Fuengirola to La Cala de Mijas by bus

Muriel: "Hi Mike, You´ve picked a beautiful spot to live in! I'm headed to Malaga next week and I´ve been searching for specific answers about bus transportation from Fuengirola to Mijas Costa: I know it goes along the CN340, and I know its the bus headed to Marbella which makes specific stops along the way. I even know where the Fuengirola bus station is but I need to know some specifics!

1) Is there a public option or is there only the private Portillo bus?
2) Do you have any idea about the fares?
3) Does that bus have a specific number?

Thank you very much for your time and help in advance, you must be tired of answering similar questions all the time. But you sure help us make this trip alot more easy and enjoyable! Thanks again, Muriel"

Mike: "Hi Muriel, I'm impressed that you have done some background research. I bet you are an organised traveller. You are right about the Portillo bus company being a private company but the Andalusian government has an agreement with them which has lasted as long as I have lived in Spain to operate bus services on the Costa del Sol and Portillo has to guarantee an agreed service and fixed prices and so on. In effect, it is public transport at the same time.

I phoned the Portillo customer attention number this afternoon and the girl told me that the fare from Fuengirola to Mijas Costa was one euro forty six cents if I remember correctly, but she couldn't give me the number of the service between Fuengirola and Marbella!

Every Tuesday evening my wife does line dancing in Fuengirola and I go the gym in Benalmadena so on the way home this evening, I stopped at two of the bus stops between Fuengirola and La Cala de Mijas. At the first, the bus schedule had been torn off but at the second bus stop I was able to read the number of the service, it's M220.

Having said all that Muriel, don't bother with route numbers, just work off the destination name on the front of the bus. Even the Portillo Costa del Sol bus schedules on the internet don't show the bus route number. When you catch the bus at the Fuengirola bus station it will show MARBELLA on the front. When you travel back to Fuengirola from the La Cala de Mijas bus stop to return to Fuengirola will be in a different position to the one you got off at coming from Fuengirola.

I don't mind at all helping visitors and it makes it all worthwhile to get feedback like yours. I appreciate your writing. I hope the weather is good for your visit, it's warm at the moment and raining on and off but the sun always comes out! Please let me know how things go if you have time when you get back. Best wishes from Marbella Muriel and thanks very much again for visiting Gomarbella. Mike"