How many people are expected in Teror?

Roughly 200,000 to 225,000 across 7 and 8 September, according to reporting by La Provincia ; RTVC gives around 200,000. These are estimates, not counted admissions.

Where do the buses to Teror leave from?

The main hub is San Telmo in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. For the return, boarding points in Teror have been moved to the edge of town, with Avenida del Cabildo serving several destinations. A complete list of routes and fares was not available in one official summary at the time of writing.

Can I drive to Teror?

Only with restrictions. The GC-21 and GC-43 become one-way between 7 and 8 September, the GC-21 closes completely overnight and the old town is restricted from 17:00 to 05:00. The town hall and local media explicitly recommend the bus.

The car park under the bus station, with just under 200 spaces, is free on the key days, and the Plaza de Sintes car park stays open until 03:30 on busy days. Sites at Los Yánez Matos, Los Perales and by the town entrance are also cited. No official park-and-ride capacity has been published.

When are the pilgrimage and the procession?

The Romería-Ofrenda starts on 7 September at 15:30 from the Castañero Gordo; the solemn mass is on 8 September at 12:00 in the Basílica del Pino and the procession at 13:00.

TEROR · GRAN CANARIA · FIESTAS

Romería del Pino in Teror: buses, road closures and crowds

On 7 and 8 September Gran Canaria stages the largest pilgrimage in the Canary Islands. According to La Provincia, Teror expects roughly 200,000 to 225,000 people across the two days; the public broadcaster RTVC puts it at "around 200,000 visitors". For an inland town of narrow streets, that means one thing: plan the journey before you set off.

5 September 2026 · By Lucía Medina Reyes · 6 min

Photo: Gerda Arendt, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Symbolbild).

This is not a second programme guide — the line-up for the Fiestas del Pino is covered in our separate overview. What follows is purely the logistics: which buses run, where they leave from, which roads close, where to leave the car, and how to handle the heat and the crush.

How busy it will actually be

The figure of 200,000 to 225,000 covers both days combined and comes from reporting by La Provincia; RTVC gives a similar order of magnitude. These are estimates from organisers and emergency services, not counted admissions.

A second, smaller number is also circulating. The island bus operator Global has set up a special plan designed to carry some 65,000 people to Teror and back. That is the capacity of the bus operation, not the total attendance, so the two figures do not contradict each other.

The peaks fall on the afternoon and evening of 7 September, around the Romería-Ofrenda and the Noche del Pino that follows, and on the morning of 8 September around the solemn mass and the procession.

By bus: the Global special plan

Global has announced a reinforced service which, according to press reports, runs from 7 September until midnight on the 8th and is sized for around 65,000 passengers. Fleet figures vary between reports: some give around 200 buses, others more than 300.

The main departure hub, according to the published information, is San Telmo in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. At peak times a bus is due to leave every two minutes there, equivalent to roughly 3,000 people an hour. One account describes departures every 10 minutes on the morning of 7 September, every 5 minutes at midday, and every two to three minutes during the night into 8 September.

Inside Teror the picture changes: the bus station closes temporarily and boarding points move to the edge of town. For San Telmo, Tamaraceite, Arucas, Firgas, Moya, Guía and Gáldar, pick-up is reported to be on Avenida del Cabildo. Line 220 Tejeda–Artenara–Teror is among the routes being reinforced.

City buses and travel from other municipalities

In the capital, Guaguas Municipales is strengthening the feeder services. The operator says Line 44 will be reinforced from the Puerto/Santa Catalina area from 16:00, with extra capacity on lines X47 and 65 and on Line 17 between San Telmo and the Auditorio. It is also intensifying connections to Tamaraceite, the point from which many pilgrims continue on foot.

Several town halls lay on their own transport for the pilgrimage. Free coaches from San Bartolomé de Tirajana have been reported, as has a sign-up process for participants in Gáldar. If you are travelling from the south or the north-west, check first whether your own municipality is running something.

Fares, a complete list of routes and exact return timetables for every service were not published in a single official summary at the time of writing. The binding sources are Global, Guaguas Municipales and Teror town hall.

Road closures and access to Teror

Traffic management is where most day trips come unstuck. Under the published arrangements, the GC-21 (Tamaraceite–Teror) operates one-way towards Teror from 07:00 on 7 September until 15:00 on 8 September. The GC-43 (Teror–Arucas) becomes one-way downhill towards Arucas in the same window.

