Free bus service to the Teide National Park this weekend
For safety reasons, access by car is only one way – up through Chío and down via Boca Tauce and Vilaflor from 08.00 am to 18.00 on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 February
This weekend the Cabildo has activated Operation Nevada (8.00-18.00) to ensure the safety of visitors to the Teide National Park after heavy snow fall 18-22 February.
The decision is subject to change, depending on the number of vehicles and the weather as AEMET is forecasting winds with strong gusts in lower hills and highlands and rain is also expected in the north tomorrow.
President Carlos Alonso explains: “Currently, access to the National Park is complicated because we have not yet cleared all the roads and because it is a natural area so this operation is to ensure orderly and secure access.” Alonso is calling for patience and prudence on the part of visitors and residents to prevent accidents.
Access to the Teide National Park is only from the south of the island. Northern access roads remain closed as teams work hard to remove the ice and snow from the tarmac. For this reason the following roads remain closed:
TF-24 La Esperanza, which is cut off at Arafo at kilometre 24
TF-21 La Orotava, cut off at Ramón Caminero at kilometre 24
Recent snow falls of up to 135 mm high in Izaña should continue on the ground for at least a couple of weeks, which means that Operation Nevada may well be repeated next week but with more roads open to vehicles.
The Teide National Park can be visited to the cable car station but only by using a discretionary bus service offered free by the Cabildo on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 February departing from Vilaflor. Bus company TITSA is also operating the normal services to Vilaflor: line 482 from Los Cristianos to Vilaflor and line 342 El Teide to Costa Adeje.
Access by car is only permitted to Boca Tauce one-way via Chío (TF-38) and going down by Vilaflor (TF-21). It will not be possible to go into the National Park due to the lack of sufficient parking spaces to ensure the transit of bus emergency vehicles. To reach the cable car, you must take the free shuttle bus departing from Vilaflor.
Bus shuttle
The free bus service will depart from Vilaflor to the cable car and not make any stops. Parking areas for cars will be provided in Vilaflor.
15 buses will operate a continuous service between 10.00 hours and 16.00 hours:
The first bus from Vilaflor to the Cable Car will be at 10:00 am and lthe ast departure from Vilaflor to the cable car at 15:00. The first bus will return from the Cable Car to Vilaflor at 11.30 am and the last at 16.30 hours.
If necessary, the number of buses will be increased.
The Civil Guard will activate special traffic controls at these points to regulate the movement of vehicles. The Red Cross will have two ambulances on standby for evacuation.
Under Operation Nevada there will be a free lane on the road for emergencies so vehicles will have to drive on the right. A field hospital and three ambulances will also be available near the Teide
Forest tracks, footpaths and BBQ areas
For security reasons, any recreational forest trails leading to or from the closed road sections in the mountains will be cut off.
For more information on closed tracks
http:// www.tenerife.es/pistas/
More information on the website of the Cabildo of Tenerife
Or call the Citizens Service Centre (901 501 901) and Highway Information Centre (CIC) 900 210 131 www.cic.tenerife.es
The information will also be updated on the Cabildo’s social networks.