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Date Published: 27/01/2025

All about the new Airport Buses shuttle services for Murcia Airport

Murcia Today caught up with Mike Chaplin, the mastermind behind the new Airport transfer service starting in Murcia in 2025, to find out more about the new summer buses for Corvera passengers…

There is a palpable buzz in the air in Murcia, and it’s not coming from the skies above Corvera, but rather down on the ground near the airport gates. Everyone is talking excitedly about the new airport shuttle transfer service slated to start ferrying passengers back and forth between the Region of Murcia International Airport and various popular parts of Murcia and the surrounding area, beginning in May 2025.

With its sleek pink logo and dominating social media presence, the aptly and very catchily named Airport Buses is actually not as new as it seems, but has a surprisingly long history behind it which means it may not be a flash in the pan, but has the potential to grow into an essential mainstay for flight passengers going in and out of Corvera.

We spoke to Mike Chaplin, the founder of Airport Buses, to find out what inspired him to start the venture, and what big plans he has for Murcia…

Hi, Mike. How did you come up with the idea for Airport Buses?

We actually have 11 years’ experience in this field, with our exclusive airport shuttles between Almería airport and the towns along the Cabo de Gata and the coast of Almería. The idea started from a phone call with one of our rental clients who was asking about the transfer cost from Almería to Mojácar. They were unable to secure the booking as the transfer cost was higher than the rental price for the week. This got us thinking that there must be a solution. Some years earlier Tarleton Travel had operated a service between Almería and Mojácar, but this had already ceased operation.

We already had a good relationship with a local bus company through our rental business and so, after much planning, we began Exclusive Airport Shuttles on June 1, 2014. Things did not go smoothly at first, as our first transfer had only one passenger on board and to be honest we began to doubt ourselves.

The following day, though, the office was swamped. The three of us at the time were completely overwhelmed with the demand!

Did you manage to get it under control?

Yes, and the business continued to grow at an incredible rate. We have always been focused on customer service and reliability. As the owner, I have put in countless hours, day and night, and the whole team and all the drivers have the same level of dedication.

The Covid period tested us, as it did many businesses, and we spent a very difficult two years trying to operate under impossible conditions. Throughout this period, if the flights operated, we operated, even though we suffered huge losses on a daily basis.

I am pleased to say that not only did we survive but we have recovered to pre-Covid levels and the business has resumed its growth trend over the past couple of years. Forecasts for this year put Exclusive Airport Shuttles on track to exceed 50,000 passengers!

So what made you want to expand from Almería into Murcia?

For some time, we have considered operating in Murcia. The new airport has had a tough start; they along with others suffered heavy losses in the early years.

Now in its sixth year, the airport is beginning to establish itself and we believe the time is right to bring our wealth of experience and knowledge to develop a service across the Murcia and southern Alicante as we have already successfully done in Almería.

We have the systems and management in place to operate a customer-focused service which will be efficient, reliable, legal and all at a convenient price.

How much will it cost?

Prices start at just €8.99 per passenger, and there are several different price ranges up to €25.99 per person, depending on the route. Children’s tickets are all half price and there are discounts available for groups.

What routes will you run?

We will initially meet every single UK and Ireland direct flight coming to and going from Murcia International Airport, plus selected European flights.

There will be three separate routes to begin with, covering the coastline of Murcia, plus Alicante south as far as Torrevieja and into San Juan de Los Terreros in the province of Almería. The full routes can all be seen on our website.

The Murcia (La Manga) route goes down to the La Manga strip, stopping at Cabo de Palos, Playa Honda, Capfun, Mar de Cristal, Los Belones, La Manga Club and Cartagena.

The Alicante (Torrevieja) route operates pick-up and drop-off points at Torre Pacheco, La Torre Golf Resort, Las Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort, Roldan, ONA Mar Menor Golf Resort, Los Alcázares, Los Narejos, San Javier, Santiago de Ribera, Lo Pagán, San Pedro de Pinatar, Pilar de Horadada, Campoamor, La Zenia, Playa Flamenca, Mil Palmeras, Cabo Roig and Torrevieja.

The Almería (San Juan) route goes between Murcia Airport and Condado de Alhama, Camposol, Mazarrón Country Club, Puerto de Mazarrón, Mazarrón, Águilas, Calarreona, San Juan de los Terreros and Mar de Pulpí.

When will the Murcia Airport Buses start?

The service begins operation every day starting from Thursday May 22, 2025. That will be in time for the peak of the summer holidays, but providing there is enough interest, we hope to be able to offer a year-round service.

What makes you different from other airport transfer services out there?

Our experience and our professionalism. We have encountered every eventuality over the years – flight delays, cancelations, re-routed flights, you name it! But we’ve always ensured that we are there to meet every passenger, regardless of the challenges they face.

Are there plans to expand to other areas in the future?

Once we have established that the Murcia Airport Buses work and there is sufficient interest, then our plan is to also do services to and from Alicante Airport.

Also, if there is enough interest from the owners and rental clients on the various golf resorts and urbanisations around the Region of Murcia, then we will look to alter and expand our initial routes to add in more of the resorts.

How can people pre-book their airport transfer with you?

To pre-book your seat on one of our daily Airport Buses, you can contact us by telephone on 0034 868 353 207 or via the UK local rate number on 02045 771 707, via email info@airportbus.es or using the simple booking form on the home page of our website www.airportbus.es. For WhatsApp booking and emergency calls, contact 0034 711 06 89 48.

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