The Teide Cable Car runs up the upper slopes of Teide, the volcano at the centre of Tenerife whose 3,715 m summit is the highest point in Spain. The base station stands beside the public road across the Las Cañadas caldera at 2,356 m, in the municipality of La Orotava and inside Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007. The cabins reach the upper station at 3,555 m in about eight minutes; the final climb to the summit is open only with a permit.
Teide Cable Car
Cable car up the flank of Teide, climbing from the caldera road at 2,356 m to 3,555 m in eight minutes.
- Entrance
- Paid cable car ticket. The final climb to the summit needs a separate free permit.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible parking, entrance and toilet at the base station. At 3,555 m the thin air can cause dizziness, especially for people with heart or lung conditions.
- Parking
- Free car park about 50 m away; a second free car park about 160 m away is for customers.
- Difficulty
- No approach to speak of: car park and bus stop sit beside the base station. At the top, walking is at 3,555 m in thin air; the Pico Viejo viewpoint is 10 to 15 minutes each way.
- Transport
- TITSA bus to the Teleférico del Teide stop beside the base station; a return service runs once a day from Puerto de la Cruz and from Playa de las Américas.
- Advance booking
- Recommended: an advance ticket gives a fixed departure time. The summit permit is separate.
- Hours
- Daily, 9:00–18:40.
- Address
- Cañadas del, Teide National Park, 38300 La Orotava, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
What makes it special
The cabin climbs about 1,200 m in eight minutes, lifting off the floor of the Las Cañadas caldera to an upper station at 3,555 m, only 160 m below the top of Spain. Out of the window the lava flows drop away fast. At the top the ground is bare rock and pumice, and paths run out across Teide's upper slopes.
The path to the Pico Viejo viewpoint takes 10 to 15 minutes each way and ends above the crater of Pico Viejo, a bowl 800 m across streaked with colour. Turn round and the whole caldera spreads out below. On a clear day the neighbouring islands sit on the horizon, and on many days a layer of cloud covers the island's lower slopes.
Good to know
- Time at the top is limited to about an hour, so decide on your walk before you board.
- It is cold and windy at 3,555 m whatever the weather on the coast. Bring a warm jacket and layers.
- In winter, ice can close the paths at the top, leaving only the area around the platform.
- Toilets at the base station charge a fee but are free with a cable car ticket; cafés and souvenir shops are at the bottom too.
Getting there
The base station stands beside the public road that crosses the Las Cañadas caldera from north-east to south-west, at 2,356 m. Drivers leave the car in the car park about 50 m away; a second car park, about 160 m away, is for customers. The bus stop, Teleférico del Teide, is about 35 m away, served by TITSA.
From either, the entrance is right there, and the cabin does the rest: eight minutes up to the upper station at 3,555 m. Several footpaths also climb to the upper station for those who come up on foot.
Best time to visit
Best: a clear, calm day; in May and June the caldera around the base station flowers, with the red spires of Teide bugloss (tajinaste rojo) standing up to 3 m tall.
Avoid: winter days after frost or snow, when ice can shut the paths at the top.
The ride pays off only when the view is open, and in winter the upper station is bitterly cold.
Access & restrictions
The cable car stands inside Teide National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that takes in the volcano and the whole Las Cañadas caldera. The final climb from the upper station to the summit is restricted: it needs a free permit, which the cable car ticket does not include.
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Teide Cable Car on the map
The upper station sits at 3,555 m, where thin air can bring on dizziness and altitude sickness, above all for people with heart or lung conditions. If symptoms start, go back down on the next cabin.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does the cable car ride take?
About eight minutes, from the base station at 2,356 m to the upper station at 3,555 m.Does the cable car go to the summit of Teide?
It stops at 3,555 m, 160 m below the summit. The final climb to the top needs a free permit, separate from the cable car ticket.How long can you stay at the top?
About an hour. That is enough for the walk to the Pico Viejo viewpoint, which takes 10 to 15 minutes each way.Should I book tickets in advance?
It helps: an advance ticket comes with a set departure time, so you know when your cabin leaves.What should I wear?
Warm layers and a windproof jacket. The top is cold and windy even when the coast is warm, and in winter ice can close the paths.