Malaga coastal bus route drops electronic tickets – Payment rules tighten on busy line 260

Passengers on the popular coastal bus service between Malaga and Velez-Malaga are going to have to adapt to new ticketing rules following the town’s entry into the Malaga Metropolitan Transport Consortium. Line 260, which serves around 30 stops across three towns with departures every 45 minutes on weekdays, no longer accepts electronic tickets bought through the Alsa app.

Available ways to pay for journeys

Users can travel with the green consortium card, buy paper tickets from authorised sales points, or pay cash directly to the driver. Bank card payments are still unavailable on board. The change took effect on May 1, coinciding with Velez-Malaga’s integration into the public transport body.

Consortium officials confirm the Alsa mobile application stopped offering advance tickets for this route from that date. The bus operator says they are exploring ways to restore convenient advance purchase options that many regular travellers previously enjoyed.

Cheaper fares create major savings

Integration into the consortium has made substantial price reductions for daily commuters. A trip from Velez-Malaga to central Malaga now costs just 95 cents instead of the previous €3.96. Frequent users stand to save over hundreds of euros annually on this journey alone.

Families with multiple children, adults under 30, and kids under 15 gain extra discounts through the green card system.

Wider benefits for local residents

Around 33,000 people in the area can obtain the green card from numerous tobacconists, kiosks, and bookshops. The bus company stresses these economic advantages are the primary gain from the integration process.

Alsa continues working with Malaga Province transport officials to potentially reintroduce digital ticket options in the future. Until then, commuters should plan journeys using the approved payment methods to ensure smooth travel on this key coastal connection.