During the Noche del Pino the GC-21 is closed completely between 19:00 on 7 September and 02:00 on 8 September. Access to the old town of Teror is restricted from 17:00 on the 7th until 05:00 on the 8th.

RTVC reports eight control points on the approach roads, active from 07:00 on 7 September to 15:00 on the 8th, with anyone carrying items capable of causing harm turned away at the entrance to the town. More than 600 personnel are on duty in total; according to La Provincia the Guardia Civil is deploying 250 officers plus a helicopter, four drones and two explosives dogs.

Parking, timings and coping with the heat

On parking, the advice from the town hall and local media is blunt: do not try to drive into the centre. The car park under the bus station, with just under 200 spaces, opens free of charge on the key days, with extended hours between 28 August and 26 September. The Plaza de Sintes car park stays open until 03:30 on the busiest days; sites at Los Yánez Matos, Los Perales and by the petrol station at the entrance to Teror are also mentioned. No official park-and-ride facility with a stated capacity has been published for 2026.

The timings everything revolves around: the Romería-Ofrenda sets off on Monday 7 September at 15:30 from the Castañero Gordo and makes its way to the Plaza del Pino. On 8 September the solemn eucharist is at 12:00 in the Basílica del Pino and the procession begins at 13:00. Masses on the 8th run between 07:00 and 17:30; on the 7th they are held between 10:00 and 23:00.

On the weather, La Provincia reported in early September a settled outlook with sun and cloud, a low chance of rain and no active warnings for the two days; no specific temperatures were published. The standing advice for walkers still applies: set out early in the morning or in the late afternoon, wear sturdy shoes and light clothing, and carry water and a snack. Groups are advised to show a white light at the front and a red one at the back.

Tip: Take the bus rather than the car — at peak times departures from San Telmo are every two minutes.
Plan the return leg too: boarding points in Teror have been moved to the edge of town, including Avenida del Cabildo.
Travel light: a small backpack, a water bottle, sun protection, a charged phone and comfortable shoes are all you need.

Watch out: the GC-21 is fully closed from 19:00 on 7 September until 02:00 on the 8th, and the old town of Teror is restricted from 17:00 to 05:00 — set off by car in the evening and you will not get through.
Times, frequencies and closures can be adjusted at short notice; the binding sources are Global, Guaguas Municipales, the Cabildo and Teror town hall.

Key facts

Expected attendance on 7 and 8 September: roughly 200,000 to 225,000 (per La Provincia; RTVC says "around 200,000")
Global special plan: sized for about 65,000 passengers, main hub San Telmo, a bus every two minutes at peak (around 3,000 people an hour)
GC-21 Tamaraceite–Teror: one-way towards Teror from 07:00 on 7 Sept to 15:00 on 8 Sept; fully closed 19:00 on 7 Sept to 02:00 on 8 Sept
GC-43 Teror–Arucas: one-way downhill in the same window; old town restricted from 17:00 on 7 Sept to 05:00 on 8 Sept
Security: more than 600 personnel and eight control points on the access roads; Guardia Civil with 250 officers, a helicopter, four drones and two sniffer dogs (per La Provincia)
Timings: Romería-Ofrenda 7 September at 15:30 from the Castañero Gordo; solemn mass 8 September at 12:00, procession at 13:00

FAQ

How many people are expected in Teror?: Roughly 200,000 to 225,000 across 7 and 8 September, according to reporting by La Provincia; RTVC gives around 200,000. These are estimates, not counted admissions.
Where do the buses to Teror leave from?: The main hub is San Telmo in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. For the return, boarding points in Teror have been moved to the edge of town, with Avenida del Cabildo serving several destinations. A complete list of routes and fares was not available in one official summary at the time of writing.
Can I drive to Teror?: Only with restrictions. The GC-21 and GC-43 become one-way between 7 and 8 September, the GC-21 closes completely overnight and the old town is restricted from 17:00 to 05:00. The town hall and local media explicitly recommend the bus.
Where can I park?: The car park under the bus station, with just under 200 spaces, is free on the key days, and the Plaza de Sintes car park stays open until 03:30 on busy days. Sites at Los Yánez Matos, Los Perales and by the town entrance are also cited. No official park-and-ride capacity has been published.
When are the pilgrimage and the procession?: The Romería-Ofrenda starts on 7 September at 15:30 from the Castañero Gordo; the solemn mass is on 8 September at 12:00 in the Basílica del Pino and the procession at 13:00.

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