ferry Agaete Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Bañaderos Express

âš“ The Bañaderos Express is one of the most important fast ferries in the fleet of Fred Olsen Express, running high-speed inter-island links across the Canary Islands. Her main route is Arrecife (Lanzarote) – Corralejo (Fuerteventura), crossing the channel that separates the two islands in a mere 25–30 minutes. The ship takes her name from Bañaderos, a coastal village in the north of Gran Canaria, true to Fred Olsen's habit of naming its vessels after towns and coastal spots around the Canary archipelago.

The Bañaderos Express is a high-speed catamaran built by the well-regarded Austal shipyard (Australia), world specialists in high-speed aluminium catamarans. Her lightweight marine-grade aluminium construction lets her reach very high cruising speeds, making her one of the fastest ferries operating between the eastern Canary Islands.

Fred Olsen Express in the Canaries: background and fleet

Fred Olsen Express is the go-to operator for anyone island-hopping around the Canary archipelago. With decades of history in the region, it runs a fleet of fast ferries linking Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. The Bañaderos Express is part of that speed-and-frequency fleet, and is particularly useful for Canarian residents who travel between the islands regularly.

History and background of the ship

The Bañaderos Express (IMO 9845697) is the identical sister ship of the Bajamar Express. Although she was designed by the Austal Ships team in Australia, she was built between 2019 and 2021 at the company's yard in Balamban (Austal Philippines), using exactly the same technology as her sister. Launched in May 2021, she completed her sea trials in Asian waters at more than 37 knots. In September she set off on her delivery voyage — more than 20 days — crossing the Indian Ocean, the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean, arriving in the Canaries in mid-October 2021 and making her maiden voyage on the 25th.

She works exclusively for Fred. Olsen Express on the Puerto de Las Nieves (Agaete, Gran Canaria)–Santa Cruz de Tenerife route, working in perfect tandem with the Bajamar Express: as one sails from Tenerife, the other leaves Gran Canaria at the same moment. Together they brought a single standard of comfort and journey time to the busiest route between the two Canarian capitals. She carries the MARINELINK-Smart system, which monitors the waves in real time and automatically corrects the roll of her three hulls.

Full technical specifications

* Some technical figures are approximate, based on publicly available sources. For exact specifications, check with Fred Olsen Express.

Routes operated and indicative timetables

* Indicative timetables, subject to season, weather conditions and availability. Confirm the exact departure time in our search engine.

The Bocaina Strait: the Lanzarote–Fuerteventura route

The Bañaderos Express is a regular on the Bocaina Strait, the stretch of sea that separates Lanzarote from Fuerteventura and is just 11 kilometres wide at its narrowest point. This is one of the shortest and busiest ferry routes in the Canary Islands, and it is especially popular with residents who work on one island and live on the other, with holidaymakers combining both islands in a single trip, and with day-trippers from Corralejo or Playa Blanca.

On Lanzarote the ferry sails from the port of Playa Blanca (not from Arrecife, the island's main port, on every sailing), and on Fuerteventura from the port of Corralejo, in the north of the island. Both ports have good links with their respective resort areas. If you are taking a vehicle, we recommend arriving at least 60 minutes beforehand to allow for the vehicle loading process.

Fares, discounts and how to book

Fares on the Bañaderos Express are among the most competitive in the Canary archipelago, given how short the main route is. A foot-passenger ticket on the Lanzarote–Fuerteventura route starts at around €25–35 each way in mid season. Taking a vehicle on board pushes the total up considerably.

Available discounts:

• Canary Islands resident: residents of the Canary Islands are entitled to 75% off the base fare, for passengers and vehicles alike. You must prove residency with a Spanish ID card (DNI) or a certificate of registration (empadronamiento). This discount makes the route very affordable for islanders.
• Large family: specific discounts apply according to the category (general or special). Check the conditions when you book.
• Fred Olsen Club: the Fred Olsen Express loyalty scheme. Collect points and redeem them for discounts and benefits on future trips.

You can compare prices and real-time availability directly on I Love Ferry.

