Caminito del Rey Tickets: My Route, Maps and Málaga Transport Tips

Caminito del Rey tickets are the part of this trip I would arrange first. The official website releases dates in batches and popular weekends can disappear quickly. If the official calendar is sold out, do not give up immediately: we found places through a guided provider, and I explain the alternatives below.

The detail I wish I had understood earlier is that the time printed on your ticket is not the time to arrive at the car park, station or shuttle stop. You must be at the control gate 30 minutes early, and even the shorter approach from El Kiosko takes about 20 to 25 minutes. I would allow at least one to one and a half hours between parking or reaching the shuttle and your booked entry time.

This guide covers the choices that actually matter: where to buy tickets, what to try when they are sold out, how to reach Caminito del Rey from Málaga by train or car, where the shuttle fits in and what the one-way route feels like. You can also download our Caminito del Rey and Málaga map with the access paths, parking and our saved places.

Caminito del Rey at a glance

Official ticket price	€10 general admission or €18 for the official guided visit
Total distance	About 8 km including the approach and final walk
Time to allow	Roughly 3 to 4 hours for the complete outing, plus transport
Direction	One way, from the northern Ardales entrance to El Chorro
Minimum age	8 years, with original ID required for minors
Arrival	Be at the control gate 30 minutes before your ticket time
Difficulty	Technically straightforward, but long, exposed and unsuitable for severe vertigo

The old path became known as one of the world’s most dangerous walks after fatal accidents around the turn of the millennium. It was closed, completely rebuilt and reopened in 2015. Today’s route has secure boardwalks, railings and compulsory helmets. It is not a climbing route, but it still runs high above the gorge and can close because of wind, rain, heat, rockfall or maintenance.

Where to buy Caminito del Rey tickets

I would check these options in this order:

1. The official Caminito del Rey website. A self-guided ticket currently costs €10 and the official guided visit costs €18. Buy through the official ticket calendar. Dates are released in batches, so a grey or empty future month does not always mean every ticket has gone on sale.
2. A guided ticket for visitors arranging their own transport. When the official calendar is sold out, check this guided Caminito del Rey ticket meeting near the northern entrance. Transport and the local shuttle are separate. During our visit, it was possible to leave the group after speaking to the guide, but do not assume that this is guaranteed: agree it directly with your guide and follow their instructions.
3. A day trip with transport from Málaga or the Costa del Sol. If you do not want to coordinate a train, shuttle, approach walk and return time, compare this Caminito del Rey trip with transport and entry. Check the exact pickup point before paying because it is not automatically a door-to-door hotel transfer.

I would not build the day around buying a ticket at the entrance. The official rules now describe advance reservation as mandatory, and availability on your chosen day is too important to leave to chance. Also note that the visitor centre is not the entrance gate.

I use GetYourGuide in many destinations because I prefer booking online to negotiating a tour price after arrival. Cancellation conditions differ between activities, so read the deadline for the exact product.

Which guided option should you choose?

• Arriving by your own car or train: choose the guided ticket meeting near the northern entrance.
• Arriving in El Chorro and wanting the local bus included: compare the guided visit including the shuttle.
• If the first guided product is unavailable: check this alternative official-guide tour.

How to get to Caminito del Rey from Málaga

The route runs north to south. Visitors enter near Ardales and finish in El Chorro, so you cannot simply return to the same gate after the walk. The shuttle bus connects the two ends.

By train from Málaga

Renfe operates a limited Málaga-El Chorro/Caminito del Rey service using a mixture of Proximity, Cercanías and Media Distancia trains. Search from Málaga Centro Alameda or Málaga María Zambrano to El Chorro-Caminito del Rey. Do not get off early in Álora. The journey is normally around 40 to 60 minutes, but the gaps between trains can shape your entire day, so check the current Renfe service for your date.

From El Chorro station, take the shuttle towards the northern side, get off near El Kiosko and then walk to the control gate. On the return, the trail finishes close to El Chorro station, which makes the train practical if the times match your booking.

The Caminito del Rey shuttle bus

The official FAQ currently lists the shuttle at €2.50 per person. A ticket is valid for unlimited journeys in either direction on the day of your visit. You can add it to an official booking or pay the driver in cash; cards are not accepted on board. The journey between El Chorro and the El Kiosko area takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Services usually run about every 30 minutes, but check the current official FAQ before travelling.

