How to use the tram in Tenerife.

Although it's likely that in your hometown you'll be more used to the tram system, it will obviously have its differences when using it in another part of the world. On the occasional chance that you might use it, it would be a good idea to read this article on how to use the tram in Tenerife and how not to make a mistake which could lead to an unwanted fine.

The tram in Tenerife, also known as the 'Metropolitano de Tenerife', is a light train navigation system which runs through the metropolitan area in Tenerife, made up of two cities - Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal de la Laguna. The metro lines go through the most important parts of the metropolitan area, which is why it's an ideal alternative to get around the city and arrive at whatever your point of interest may be.

The Tenerife tram is divided into two lines, whose names are as simple as "line 1" and "line 2". I will explain later exactly where they take you and which places of interest you can get to, but first it's important to focus on the payment methods of this transport service, which is possibly the most confusing part as there are many options for what you need.

The tram in Tenerife leaving its first stop in Santa Cruz.

HOW TO PAY FOR YOUR TRAM TICKETS:

One of the first things you should know is that when paying for your tram ticket, you should purchase it before you get onto the train, because there are no machines on board to buy your passes as you may find in other cities like Lisbon. Once you know this, the options you have are:

-Paper passes: probably the most popular option as they have been around since day one. You can purchase these at bus stations (in other words, the stations in Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal), in the machines installed at every tram stop, and even in kiosks, tobacco stores, bookshops and other places which offer them. However, in all these places they only have top up passes with a fixed amount of money on, which will be used up and the money will be taken away, depending on how much your journey costs. To put it simply, you can buy passes for 15 and 25 euros (and with these passes, each journey within the metropolitan area will cost you 1.15 euros, or even cheaper). In addition, you have an enormous variety of tickets and passes you can buy directly from the ticket machines installed at every tram stop. Due to this, they are only tickets exclusive to the tram service. (If you want to catch the bus, these tickets are invalid). Amongst these tickets are: single or return tickets (1.35 euros for each journey), day passes (4.50 euros for an unlimited number of journeys), 5 journey passes (6 euros), and also student and family tickets (which have a discount price). There are other options you can look into to see which is the best pass for your daily travel in La Laguna and Santa Cruz. Obviously I'm leaving out some of the pass options as there are so many, but below you can find the Tenerife metropolitan website with more help and information when checking out the tickets: http://metrotenerife.com/tickets-and-fares//.

*IMPORTANT: You can only use the bus and tram service together with the top up passes (the ones which deduct money from your balance as you travel). Therefore, in order to combine tram and bus fares at no extra cost or with a cost of only 10 cents, whether it's between the tram and bus service or vice-versa, you should have your top up passes ready and not the ones which deduct journeys from your card in order not to count another journey being made. You will have to consult beforehand in a transport office if this is possible.

-Application "ViaMovil": Since a couple of years ago, the tram service have implemented a mobile application system called "ViaMovil" which is available for all android and iPhone users and is really intuitive. The way it works is really simple. This application will act as your virtual wallet in which you can upload your credit card or buy passes as you need them, or you can put money on it according to your needs without uploading your bank details. This works by buying a ticket with money which then gives you a code. This code will then be inputted into the application and it will top up your virtual wallet. With the money that you have in your virtual wallet, you can buy all available tickets on the application, which corresponds to the 15 and 25 euro passes, the 5 journey pass, single tickets, university passes, monthly passes and other types as an alternative method to paper tickets. Paper tickets are passes giving you an unlimited travel within a certain area stated on your ticket which will expire in a month and the maximum number of areas it covers is two. For now, there isn't a pass on the application which covers the whole island at a fixed price, but you can visit the island with passes which give you a discount price. Below you can see a map of all the zones which are covered in the monthly passes and the bus lines you can also catch, and a screenshot of the ViaMovil application with the available transport passes:

Link to the original image.

Apologies for the size of the image, but as I've mentioned, the application offers so many options.

Something I should highlight is that, if you have doubts about whether you can catch your desired tram lines with each ticket, on the ViaMovil application, you can click on each pass and it will give you all the information about the routes available, just like with the normal paper tickets.

-Cards or Contactless: This system is still not avaiable on all routes, but it's starting to be implemented now, with the aim of getting rid of all paper tickets (good for the town and great news for the environment). You can get these cards online if you want to personalise it with your name (this is necessary if you purchase a personalised pass, such as a monthly pass, a family pass or a student pass). You can also buy them directly from the bus stations however they won't be personalised. If you're under 26, for 30 euros a month these cards allow you to use any line all over the island. If you're over 26 or just on the margin but 30 euros a month isn't worthwhile as you won't use public transport that much, you can top it up in the same way as you can with the mobile application ViaMovil. You just have to go online, or to an office or use one of the machines at the tram stops. Here is the website with more information if you have any doubts: http://tenmas.es/

These are the payment methods you can use, but honestly the most useful method for me is the mobile app because you don't have to go anywhere to top it up if you have your credit card linked to the account, so you save valuable time.

