All about how to get to the Covadonga Lakes

The only authorised route for private vehicles to reach the Covadonga Lakes is the CO-4 road; however, in order to ensure the sustainability of this unique site, during peak seasons a special public transport scheme is put in place and access by private vehicles is prohibited 24 hours a day.

On dates when no restrictions are in place, access will be permitted; however, the National Park Authority, in accordance with its conservation regulations, may implement additional measures if the access road becomes congested or if the car parks near the Lakes are full.

March

• 28th to 31st

April

• 1st to 12th
• 18th and 19th
• 25th to 30th

May

• 1st
• Weekends (2nd and 3rd; 9th and 10th; 16th and 17th; 23rd and 24th; 30th and 31st)

June to October

• From 1 June to 18 October (except 6 June, when access is on foot only; the afternoon of 24 July; 25 July; 8 September)
• 24, 25 and 31 October

November

• 1st and 2nd

December

• From 1 to 8

Access by private car is permitted, but we recommend using public transport.

Whilst the transport plan is in force, there is a shuttle service between Cangues d’Onís/Cangas de Onís and Cuadonga/Covadonga. It runs every 30 minutes, between 7.40 am and 8.00 pm, in both directions, stopping at all designated car parks. This service is included in the bus ticket to the Lakes of Covadonga.

If you are only visiting Cuadonga/Covadonga and not continuing on to the Lakes, the fare is €1.55. The CTA Transport Card is valid for this journey .

There are car parks next to the bus stops: one in Cangues d'Onís/Cangas de Onís and four others along the route to Cuadonga/Covadonga.

The parking fee is the same at all of them: €3 per vehicle per day.

P1 – Cangas de Onís bus station(opens in a new tab)
Open every day during the Lakes access scheme.
Capacity: 419 spaces

P2 – El Bosque car park(opens in a new tab)
Open every day during the Lagos access scheme.
Capacity: 182 spaces

P3 – Muñigu car park(opens in a new tab)
Open every day during the Lagos access scheme.
Capacity: 362 spaces

P4 – El Repelao car park(opens in a new tab)
Open every day during the Lagos access scheme.
Capacity: 142 spaces

P5 – El Peregrino car park (Cuadonga/Covadonga)(opens in a new tab)
Open every day during the Lagos access scheme.
Capacity: 135 spaces

On busy days, spaces may not be available. We recommend arriving in good time, as the wait to park can be up to an hour.

During the period of restrictions, two different transport services are operating:

1. Buses providing access to the Lakes of Covadonga

These buses connect the designated departure points with the Lakes:

• Yellow route: Cangues d’Onís/Cangas de Onís–Lakes.
• Red route: El Bosque car park–El Repelao–Lakes.
• Green route: Muñigu car park–El Peregrino (Cuadonga/Covadonga)–Lakes.

When purchasing your ticket, you must select your departure point and boarding time. You must therefore arrive at your chosen bus stop in good time, as indicated in your booking.

Please note that not all buses serve all car parks: each route only stops at the stops indicated on its itinerary.

2. Shuttle service between Cangues d’Onís/Cangas de Onís and Cuadonga/Covadonga

This service connects Cangues d’Onís/Cangas de Onís with the Royal Site of Cuadonga/Covadonga and stops at the designated car parks along the route.

It runs every 30 minutes in both directions. Use of this service is included in the ticket for access to the Lakes on the day of your visit.

How can I combine a visit to the Lakes and Covadonga?

The easiest option is to visit the Lakes first:

1. Take the bus up to the Lakes from the point and at the time selected when you bought your ticket.
2. After your visit, take a bus back down towards Cangues d’Onís/Cangas de Onís.
3. Get off at Cuadonga/Covadonga to visit the Sanctuary.
4. When you’ve finished, use the Cuadonga/Covadonga–Cangues d’Onís/Cangas de Onís shuttle bus to return to the car park where you left your vehicle.

If you’d prefer to visit Covadonga before heading up to the Lakes, remember that you must then arrive at the departure point stated on your booking. If your bus departs from Cangues d’Onís/Cangas de Onís, you’ll need to return there in good time to catch it.

Bus timetables vary depending on the time of year.

From 28 March to 30 September:

• First service: 8.00 am.
• Last bus up: 5.45 pm.
• Last service down: 8.50 pm.

From 1 October to 8 December:

• First service: 8.00 am
• Last uphill service: 4.00 pm.
• Last downhill service: 7.05 pm.