Driving and parking

A car gives you more flexibility, especially if Caminito is part of a wider Andalusia trip. I normally compare rentals through DiscoverCars. Official parking at the visitor centre currently costs €2 per day and connects to the shuttle. P2 is beside the finish in El Chorro, while P1 is on the northern side. Whichever one you choose, allow at least an hour before the required gate arrival.

Free roadside places exist, but recent reviews mention break-ins. I would not leave luggage or anything valuable visible in the car. Also remember that the visitor centre and its car park are not the control gate.

Which entrance and approach path should you use?

Everyone starts at the northern control gate, but there are two ways to walk there from the El Kiosko area. The short approach is about 1.5 km and goes through a tunnel. The longer route is about 2.7 km.

We recommend the longer approach. Most people crowd into the short tunnel route, while the longer path felt quieter and gave us more of the landscape before the official section even began. The trade-off is time: allow roughly 35 to 50 minutes for it, then remember that you still need to be at the gate 30 minutes before your booked slot.

What the Caminito del Rey route is really like

The complete outing is about 8 km if you use the shorter approach: 1.5 km to the gate, 2.955 km inside the controlled route and another 2.1 km from the end towards El Chorro station. Around 1.55 km of the controlled section is on boardwalks fixed to the rock; the rest is trail or forest track. Choosing the longer approach adds about 1.2 km.

The route is mostly downhill and does not require climbing skills, but it is not a casual city walk. There are heights, exposed boardwalks, steps and several hours on your feet. If you have severe vertigo, the secured railings may not make the experience comfortable.

At the most dramatic crossing between the cliffs, you can only walk across once. A member of staff controls the area and will not let you turn around for another photograph. There are a few benches along the route, but limited places to pass slower visitors. Look beyond the boardwalk too: you may see vultures, mountain goats or a train passing through the gorge.

The new 110-metre suspension bridge

A major change since our own walk is the new 110-metre suspension bridge, which opened in June 2026 near the El Chorro end of the route. It is an additional experience after the sections shown in our photographs, so I cannot describe crossing it personally. The one-way logistics and arrival rules remain the part I would plan most carefully.

Opening days, weather closures and refunds

Caminito del Rey normally opens from Tuesday to Sunday, with selected Mondays added in busy periods. It generally closes on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January. Entry hours change with daylight and season, so use the official booking calendar rather than copying a time from an older guide.

The route may close at short notice because of wind, rain, high temperatures, rockfall or maintenance. Check the official weather and closure page the day before and again in the morning. Umbrellas are prohibited on the boardwalk, so take a rain jacket instead.

If the operator closes the route, the official purchase conditions allow visitors to manage an exchange, subject to availability, or request a refund through their personal account. Follow the deadline and instructions shown for your booking rather than relying on a tour company’s general policy.

What to take to Caminito del Rey

• At least 1 to 1.5 litres of water per person. If you are buying equipment in Czechia, a light collapsible one-litre Nalgene bottle takes up less room after the walk.
• A small snack such as fruit, nuts or an energy bar. Plan a proper meal before entering or after reaching El Chorro.
• Original identification, especially for children. Staff may check the age of every visitor under 18.
• Cash for the shuttle if it is not already attached to your official booking.
• Closed shoes secured around the heel. Flip-flops and high heels are prohibited.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a rain jacket according to the forecast. Do not bring an umbrella.
• A small backpack. Large bags are prohibited and there is no casual luggage-storage solution inside the route.

A helmet is provided at the entrance and must remain correctly fitted throughout the controlled section. There are no toilets inside, so use the facilities before entering. Hiking poles, selfie sticks, pushchairs, child carriers, animals and smoking are also prohibited. Read the current mandatory rules before packing.

For a mountain walk that may close because of weather, I would also arrange travel insurance with a 50% discount before the trip and check what the policy covers.

Caminito del Rey with children

Children under eight cannot enter. Visitors aged 8 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult and carry an original passport, identity card or another accepted document proving their age. A photograph on a phone is not something I would rely on.

Pushchairs, baby carriers and carrying a child in your arms are not permitted on the controlled boardwalk. Parents travelling with younger children sometimes visit separately while the other adult waits with them, but that means planning two slots and the one-way transport carefully.

For more ideas before or after the walk, see my things to do in Málaga guide. I would give the city at least two full days instead of using it only as a base for Caminito.

Thank you to Michal Schindler, co-author of On The Road Again, for the photographs from the route.

FAQ about Caminito del Rey

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