Updated 9 July 2026
Cap de Formentor 2026: How to Visit (Car Ban, Bus and Timings)
Cap de Formentor is the wild northern tip of Mallorca — a spine of cliffs dropping into the sea, with a lighthouse (the Far de Formentor, standing since 1863) at the very end and the famous Mirador Es Colomer viewpoint along the way. The drive out the twisting Ma-2210 road from Port de Pollença is one of the island's great experiences, but in 2026 there is one thing you must plan around: for much of the year you cannot simply drive your own car to the lighthouse. A summer car ban is in force, and this guide sets out exactly how it works, how to get there by shuttle bus, and when you can still drive it yourself. Access rules are enforced and change slightly year to year, so we've verified the 2026 details below — but always double-check the exact end date and bus times before you go, as they can be adjusted.
Mallorca's dramatic northern cape now has a summer car ban. The 2026 access rules, the shuttle bus, and exactly when you can still drive it yourself.
The 2026 car ban: dates and hours
For summer 2026, private vehicles — including hire cars and motorcycles — are banned from the Ma-2210 road to Cap de Formentor daily between 10:00 and 22:00, over a period running from 15 May to mid-October 2026 (sources cite the end date as either 15 or 18 October, so confirm the exact closing date close to your visit). This is two weeks earlier than in previous years, after Pollença's town hall asked to better manage the heavy May visitor numbers. Outside those dates, and outside those hours on any day, the road is open to all vehicles as normal.
The practical takeaway: between mid-May and mid-October, if you want to drive the cape yourself you must be on the road before 10:00 or after 22:00. During the 10:00–22:00 window, the way to the lighthouse is the shuttle bus, a bike, or on foot. The rules are enforced by traffic cameras, and unauthorised driving in the restricted zone during restricted hours brings fines of €100–€200 — over 2,300 were issued in 2025, so this is not a rule to chance.
The two zones: what's closed and what's not
The restriction splits the road into two sections. Zone 1 runs from the Port de Pollença roundabout to Formentor Beach. During restricted hours you can still drive this section — but only to reach the official Formentor Beach car park, and only if it has space. The car park holds about 300 vehicles, there's a barrier and electronic signs at the Port de Pollença end showing real-time availability, and once it's full the barrier closes and no more private cars enter until spaces free up. Roadside parking along this stretch is not allowed and is fined.
Zone 2 runs from Formentor Beach up to the lighthouse, and during restricted hours it is completely closed to private vehicles, no exceptions for ordinary drivers. Only the shuttle bus, taxis, authorised permit holders, residents, cyclists and hikers may use it. So even if you drive to and park at Formentor Beach, you cannot drive the final stretch to the lighthouse between 10:00 and 22:00 in season — you'd continue by bus, bike or on foot. The beach car park fills very quickly on busy summer days, often by late morning on a peak Saturday.
The shuttle bus (TIB Line 334)
The practical way to reach the lighthouse in summer is the TIB shuttle bus, Line 334, which runs daily throughout the restriction period from Alcúdia through Port de Pollença out to the Formentor lighthouse, stopping at the key points along the way — Mirador Es Colomer, Formentor Beach, Cala Figuera and Cala Murta, and the lighthouse itself. The journey takes about 50 minutes from Port de Pollença, and just over an hour from Alcúdia.
A few practical details: you can buy your ticket on the bus, and while cash is accepted, paying by bank card is cheaper and is what the authorities recommend (roughly €1.80 by card versus up to €3 in cash); Mallorca residents with an Intermodal card travel free. In 2025 the service ran roughly 18 departures a day from Alcúdia plus 14 more from Port de Pollença; the exact 2026 timetable is on the official TIB website (tib.org), so check it before you go. Because the bus stops at the main viewpoints, you can hop off at Mirador Es Colomer, walk to the clifftop, then reboard a later bus — but factor waiting time into your plan, and allow a full half-day for the trip.
Driving it yourself: the early or late window
You can still drive the whole road to the lighthouse yourself — but in season only before 10:00 or after 22:00. This is the option many people miss, and it has a real upside: an early-morning drive gets you the cape at sunrise with almost no traffic, and a late one catches sunset (the cape's showpiece moment, with the cliffs glowing gold). If you go early, be aware you must be back out of the restricted zone before 10:00 to avoid a fine — the old loophole of cancelling a fine with a kiosk receipt was closed back in 2023 and no longer works.