The route can be started at the Cangues d’Onis/Cangas de Onís coach station or at any of the designated car parks along the route: El Bosque, Muñigo, El Repelao and El Peregrino (Cuadonga/Covadonga). In both cases, it is recommended that you buy your tickets in advance.

Tickets are purchased via the platform set up(opens in a new tab) by the transport company for this purpose.

Users of the scheme will receive a reminder email the day before their journey, containing all the details of their booking. To make it easier to find the right service, each route is colour-coded according to its starting point and stops. This colour code is used both in the information channels and on the buses themselves:

• Yellow route: Cangues d’Onís/Cangas de Onís – Lagos
• Red line: El Bosque car park – El Repelao car park – Lagos
• Green route: Muñigu car park – El Peregrino car park – Lagos

Tickets mayonly be purchased at the designated sales points in the scheme’s car parks if seats are available, which is why it is recommended that you buy your tickets in advance.

• Adult ticket: €9
• Children aged 4 to 11: €3.50
• Under 3s: free
• Cangues d’Onís/Cangas de Onís–Cuadonga/Covadonga ticket: €1.55

Yes. Travellers wishing to make the most of the day by visiting the Royal Site of Covadonga may do so on their return from the lakes, using the shuttle service (24 services) which runs every 30 minutes in both directions from 7.40 am to 7.30 pm.

The ticket purchased for the trip up to the lakes is valid on the shuttle buses connecting the Royal Site of Covadonga with the car parks.

Yes, but please bear in mind that the car park at Cuadonga/Covadonga has very limited capacity, so it is best to use public transport. A single ticket for this service costs €1.55 and can be purchased in advance on the transport company’s website(opens in a new tab) or at the Cangas de Onís Bus Station.

Buses provide a free space for dogs in the luggage compartment. All other pets must be carried in their own carrier and will travel in the luggage compartment. Animals are not allowed to roam freely in the national park.

Yes. As well as buses, you can also book a taxi.

• The taxi company, Taxitur (opens in a new tab), allows pets in its vehicles; they must travel in the back, secured with a lead, one per vehicle and only in 8-seater taxis.

When the scheme is in operation, Taxitur provides the service from Cuadonga/Covadonga. From there, passengers travel in shared 8-seater taxis, which are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. No bookings are taken and the price is €12 per person; you can stay at the Lakes for as long as you like, up to 7.00 pm at the latest. Telephone: 985 848 797.

• Independent taxis(opens in a new tab ) with pick-up points at Cangues d’Onis/Cangas de Onís (Emilio Laria, José González Soto, Avda. Castilla) and Cuadonga/Covadonga (Casa de las Teresianas). Telephone: 624 889 946.

Yes, bicycles are not affected by these restrictions.

Yes, people with a recognised disability may access the Los Lagos road in their own vehicle by presenting their disability certificate together with their national identity card at the Covadonga barrier. This access is permitted provided that the vehicle is not a motorhome and is no longer than 5 metres. In such cases, it will not be possible to travel on the CO-4 road whilst the restrictions are in force, even if the person holds the relevant accreditation.

Those who prefer to use the bus service must purchase their ticket at least 24 hours in advance, so that transport adapted to their needs can be guaranteed.

No, a restaurant booking does not entitle you to access the lakes in a private vehicle.

Yes, when making your booking, you will be asked to provide your vehicle’s registration number so that this can be passed on to the park’s offices and access authorised, provided that the vehicle is not a motorhome or a vehicle over 5 metres in length (in which case you will not be permitted to use the CO-4 road whilst the restrictions are in force).

Furthermore, regarding the use of public transport in the area, it is important to bear in mind that, for mountaineers undertaking multi-day routes (such as the Anillo de Picos or other treks), the ticket allows you to make the return journey from the Lakes within 7 days of the date of purchase, subject to availability (in other words, there may be no seats available at your preferred time and you may need to wait for the next service).

Furthermore, it is possible to purchase only the return ticket from the Lakes, without having to have previously bought the outward ticket, a service designed especially for people undertaking multi-day mountain routes. This ticket costs €4.50 and is sold at the Buferrera ticket office, subject to availability.

To plan your visit , please see the Guide to visiting Covadonga, the lakes and the surrounding area.

CONTACT

Visitor Centre. Casa Dago
33550 Cangues d’Onís/Cangas de Onís

Telephone 985 848 614

Bulnes Funicular(opens in a new tab)
33554 Poncebos
Cabrales

Telephone 985 846 800