Which accommodation should you choose for your trip?

Bajamar Express

âš“ The Bajamar Express is one of the most versatile fast ferries in the fleet of Fred Olsen Express, the operator that specialises in quick links between the islands of the Canary archipelago. This high-speed catamaran covers the Santa Cruz de Tenerife – Santa Cruz de La Palma route in just 2 hours 45 minutes, making her the fastest alternative to flying for anyone moving between the two islands. What really sets her apart is her ability to carry vehicles at high speed on inter-island routes, something rarely seen in the Atlantic.

The Bajamar Express was built at the Austal shipyard in Henderson (Australia), a world leader in high-speed aluminium catamarans, and joined the Fred Olsen Express fleet in 2000. She takes her name from Bajamar, a coastal town in the north of Tenerife, in keeping with Fred Olsen's tradition of naming its ships after Canarian place names.

Since joining the fleet, the Bajamar Express has worked a number of routes around the archipelago and has become a key part of inter-island mobility for Canarian residents, as well as of the fast island-hopping options on offer to visitors. The Fred Olsen Express fleet she belongs to is the fastest in the Canary Islands and one of the most specialised high-speed fleets in the Atlantic.

History and background of the ship

The Bajamar Express (IMO 9845685) represents the second generation of Fred. Olsen Express trimarans, built between 2018 and 2020 at the Austal Ships yard in Perth (Western Australia), yard number 394. Launched in February 2020, she was delivered just as the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, which meant her Canarian crew had to get through considerable restrictions to collect her in Australia. After more than 20 days and 9,000 nautical miles across the Indian and Atlantic oceans, she arrived in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 30 July 2020 and made her maiden voyage on 10 August.

She has worked exclusively for Fred. Olsen Express ever since on the Santa Cruz de Tenerife–Puerto de Las Nieves (Agaete, Gran Canaria) route, one of the busiest sea corridors in Spain. Her design brings a number of improvements over the Benchijigua Express, with particular attention paid to comfort, advanced soundproofing and seasickness-mitigation systems.

Full technical specifications

Routes operated and indicative timetables

* Indicative timetables, subject to season, ship allocation and availability. The ship assigned may change according to Fred Olsen's operational needs. Confirm the exact departure time and the ship assigned in our search engine.

The ports of Los Cristianos and Los Abrigos: getting there and what to bear in mind

The Bajamar Express operates mainly out of Puerto de Los Cristianos, in the south of Tenerife, although she may also be assigned to Santa Cruz de Tenerife depending on the route. Los Cristianos is Fred Olsen Express's main hub on Tenerife: it has modern facilities, a fast-moving vehicle boarding area and excellent access from the main resort areas in the south of the island.

If you are travelling by car, we recommend arriving at the port at least 60-90 minutes beforehand. Foot passengers only need to be there 45 minutes before departure. In summer and over public holidays it is worth allowing extra time, as demand for the Canary Islands' inter-island routes is high among residents.

Fares, discounts and how to book

Fares on the Bajamar Express vary according to the route, the season and the type of ticket. On the Tenerife–La Palma route, indicative foot-passenger fares start at around €40 each way on the standard tariff. Taking a car on board costs extra, depending on the type of vehicle.

Available discounts:

• Canary Islands resident: 75% off the base fare for residents of the Canary Islands. You must prove residency with a Spanish ID card (DNI) or a certificate of registration (empadronamiento). It is by far the biggest discount and the one most widely used by island travellers.
• Large family: discounts apply according to the category (general or special) on production of a large-family card.
• Fred Olsen Club card: the operator's loyalty scheme, which builds up points that can be redeemed on future bookings.
• Return tickets: Fred Olsen sometimes offers discounted combined fares for return journeys.

You can compare prices and real-time availability directly on I Love Ferry.

Which accommodation should you choose for your trip?

Bentago Express

âš“ The Bentago Express is the high-speed fast ferry with which Fred Olsen Express links the central islands of the Canary archipelago, chiefly Gran Canaria and Tenerife, on crossings of around 1 hour. With room for more than 1,100 passengers and 340 vehicles, she is one of the highest-capacity ferries working the Canary inter-island routes, and stands out for a service speed of up to 36 knots — one of the fastest vessels in the Fred Olsen Express fleet.