Outside the 15 May–mid-October season, the road is open to private cars all day, so a spring or autumn visit avoids the whole issue and comes with softer light, clearer air and a calmer road — genuinely the best time to drive the cape. If you're determined to drive in summer, the pre-10:00 window is the play; otherwise, take the bus and save yourself the stress of the car park and the cameras.
Cyclists, hikers and Formentor Beach
Two groups are unaffected by the ban. Cyclists can ride the Ma-2210 at any time, with no restriction — it's a classic (and demanding) Mallorca cycling route, busy with road bikes especially in spring. Hikers can also walk the road and the peninsula's trails freely. For both, the quieter roads during the car ban are arguably a bonus, though you'll share the tarmac with the shuttle buses.
Formentor Beach itself (Platja de Formentor) is open to everyone, a pine-backed white-sand beach below the historic Hotel Formentor, which reopened as a luxury retreat after a major restoration — you don't need to stay there to use the beach. In season, reach the beach by driving to the Zone 1 car park early (before it fills), or by the 334 bus. It makes a natural combination with the cape: bus or drive out, swim at the beach, continue to the lighthouse by bus.
Planning your visit: practical tips
A few things to get right. Allow a half-day for the full trip out to the lighthouse and back, more if you're combining it with the beach and the viewpoints. Bring water and sun protection, and a snack — the lighthouse area has no services, and refreshment options within the restricted zones are very limited. Timing: for driving yourself, aim for a pre-10:00 start (sunrise) or an after-22:00 finish (sunset); for the bus, any time in the day works but earlier is quieter.
Base yourself in the north to make the cape easy — Port de Pollença is the natural choice, right where the shuttle starts and minutes from the Formentor road, with Alcúdia and its old town a good alternative also served by the 334 bus. Finally, a reminder that these rules are specific to 2026 and enforced by camera: confirm the exact end date, the current 334 timetable and real-time beach car park availability before you set off, and don't rely on driving into the restricted zone in season — the fines are real and frequent.
Preguntas frecuentes
Can you drive to Cap de Formentor in 2026?+
Only outside the summer restriction. From 15 May to mid-October 2026 (confirm whether the end date is 15 or 18 October), private cars are banned on the road to the lighthouse daily between 10:00 and 22:00. Before 10:00, after 22:00, and outside those dates, you can drive the whole way. During restricted hours you can still drive as far as the Formentor Beach car park in Zone 1 if it has space, but not the final stretch to the lighthouse. Otherwise, take the TIB shuttle bus, Line 334.
How do I get to Cap de Formentor without a car?+
Take the TIB shuttle bus, Line 334, which runs daily during the restriction period from Alcúdia through Port de Pollença out to the lighthouse, stopping at Mirador Es Colomer, Formentor Beach, Cala Figuera and Cala Murta. It takes about 50 minutes from Port de Pollença. Buy your ticket on the bus — cash is accepted, but paying by bank card is cheaper (around €1.80 versus up to €3), and residents with an Intermodal card go free. Check the current timetable on the official TIB website (tib.org) before travelling, and allow a half-day for the trip.
What time can you drive to Formentor lighthouse?+
During the summer restriction (15 May to mid-October 2026), you can only drive the full road to the lighthouse before 10:00 or after 22:00 — the road is closed to private vehicles between those hours. An early-morning drive gives you sunrise and an empty road; a late one catches sunset. If you go early, make sure you leave the restricted zone before 10:00 to avoid a fine. Outside those dates, the road is open to cars all day.
Is there a fine for driving to Formentor during the restriction?+
Yes. Driving in the restricted zone during restricted hours (10:00–22:00, 15 May to mid-October) without authorisation brings a fine of €100–€200, enforced by traffic cameras — over 2,300 fines were issued in 2025. The old workaround of cancelling a fine with a kiosk receipt was scrapped in 2023 and no longer works. Roadside parking on the route is also fined. If you're visiting in season during the day, take the bus, cycle or walk rather than risk it.