# Do you need a car on Costa Blanca South? A buyer’s checklist > A sea view cannot tell you how the school run, shopping or an evening out will work. Test the exact address against your normal week before buying. By Verdi Estate · 15 October 2026 Canonical: https://www.verdiestate.com/blog/need-car-costa-blanca-south-buyers-checklist.html ## At a glance - Judge the exact address and pedestrian entrance, not a straight-line distance on a property advert. - Check both directions of each essential bus journey, including the return time and the day of the week. - Separate transport already operating from announced improvements or future ticket products. - Compare the whole mobility budget, including occasional taxis or car hire, before choosing a location. You may not need a car for every journey on Costa Blanca South, but a town name or a nearby bus stop is not enough to decide. The answer depends on the particular home, your mobility and the journeys you make. Before buying in San Miguel de Salinas, Torrevieja or Orihuela Costa, test whether walking, buses and occasional taxis would support an ordinary week—not just a relaxed viewing day. ## 1. Start with the journeys you cannot avoid Write down five regular destinations: food shopping, healthcare, work or school if relevant, friends or activities, and your preferred beach or town centre. Add airport journeys separately. Note who travels, what they carry and whether a particular arrival time matters. Mark each journey as essential or optional. Being happy to take a taxi after dinner is different from depending on one for a daily appointment. If two household members have different routines, check that the plan works for both. ## 2. Compare specific homes in the three areas In San Miguel de Salinas, assess a home near your chosen village services separately from one in an outlying urbanisation. Walk from the actual entrance to the shops you would use. Do not assume that an address carrying the municipality’s name shares the same everyday convenience. In Torrevieja, match the neighbourhood to your destinations. Avanza’s current directory includes routes serving La Mata, Los Balcones and Los Altos, among other areas; that does not establish a convenient journey from every property. For Orihuela Costa, use the council’s coastal transport links to identify the relevant operator, then verify the particular stops and timetable. A regional label is not a door-to-door transport plan. ## 3. Walk the real route, in both directions A shop visible across a main road is not necessarily an easy walk away. Check pavements, crossings, gradients, lighting and the location of the usable entrance. Include the route through the development: a map pin may mark the building rather than the pedestrian gate. Try the return journey carrying a realistic shopping bag. Consider heat, shade, rest stops and any mobility aid you use. Repeat important checks at the times you expect to travel; one pleasant morning visit cannot establish year-round comfort. ## 4. Verify today’s service, not tomorrow’s announcement For each bus option, record the stop, direction, operating days, departure and last usable return. Check whether a change is required and allow for the walk at each end. A route map alone does not confirm frequency, seasonal operation or a suitable evening service. Torrevieja council’s 6 July 2026 announcement describes a phased transport rollout extending into 2027. Avanza’s notice updated on 15 September 2026 distinguishes forthcoming tickets and transfers from existing arrangements. Before budgeting, ask the operator what is actually available for your travel dates rather than treating an announcement as a current entitlement. ## 5. Price the backup plan as well as the ideal week Obtain current estimates for the occasional trips that walking or buses would not cover. Include airport transfers, late returns and any planned car hire. Check availability and booking conditions; this guide does not assume a taxi will always be immediately available. If you expect to own a car, compare insurance, servicing, fuel and suitable parking. If you expect not to, include your realistic alternative transport costs. Neither arrangement is automatically cheaper: calculate both against the same household routine and length of stay. ## 6. Bring a mobility brief to your property viewings For each shortlisted home, keep one page showing essential destinations, tested walking routes, checked bus journeys, backup costs and unresolved questions. Date your transport checks. Separate what you have tried yourself from information still awaiting confirmation. Tell Verdi Estate which journeys must work without driving, along with your budget and preferred areas. We can use that brief to refine a Costa Blanca South property search. Confirm the final travel arrangements with the relevant operators before making them central to a purchase decision. ## Questions buyers ask ### Can I live on Costa Blanca South without owning a car? It may be practical if the exact address supports your essential journeys through walking, current public transport and an affordable backup plan. Test your normal routine before deciding; there is no single answer for an entire municipality. ### Does being near the beach mean shops are walkable? No. Check the actual pedestrian route to the shops you would use, including crossings, gradients and entrances. Beach proximity alone does not establish everyday convenience. ### Is a nearby bus stop enough when choosing a property? No. Verify the destinations, direction, operating days and usable return times. Also check the walk to each stop and whether your journey requires a change. ## Sources and further reading - [Avanza Torrevieja — Todas las líneas](https://torrevieja.avanzagrupo.com/lineas) - [Avanza — Nuevo sistema tarifario: qué incluyen los nuevos bonos (15 September 2026)](https://hola-torrevieja.avanzagrupo.com/hc/es-es/articles/53579974480660-Nuevo-sistema-tarifario-qu%C3%A9-incluyen-los-nuevos-bonos) - [Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja — Implantación del nuevo transporte urbano (6 July 2026)](https://torrevieja.es/es/noticias/2026-07-06-nuevo-transporte-urbano-torrevieja-inicia-su-implantacion-calendario-fases) - [Ayuntamiento de Orihuela — Transporte Costa](https://www.orihuela.es/desarrollo-de-la-ciudad/costa/servicios-orihuela-costa/transporte-costa/) Practical location-planning guidance. Routes, timetables, fares and ticket availability can change. Confirm your exact journeys with the relevant operators before relying on them for a property purchase. ## Explore further - [Buying in Spain](https://www.verdiestate.com/buying-in-spain.html) - [San Miguel de Salinas](https://www.verdiestate.com/san-miguel-de-salinas.html) - [Torrevieja](https://www.verdiestate.com/torrevieja.html) - [Orihuela Costa](https://www.verdiestate.com/orihuela-costa.html) - [Explore resale homes](https://www.verdiestate.com/resale-collection.html) - [Share your property search brief](https://www.verdiestate.com/#contact)