-HOW TO VALIDATE MY JOURNEYS ON THE TRAM:

This is really simple. As there are three different payment methods, you can validate your ticket in the following ways:

-Paper passes: You must insert your ticket into the red cancelling machine, which is in every carriage, as soon as you get onto the tram, making sure the white part is face-up with the letters and numbers in the machine. (Remember this because this is the only place I know where you don't put the picture side into the machine and I've seen many confused faces trying to figure out why they haven't been charged). Insert your ticket and you're ready to travel, that's it. You can see how much money you have left on the other side.

-ViaMovil Application: Once you have bought your ticket on the application, press the button at the bottom called "títulos", choose the pass you want to use (you can have different passes at once), and click "viajar". Immediately after, your camera will open so you can scan one of the QR codes which can be found in every carriage. Once you have done that, it will beep and indicate that you have validated your pass. If a ticket-master comes round to check that you have a valid ticket, go onto "recibos" and there you'll find your receipt to show them.

-Cards and Contactless: You just have to touch your card with the validating machines and these automatically charge you or they will validate your journey if your card isn't a discount card,

-HOW TO USE THE TRAM LINES:

As I mentioned previously, the tram is divided into two lines which I will now explain:

-Line 1: This line starts in 'Avenida de La Trinidad' in the centre of San Cristóbal de la Laguna, and ends at the Santa Cruz bus station and vice-versa. This is the main metropolitan line and connects the two biggest cities in Tenerife. The duration of the journey from one end to another doesn't last more than 45 minutes and the frequency of the service varies, however at rush hour, you won't be waiting longer than 5 or 10 minutes for the tram, so it's a great service. The most useful stops for you are:

• Trinidad: This stops leaves you very close to the centre of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, where you will find the majority of public services such as the town hall, the international office for the University of La Laguna, tourist information points, etc. Next to this stop, you will find pedestrianised streets.
• Gracia/Guajara: Both stops leave you at the Guajaran campus. The Gracia stop is the one you need for Political Science faculties (people studying business, administration, tourism, economics, social work and law). While the Guajara stop is better if you want to go to other faculties like journalism, geography, languages, philosophy, fine arts and the main university building.
• Hospital Universitario: You need this stop, which leaves you at the hospital, if you live in the north of the island.
• Hospital La Candelaria: This hospital applies to people who live in Santa Cruz or the southern part of the island.
• Conservatorio: This stop leaves you next to the music conservatory and also next to the Fernando Estévez art institute.
• Weyler: This stop is for the most central square in Santa Cruz and you can find lots of public services here, such as pedestrianised streets and shops in the city and the García Sanabria park. Ideal if you want to go shopping.
• Teatro Guimerá: This takes you to the shopping area in Santa Cruz.
• Fundación: This leaves you at the bottom of the shopping streets in Santa Cruz.
• Intercamiador de Santa Cruz: The last stop on the line, which you can get off at if you need to take a transfer using the bus service from this station.

-Line 2: This line runs in the heart of La Cuesta and Tíncer. They are lovely, lively areas, but there aren't particularly any places of interest for you to visit during your day out (it therefore only has six stops). I won't mention the most relevant stops as I don't consider it necessary.

A map of both lines with their respective stops.

Nevertheless, if you need to go anywhere on line 2, or you simply live near a stop on line 2 and want to change to line 1, you just have to go to "Hospital Universitario" or "El Cardonal" to change as these stops are where the lines cross. Remember that it's very important to tap in on the first tram as well as the second tram because although they won't charge you twice, they need to validate your journey.

With everything you have just read, you will now know how to use this method of transport perfectly when you get ready to go to Tenerife. Despite this, below I have listed some important details to remember:

-Even if you run out of money on your paper ticket, don't throw it away or break it until you get off the tram after your last journey. An inspector may come round and ask to see it.

-If you get onto a tram and don't tap in, you may be fined up to 400 euros.

-Personalised passes are validated with your identity card, so if you use a personalised pass, make sure you keep your identity card with you otherwise you may be fined.

-In case there is a problem with your pass, for example if the machine doesn't validate it or it doesn't give your card back, you break it or whatever reason, you should note down the tram number you are on, the date and time. You will find the number at the top of the screen which separates the driver and passengers. Then, you should call the 'metropolitano de Tenerife' (the contact number is 922 02 48 00) and report it. You'll have to go to their main offices in Taco and they'll give you a new pass with one journey as compensation for going to the office.

-The tram runs at night too, although not every day. Consult the timetables on the website.

-On the application ViaMovil there is a section where you can see how many minutes are left until the next tram arrives at every stop.

-Think twice if you want to catch the tram during the carnival. It's not pleasant at all, packed with so many drunks doing their thing on the tram.

And with that, we have concluded this article. I hope it has been of great use!

---

Photo gallery