In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The bus from Granada bus station takes about 45 minutes and costs €5.50 one way or €10 return. In winter it leaves at 08:00, 10:15 and 17:15 on weekdays and returns at 09:00, 16:00 and 18:30; in summer it is one round trip, 09:00 out and 17:15 back. The resort’s calendar marks 6 December 2026 for the start of the ski season, planned to 25 April 2027, snow permitting. A 1-day ski pass is from €56. Without skis, a 4x4 safari to 2,500 m is from €75 and the Los Cahorros gorge hike from €46. Prices are in euros. Or book now: the Sierra Nevada safariad is from €75 and the Los Cahorros hikead from €46 (GetYourGuide).
Getting there compared
| Option | Time | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Bus from Granada bus station | About 45 minutes | €5.50 one way, €10 return; the timetable changes with the season |
| Tour from Granada | 3 to 7 hours | From €46ad; the 4x4 safari is from €75ad |
| Car | See the resort | The road is the A-395 |
The resort is Pradollano, run by Cetursa. The Ayuntamiento’s mobility page gives the journey as about 45 minutes and says the service is reinforced in the ski season and runs less often the rest of the year (Ayuntamiento de Granada).
The bus
€5.50 one way · €10 return · from Granada bus station
Cetursa tells passengers to check its official transport channel that the bus is running before travelling (Cetursa, how to get there).
| Season | From Granada | Back from Pradollano |
|---|---|---|
| Winter, Monday to Friday | 08:00, 10:15, 17:15 | 09:00, 16:00, 18:30 |
| Winter, weekends and holidays | 08:00, 10:15, 15:00, 17:15 | 09:00, 13:00, 16:00, 18:30 |
| Summer | 09:00 daily | 17:15 from Pradollano; 17:00 from the Hoya de la Mora university hostel |
The winter bus stops at the Paseo del Violón, next to the Palacio de Congresos, 15 minutes after leaving the bus station. A ski day by bus is 08:00 out and 16:00 back, which gives about seven hours on the mountain.
A ski day
1-day pass from €56 · more than 112 km of slopes · planned season 6 December 2026 to 25 April 2027
The resort’s calendar marks 6 December 2026 for the start of the season, planned to run to 25 April 2027, snow permitting, and opening depends on the snow. The first October snowfalls were light and above 2,500 m (Cetursa; Hosteltur).
The Veleta chairlift and the slopes at Borreguiles. Photo: kallerna, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Cetursa sells 1-day and consecutive-day ski passes from €56, a half-day pass and a 5-day free-use pass from €206.50, plus family and long-stay passes (ski passes). The resort lists beginner slopes and children’s tracks. For a first day, a ski or snowboard lessonad is from €37.67 for 2 hours in a group of up to 10, with EXTRE-NIEVE, rated 4.3 from 143 reviews; the listing includes the equipment for the day, and the lift pass is the resort’s.
Without skis, the resort sells a pedestrian cable-car ticket and a Parador chairlift ticket, return from €11.50, and lists snowshoeing, an ice rink, snowmobiles and sleigh rides. A snowshoe walkad above 2,500 m is from €52 for 4 hours in a group of up to 8, with snowshoes provided; boots are required.
In summer
The summer lifts ran from 11 July to 23 August in 2026; the 2027 dates have not been announced. Cetursa’s Veleta route is 4.4 km and about 2 hours 40 minutes, with 375 m of ascent from a start at 3,028 m to the 3,396 m summit, rated high difficulty (Cetursa, Veleta route). The summer bus makes one round trip a day, so a day on the Veleta route fits the 09:00 out and the 17:15 back.
The Veleta above the resort in summer. Photo: Jebulon, Wikimedia Commons, CC0.
Tours from Granada
Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” prices for one adult. Each lists free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
| Tour | Operator | From | Length | Group | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4x4 safari to 2,500 mad | Nevada Guides | €75 | 6½ to 7 hours | Up to 8 | 4.9 from 1,832 |
| Hike to 3,000 mad | Nevada Guides | €65 | 5 to 7 hours | Up to 8; private option | 4.9 from 430 |
| Los Cahorros bridges, caves and waterfallsad | Attraversiamo tour | €46 | 3 to 4 hours | Private or small group | 4.9 from 1,074 |
| Waterfalls, caves and bridges hike with lunchad | BestToursGranada | €50 | 4½ hours | Up to 8 | 4.9 from 93 |
| Snowshoe tourad | Attraversiamo tour | €52 | 4 hours | Up to 8 | 4.9 from 90 |
The safari drives a 4x4 to 2,500 m, with a drink in a panoramic mountain hut and an hour and a half of free time; lunch is at your own expense, and the walks are short and easy. The hike to 3,000 m is rated moderate: about 5 hours of walking including breaks, 8 km and 600 m of climbing. Los Cahorros is a canyon at Monachil with suspension bridges, a 20-minute drive from Granada. TourBike also runs a 5 to 6 hour e-bike tour: Granada walking tours has it.
A hanging bridge in the Los Cahorros gorge at Monachil. Photo: Arkangel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Before you go
- Check the bus: Cetursa says to confirm it is running, and the timetable changes between winter and summer.
- Warm clothing: the safari, the hike and the snowshoe tour all go above 2,500 m.
- The one thing that ruins a ski day: the last bus. Winter weekdays it leaves Pradollano at 18:30, and in summer at 17:15.
Sierra Nevada is one of the day trips from Granada, and the Alpujarras lie on the mountain’s southern side. Best time to visit Granada has the weather by month. Granada public transport covers the bus station, and what to book before you go to Granada lists the closed days. Where to stay in Granada compares the areas.
Common questions
How do I get from Granada to the Sierra Nevada ski resort?
By the bus from Granada bus station to Pradollano, which takes about 45 minutes and costs €5.50 one way or €10 return. On winter weekdays it leaves Granada at 08:00, 10:15 and 17:15, and leaves Pradollano at 09:00, 16:00 and 18:30. Cetursa tells passengers to check that the service is running before they travel.
When does the Sierra Nevada ski season start?
The resort's calendar marks 6 December 2026 for the start of the season, with a planned end on 25 April 2027, snow permitting. Opening depends on the snow.
How much is a ski pass at Sierra Nevada?
A 1-day or consecutive-day ski pass is from €56 on Cetursa's own pages, and a 5-day free-use pass from €206.50. A group ski or snowboard lesson of 2 hours is from €37.67 on GetYourGuide, with the equipment for the day listed.
Is Sierra Nevada worth visiting in summer?
Yes, for the mountain rather than the ski resort. Cetursa's summer page gives 11 July to 23 August for the lifts, a bus leaves Granada daily at 09:00, and the Veleta route is 4.4 km and about 2 hours 40 minutes to a 3,396 m summit. Small-group tours from Granada start at €46.
Can I do Sierra Nevada as a day trip without skiing?
Yes. A 4x4 safari to 2,500 m is 6½ to 7 hours from €75 with 1,832 reviews, and a snowshoe walk above 2,500 m is 4 hours from €52. The resort also sells a pedestrian cable-car ticket and a Parador chairlift ticket, return from €11.50.
Do I need a car for Sierra Nevada from Granada?
No in the ski season, when the bus runs three or four times a day. In summer the bus is one round trip a day: 09:00 out and 17:15 back from Pradollano. A tour or a car gives more time.
