Things to know before going up Mount Teide
Everything you need to know before going up Mount Teide: how to get the summit permit, the cable car, how to get there, what to bring and visit tips.
Miriam4 min readVerified · August 2026
Visiting the Teide is one of the must-do activities if you come to Tenerife. After all, Mount Teide is the highest peak in Spain and the third-largest volcano in the world. Here are some things you should know before going up Mount Teide in Tenerife.
Mount Teide: the highest peak in Spain
- The Teide is the highest peak in Spain at 3,715 metres, and the cable car takes you up to 3,555 m.
- The Teide is an active volcano. Its last eruption was Chinyero, in 1909, on the northwest flank; the summit itself has been quiet for around 1,000 years.
How to get to the Teide and parking
You can go to the Teide on your own, by car or by bus (guagua). You can also book one of the excursions that include a visit to the Teide.
By bus there are only two TITSA lines that stop at the cable car, with a single departure a day in each direction: the 342 from Costa Adeje station, leaving at 9:25, and the 348 from Puerto de la Cruz, at 9:30. Coming back, the 342 passes the cable car at 15:40 and the 348 at 16:05, so keep an eye on the time: if you miss it, there isn’t another.
There’s free outdoor parking at 2,356 m. It has room for 220 vehicles and you’ll need to go early to be sure of a space. It opens at 8:00 and closes at 18:00 in winter or 19:40 in summer. Otherwise, you can always park nearby and walk a little.
The cable car: tickets, duration and restrictions
- Book your Teide cable car tickets in advance. You might get all the way there and find there’s no availability.
- The return ticket costs from €42 for adults and €21 for kids (3–13).
Canary Islands residents get reduced rates: from €10.50 and €5.25. - If you only want one leg, up or down, it’s €23.50 for adults and €11.75 for kids (€5.88 and €2.94 for residents). The descent-only ticket can only be booked at the upper station, with a QR code, and only if the cable car is running.
- Opening hours: it runs from 9:00 all year, closing between 17:00 in winter and 18:40 in summer. The one to watch is the last ascent, an hour before closing; the last descent is ten minutes before.
- The cable car ride takes 8 minutes.
- At the cable car base station there’s a café, a buffet, a souvenir shop and toilets. Your ticket also gets you into the ‘Ciencia y Leyenda’ exhibition, about the Teide’s last major eruption and Guanche mythology.
- Not permitted on the cable car: people with cardiovascular problems, pregnant women or children under 3, because of the pressure and lack of oxygen.
- On the cable car, animals aren’t allowed.
- The ticket reminds you that you can’t stay more than an hour at the top, but honestly we’ve never seen them enforce it.
The permit to climb to the summit
To climb to the summit you need a permit. Places are limited and sell out fast (they’re released week by week), so it’s best to book it as soon as possible on TenerifeON. Since late 2024 the permit is no longer free: it’s free for Tenerife residents and under-14s, and paid for everyone else (check the rate when you book). The other option is the guided ascent with cable car and permit included, which sorts the permit out for you. And if you get neither, you can still go up by cable car to La Rambleta and walk the Fortaleza or Pico Viejo viewpoint trails, which don’t need a permit.
We walk through the process step by step in our guide to applying for the Teide summit permit.
Routes from the upper station (La Rambleta)
Once at the upper station, there are 3 routes you can do: the Teide Crater Route (permit required), the Mirador de la Fortaleza Route (No. 11) and the Mirador Pico Viejo Route (No. 12).
What to bring and visit tips
In short, what you shouldn’t leave without:
- Warm clothes and closed shoes
- Sun cream
- Sunglasses
- Water
One rule a lot of people don’t know: smoking is banned across the whole Teide National Park, with fines starting at €100.
Other things to do at the Teide
One of the most romantic things you can do in Tenerife is the sunset, stargazing and dinner tour. You go up by cable car at sunset, toast with a glass of cava and then stargaze with long-range telescopes. Sounds great, right?
I hope these tips save you a headache or two. And if you have time left on the island, here are two more days out we love:
FAQ
Do you need a permit to go up the Teide?
To take the cable car up to the La Rambleta viewpoint (3,555 m) you don’t need a permit. You only need a special, paid permit with limited places to reach the summit via the final stretch to the crater; it’s free for Tenerife residents and under-14s, and is booked on TenerifeON (places are released week by week and sell out fast).
Can you take kids up the Teide by cable car?
Yes, though the cable car doesn’t allow children under 3, pregnant women or people with cardiovascular problems, because of the pressure and lack of oxygen at altitude. For everyone else, bring warm clothing: it’s cold at the top even in summer.
What should you bring to go up the Teide?
The essentials are warm clothing and comfortable footwear, plus sun cream, sunglasses and water. Even though you’re in the Canaries, temperatures at the summit are low and the sun is strong at altitude.
How do you get to the Teide?
You can go on your own by car or by bus, or book an organised excursion. By bus there are only two lines that stop at the cable car, with one departure a day in each direction: the 342 from Costa Adeje and the 348 from Puerto de la Cruz. There’s free outdoor parking with limited capacity, so it’s best to arrive early to be sure of a space.
How much does it cost to go up the Teide by cable car?
The return ticket costs from €42 for adults and €21 for children aged 3 to 13, with reduced rates for Canary Islands residents (from €10.50 and €5.25). For a single leg it’s €23.50 and €11.75. It’s worth booking online in advance, because places sell out.
