, fewer blind spots.
Inside, it’s what you’d expect:
Seatbelts
Charging points
Accessibility ramps
Space for reduced mobility
Clear info systems
Basically, a step up from the usual “find a seat and hope for the best” experience.
Rolling out over the next few months
They’re not all arriving at once.
About four a month, with all 13 expected on the island by June, and fully running through summer.
Each one still needs fitting out properly once it arrives…ticket systems, displays, all the usual bits…so it’s not instant.
The bigger picture
Since free public transport came in, more people are using the buses. That’s obvious if you’ve been on one recently.
Passenger numbers have nearly doubled, and to be fair, the fleet’s improved a lot. It’s one of the newer ones in Spain now, averaging just over three years old.
They’ve added over 350 buses in the last few years, with more on the way.
These double-deckers are just the next step.
Will it make a difference?
It should help on the busiest routes. More seats is more seats.
But it’s not going to magically fix traffic or overcrowding overnight.
Still…for once, it’s a practical upgrade rather than just talk.
And if it means one less journey standing up all the way down the motorway, most people won’t complain.
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