Planning your Tenerife trip? One of the Canary Islands off the coast of North West Africa but belonging to Spain, Tenerife is a popular holiday destination for tourists, and thanks to its warm climate, makes for the perfect place for both a summer holiday and a winter holiday.
The island itself – the largest in the Canaries at 785sq miles (2,034sq km) – is easy to explore by car, and road trips around the island provide some of the most beautiful scenery that you would otherwise be unable to experience.
Here at Holiday Cars, we will provide you with some tips when it comes to hiring a car in Tenerife, as well as the rules and regulations for driving around this large Spanish island.
How to Plan Your Route and Avoid Traffic in Tenerife
It’s so tempting to simply jump into your hire car and head off to your hotel, or perhaps the nearest restaurant for some traditional Canarian food, but there are a few rules and regulations that need to be adhered to while driving in Tenerife.
Driving Rules and Regulations in Tenerife
Because Tenerife belongs to Spain, the rules in Tenerife are generally much the same as those in Spain. As a result, the minimum age to be able to drive in Tenerife is the same as on the mainland: 18 years old. However, you must be at least 21 years old to hire a car – some providers require you to be older than this, though.
- The emergency number in Tenerife is also the same as in Spain and much of the European Union: 112.
- You must wear sensible footwear when driving in Tenerife. Flip-flops, sliders and sandals are not acceptable.
- It is illegal to use your mobile phone while driving in Tenerife.
- When overtaking, you must use your indicators. Drive on the right side of the road, and overtake on the left.
- Tenerife uses the metric system, so all signs and speed limits are given in kilometres and metres, rather than miles and yards like in the UK and USA.
- Yellow flashing traffic lights are used in Tenerife, usually at the entrance to a small town or village after you have come off a dual carriageway. You do not need to stop when these lights are flashing but must slow down and keep under the speed limit.
- Wearing a seatbelt is compulsory in Tenerife. Fines vary from €50 to €200, usually at the police officer’s discretion. Drivers will also gain 3 points on their driving licence, to
Speed Limits in Tenerife
The speed limits on the roads in Tenerife are displayed in kilometres per hour rather than miles per hour. As a general rule, they are as follows:
- Built-up areas: 50km/h (30mph)
- B-Roads: 90km/h (55mph)
- A-Roads: 100km/h (62mph)
- Motorways: 120km/h (74mph)
How to Navigate Toll Roads in Tenerife
Surprisngly, Tenerife has a toll-free motorway network, which connects roads all across the island, from south to north and east to west.
This means that driving along motorways and dual carraigeways is free, so you do not need to worry about paying any tolls while driving in Tenerife.
Navigation: Tenerife is fairly accessible as far as islands go, and with a solid motorway network, as well as dual carraigeways, driving around the island is fairly easy. The main areas that you might struggle to drive in are generally the Old Town areas, such as Puerto de la Cruz in northern Tenerife, but the south of the island is generally much more popular with tourists, and areas such as Play de Las Americas are very easy to drive around.
Rush Hours: The main rush hour in Tenerife is experienced on the TF-1 Motorway, and in the busier south side of the island. If you can avoid driving between 07:30–09:00 and 16:00–19:00 during the week and from 09:00–14:00 during the weekend, you will have a much smoother driving experience in Tenerife.
Alcohol Driving Limit: The blood alcohol level in Tenerife is the same as on the Spanish mainland. For drivers who have had their licences for less than three years, the level is 0.02% (0.2g per litre of blood), while it is 0.05% (5g per litre) for those who have been driving for more than three years. The best advice is to hve absolutely no alcohol if you plan on driving in Tenerife: not only is it much safer, but it will prevent you from breaking the law.
Vehicle Type: Of course, everyone has their own preferences when it comes to the perfect vehicle to drive in Tenerife, although as with most islands, smaller is generally preferable. This makes it easier to drive around the narrow streets associated with the older areas of the island, while still being able to comfortably and safely drive on the island’s motorways.
Parking Options and Tips in Tenerife
Parking in Tenerife is fairlyself-explanatory, but still different from parking in the UK.
Most public car parks are not free, although many have been updated to accept card payments as well as cash payments.
However, for on-street parking, cars cannot park against the flow of traffic. This is due to the rule in Tenerife that a solid white line on the road cannot be crossed, meaning that if you were to park against the traffic, you would have to cross the white line to do so.
This makes it easier for parking officers to identify offenders and give them tickets.
Car Hire Services and Prices in Tenerife
The majority of car hire operators are based in Tenerife South Airport (the island’s main airport), and include names such as Budget, Keddy, Europcar, Avis, Hertz, Thrifty and more.
When opting to book through Holiday Cars, you can expect to see prices as low as £3.51 per day for small cars such as the Fiat Panda, Fiat 500 and Opel Corsa, while even for larger cars such as the Opel Mokka, Citroen C3 Aircross and Jeep Compass, you will not be paying any more than £11.18 per day.
Tenerife Airport and Car Hire Facilities
As mentioned earlier, most of the popular tourist destinations in Tenerife are located on its south coast, and are within close distance of Tenerife South Airport. For example, Playa de Las Americas and Costa Adeje are both within a 25-minute drive of the airport, making it an idea place to pick up your hire car from.
By comparing prices and booking through HolidayCars.com, you can expect the very best prices for car hire in Tenerife.