Anyone visiting Tenerife will quickly notice that a bus is called a guagua on the island. In Santa Cruz de Tenerife, this form of transport is becoming increasingly important. During the first six months of 2026, the city’s bus routes recorded 8,815,319 passenger journeys. This represents an increase of 4.6% compared with the same period in 2025, equivalent to 389,347 additional journeys.
Increase in guagua use
Not all parts of Santa Cruz use the guagua network to the same extent. Together, the districts of Ofra-Costa Sur and Suroeste account for more than half of all journeys. Approximately 4.88 million passengers were recorded in these two areas, representing 55.32% of the total use of the city’s bus routes.
Ofra-Costa Sur ranks first with 2,529,395 passengers and growth of 4%. The Suroeste district follows with 2,347,746 passengers, where usage increased by 6.6%. According to the city council, particular attention is therefore being paid to improving service frequencies and adapting timetables in the areas experiencing the greatest demand.
Route 905 was the busiest service
Centro-Ifara recorded the fastest percentage growth. This central district counted 972,390 passengers, an increase of 8.3%. Salud-La Salle reached 1,589,401 passengers, 3.9% more than the previous year. Routes serving Anaga recorded 1,376,387 passengers, representing growth of 0.8%. Although this increase was more modest, these connections are particularly important for residents of smaller coastal and mountain villages.
The popularity of individual routes was also examined. Route 905, operating between Muelle Norte and Ofra, was the busiest city service, carrying 1,485,944 passengers. This represented growth of 5.7%. Almost equally popular was circular route 934, which connects the Intercambiador transport hub with Taco, Santa MarÃa del Mar and Añaza. This route carried 1,476,824 passengers, 7.4% more than one year earlier.
Also popular for day trips
Some smaller routes experienced even stronger growth. Route 936 recorded the largest percentage increase, rising by 142.7% after attracting 8,748 additional passengers. Route 948, which connects Azanos with the beaches of Almáciga and Benijo, carried 39.6% more passengers. These figures show that the guagua is used not only for everyday journeys, but also for excursions to the rural and coastal areas of Anaga.
To meet the growing demand, the city council has announced the arrival of 61 new vehicles. These will help modernise the fleet and provide additional capacity. The council also intends to improve frequencies and timetables on the routes experiencing the highest levels of demand.
For both residents and visitors, this development is positive. A more extensive service makes it easier to explore Santa Cruz without a car. For older passengers in particular, a frequent and reliable connection can make the difference between travelling independently and having to rely on a car.
At the same time, this success presents a clear challenge. More passengers require a sufficient number of vehicles, reliable connections and comfortable bus stops. The forthcoming fleet renewal will therefore determine whether the capital can maintain the growing confidence in its public transport network.
Image: AI ChatGPT
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