First week
Time
15 min
Cost
Free card + pay per trip
Difficulty
Easy
What to bring
Photo ID (passport works)
Cash or card
Not needed: NIE
Not needed: A local address (the Intermodal card needs no padrón)
Your options
Tarjeta Intermodal (TIB)
The island-wide get-one card
Free card + subsidised fares
Loads EMT city buses, TIB intercity buses, the SFM metro and the trains to Inca, Sa Pobla and Manacor. No padrón needed, so it's the first-week card.
Tarjeta Ciutadana (EMT)
For residents, once you have padrón
Free card + resident EMT fares
Palma's resident card. Cuts EMT bus fares to well under a euro a ride and unlocks Bicipalma bike share. Apply after you're empadronat.
Single tickets / contactless
Occasional trips
€2 EMT single, €5 airport
Buy onboard or tap a contactless card. Fine now and then, but far dearer per ride than the Intermodal or Ciutadana.
Prices checked June 2026
Do it
- 1
Pick up a Tarjeta Intermodal
Free at the TIB desk at the Estació Intermodal (Plaça d'Espanya), the airport, or many estancos. Bring your passport.
- 2
Load credit on the card
Top up at the Estació Intermodal machines, estancos, or the TIB app. Fares are distance-based and discounted versus single tickets.
- 3
Once you have padrón, add the Tarjeta Ciutadana
Apply through EMT Palma (emtpalma.cat) with your empadronament for the cheapest city-bus fares and Bicipalma access.
- 4
Tap in on bus, metro and train
The Intermodal works across EMT, TIB, the SFM metro (M1 to the university, M2 to Marratxí) and the trains. Keep it topped up in the app.
Words you'll hear
TIB / Tarjeta Intermodal
The Balearic transport card. Loads EMT city buses in Palma plus TIB intercity buses, metro and train at subsidised fares.
Common questions
Which card should I get first?
The Tarjeta Intermodal. It needs no padrón and covers the whole island's buses, metro and train. Add the EMT Tarjeta Ciutadana later for cheaper city rides once you're registered.
How do I get from the airport?
The EMT line A1 runs airport ↔ city centre for a flat €5 (not covered by normal passes). The A2 reaches Palma's beaches and Arenal.
Is there a metro in Palma?
A small one: SFM lines M1 and M2 from Plaça d'Espanya to the university and Marratxí. Most in-city journeys are EMT buses or on foot; trains reach Inca, Sa Pobla and Manacor.
Full checklist tracking and task completion live in the Settli app for Mallorca.