The Bentago Express was built at the Austal shipyards in Henderson (Australia), one of the world's leading builders of high-speed aluminium vessels. She joined the Fred Olsen Express fleet and has worked the Canary inter-island routes without a break ever since, becoming an essential ship for travel between the islands.

The name: a nod to Canary history

The name Bentago refers to the culture and history of the Canary archipelago. Like other ships in the Fred Olsen Express fleet — such as the Benchijigua Express, the Bañaderos Express and the Betancuria Express — the Bentago Express keeps up the Norwegian-Canary operator's tradition of naming its vessels after pre-Hispanic figures or elements of the islands' heritage.

History and background of the ship

The Bentago Express (IMO 9213337) is the direct sister ship of the Bencomo Express, built between 1999 and 2000 at the Incat Tasmania yard in Hobart (Australia), hull number 055. When she left the yard in January 2000 she was named Benchijigua Express — the third ship in the fleet to carry that name — and began working Fred. Olsen Express's flagship services in the Canaries. In November 2004, with the arrival of the vast new trimaran, she gave up her name and was renamed for good the Bentago Express. For two decades her main route was the daily "sea bridge" between the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Puerto de Las Nieves (Agaete, Gran Canaria), working in tandem with her sister ship the Bencomo Express.

In January 2021 she was at the centre of one of the most talked-about incidents in Canary shipping: during a night-time berthing manoeuvre at Agaete in a strong gale, the ship was pushed onto the rocks and grounded on her port hull. All 59 passengers and 17 crew were evacuated without injury. After a complex several-day operation by the Spanish maritime rescue service, she was refloated, taken to the ASTICAN yard in Las Palmas and fully repaired, returning to service months later. Since 2024, following the fleet reshuffle brought about by the new trimarans, she has been reassigned to the scheduled route between the Port of Los Cristianos (Tenerife) and Valverde (El Hierro).

Full technical specifications

Routes operated and indicative timetables

* Indicative timetables, subject to season and availability. Confirm the exact departure time in our search engine.

The ports she works from: the geography that matters

The Bentago Express operates mainly from the Port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the archipelago's two main harbours. She may also sail from the Port of Agaete, in north-western Gran Canaria, which offers the shortest crossing to Tenerife (around 1 hour) but means an extra drive of about 45 minutes from Las Palmas.

If you are heading for the south of Tenerife (Los Cristianos, Las Américas), bear in mind that the port of Santa Cruz is in the north of the island, some 75–90 minutes by car from the south. To reach southern Tenerife by ferry directly, Fred Olsen also runs routes from Los Cristianos to the western islands (El Hierro, La Gomera and La Palma).

We recommend arriving at the port at least 60 minutes beforehand if you are travelling by car, and 30 minutes if you are a foot passenger. In summer and over public holidays it is worth allowing more time.

Fares, discounts and how to book

A passenger ticket on the Bentago Express starts at roughly €40–50 each way in mid season on the Las Palmas–Santa Cruz de Tenerife route, varying with the season and how far ahead you book. Carrying a vehicle costs extra.

Available discounts:

• Canary Islands resident: 75% off the base fare for residents of the Canary Islands. You must prove residency with a Spanish ID card (DNI) or a certificate of registration (empadronamiento). It is by far the biggest discount and applies to practically every inter-island crossing.
• Large families: a discount for families holding an official large-family certificate. Check the exact conditions when you book.
• Passengers with a disability: reduced fare for passengers with a recognised degree of disability. Check availability when you book.
• Fred Olsen cards: Fred Olsen Express runs loyalty schemes for frequent travellers, particularly useful for residents who travel between the islands regularly.

You can compare prices and real-time availability directly on I Love Ferry.

Which accommodation should you choose for your trip?

Bencomo Express

âš“ The Bencomo Express is one of the fastest fast ferries in the Canary archipelago and the flagship of the Fred Olsen Express fleet for high-speed inter-island links. She works mainly between Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Santa Cruz de La Palma, covering the crossing in around 2 hours 30 minutes, and also runs the Tenerife–Lanzarote route. With room for more than 1,200 passengers and 340 vehicles, she is one of the fast ferries with the greatest vehicle capacity in service in the Canary Islands.

The Bencomo Express was built at the Incat shipyards in Tasmania (Australia), a world benchmark in the construction of high-speed aluminium catamarans, and joined the Fred Olsen Express fleet in 2003. She measures 126.6 metres long, which makes her one of the longest catamaran fast ferries in service in Spain. Her Incat wave-piercing catamaran hull design gives her a steady ride even in a moderate sea, which counts for a great deal in Canary Atlantic waters.

A name rooted in Canary history

The ship is named after Bencomo, mencey (king) of the Taoro chiefdom in pre-Hispanic Tenerife and one of the foremost leaders of Guanche resistance to the Castilian conquest in the late fifteenth century. Bencomo was the principal adversary of the conquistador Alonso Fernández de Lugo at the battles of Acentejo (1494), where the Guanches inflicted one of the heaviest defeats in the history of the conquest of the Canaries. His name is a symbol of identity and pride for the Canary people.

History and background of the ship

The Bencomo Express (IMO 9206712) is one of the most iconic catamarans in the history of high-speed shipping in the Canaries. She was built in 1999 at the Incat Tasmania yard in Hobart (Australia), hull number 053, with an aluminium wave-piercing design conceived specifically to handle the inter-island Atlantic swell at high speed. She left Australia named Benchijigua Express — the second ship in the operator's fleet to carry that name — although on arrival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife she was renamed Bentayga Express, the name under which she ran with great success for five years. In 2004, following an internal reshuffle of names, she became permanently the Bencomo Express, in honour of the historic Guanche mencey of Taoro.

Her main route has been the "sea bridge" between the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Puerto de Las Nieves (Agaete, Gran Canaria), working in tandem with her inseparable sister ship the Bentago Express. Thanks to her outstanding reliability and versatility, she also covers the Los Cristianos–San Sebastián de La Gomera route regularly and provides extra capacity on the Santa Cruz de La Palma service.

Full technical specifications

Routes operated and indicative timetables

* Indicative timetables, subject to season, availability and ship allocation. Confirm the exact departure time in our search engine. Fred Olsen may assign different ships to each sailing depending on demand.

Departure ports in the Canaries: what you need to know

The Bencomo Express operates mainly from the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the largest port in the Canary Islands and one of the most important in the Atlantic. The Fred Olsen passenger terminals are clearly signposted and have short- and long-stay car parks, an air-conditioned waiting area and ramp boarding for vehicles.

If you are heading for La Palma, the arrival port is Santa Cruz de La Palma, right in the centre of the island's capital and only a few minutes' walk from the old town. It is one of the most picturesque harbours in the Canary archipelago.

We recommend arriving at the port at least 60 minutes beforehand if you are travelling with a vehicle, and 30 minutes if you are a foot passenger. In high season (summer, Christmas and Easter) it is worth allowing extra time.

Fares, discounts and how to book

A passenger ticket on the Tenerife–La Palma route with the Bencomo Express starts at roughly €45 each way on the standard fare, depending on the season and how far ahead you book. Prices can vary a great deal at times of high demand.

Available discounts:

• Canary Islands resident: residents of the Canary Islands are entitled to a 75% discount on the base fare for inter-island routes. You must prove residency with a Spanish ID card (DNI) or a certificate of registration (empadronamiento) both when booking and at boarding.
• Large family: discount applied according to category (general or special). Check the conditions when you book.
• Young travellers (up to 25): Fred Olsen offers reduced fares for young people on certain routes. Check availability.
• Fred Olsen loyalty card: the operator's points scheme for frequent travellers. Collect points and redeem them against discounts.

You can compare prices and real-time availability directly on I Love Ferry.

Which accommodation should you choose for your trip?