Guaguas Global

Name

Guaguas Global

Legal name

Salcai Utinsa S.A.

Website

https://guaguasglobal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Passenger Transport

NAICS

Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (4852), Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (485210)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Airport Transfer & Chauffeured Services (THAIAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Clearing, Settlement & Interagency Revenue Apportionment (THAIAMAK)

Keywords

• Interurban bus transport
• Public passenger transport
• Airport shuttle service
• Transport fare cards
• Urban mobility services

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Palmas de GC, Las Palmas

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Passenger Transport Fares: Revenue from transporting passengers across interurban routes on Gran Canaria. Passengers pay using transport cards (bonos) including resident passes, youth passes, and occasional cash payments. The service is coordinated with the Autoridad Única del Transporte de Gran Canaria (AUTGC).
2. Advertising on Buses: Outdoor advertising space sold on the exterior and interior of buses and at bus stations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Guaguas Global (Salcai Utinsa S.A.) operates the interurban public bus transport network across all municipalities of Gran Canaria, Spain, carrying close to 50 million passengers annually. Its offering includes scheduled fixed-route interurban bus services, a premium Airport Express service to Gran Canaria Airport, rechargeable transport cards (Bono Residente Canario at €40/month for unlimited travel, Wawa Joven, and standard fare cards), and supporting digital tools including a mobile app and web route planner. Revenue is earned primarily through passenger fares coordinated with the Autoridad Única del Transporte de Gran Canaria (AUTGC) and secondarily through on-bus advertising.

Product overview

Guaguas Global operates as the primary interurban passenger transportation company in Gran Canaria, Spain. The company provides a comprehensive transport network through its core offerings: a route planning and scheduling service accessible via website and mobile app, a fleet of interurban buses serving all island municipalities, transport card systems (including the Bono Residente Canario and Wawa Joven), and the premium Airport Express service. Additional services include lost and found management, real-time service status updates, tourist information, transportation certificates, and advertising space on buses. The company is actively modernizing its fleet with hybrid, hydrogen, and electric vehicles alongside traditional diesel units, serving approximately 50 million annual passengers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interurban Bus Network Scheduled fixed-route interurban bus transport service connecting all municipalities of Gran Canaria, including urban, tourist, university, and rural routes, operated with a continuously renewed fleet of approximately 310 buses (diesel, hybrid, hydrogen, and electric units).
• Airport Express Service Premium interurban bus service connecting Gran Canaria Airport with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Faro de Maspalomas via Lines 60 and 66, using dedicated MAN NOGE vehicles with large luggage storage, USB charging, and advanced safety systems (EBA, LGS); targeted at tourists, airport travelers, and island visitors.
• Transport Cards and Subscription Fares Rechargeable transport card system for fare payment, including the Bono Residente Canario monthly subscription (€40/month for unlimited travel on GLOBAL and Guaguas Municipales for residents), the Wawa Joven card for youth travelers, and standard single-trip fare cards; available through authorized points of sale, bus stations, and the online bonos.autgc.org platform.
• Advertising on Buses

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 million annual passengers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias (ITC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 July 2026Collaboration on hydrogen-powered bus development as part of sustainable mobility research, contributing to cleaner energy solutions for public transport on the island.
• Federación Insular de Lucha Canaria de Gran CanariaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2023Third-year sponsorship agreement for the sponsorship of all male and female selections of the Gran Canaria Wrestling Federation. Support for grassroots sports development and traditional Canary Islands sports.
• Gobierno de CanariasminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 November 2023Support for sustainable transport day celebrations and initiatives to promote safe, accessible, and sustainable mobility aligned with UN sustainable transport goals.
• Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020University transport services including Line 326 connecting Tamaraceite with Campus de Tafira. Collaboration on Route 7 cultural program and student transport services.
• La Tournée de L'ArtminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2018Partnership for 'Misión en la Isla' family leisure event using GLOBAL buses as the main element for discovering Gran Canaria's history and culture through adventure challenges.
• FORESTAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on Gran Canaria reforestation initiatives supporting environmental sustainability and environmental awareness campaigns.
• Cruz RojaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to transport Cruz Roja gratitude across Gran Canaria as part of community support initiatives.
• Instituto Canario de Hemodonación y Hemoterapia (ICHH)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration to promote blood donation campaigns across Gran Canaria using GLOBAL buses for awareness and transportation.
• Autoridad Única del Transporte de Gran Canaria (AUTGC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransport authority coordinating public transport on the island. Provides funding for fleet modernization including the 5 new Irizar i4 buses (€1.75 million) and Airport Express services. Responsible for fare structure including Bono Residente Canario.
• Cabildo de Gran CanariacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIsland government providing capital subsidies for fleet modernization including €1 million for Airport Express units. Overall transport policy governance and coordination through the Transport and Mobility Council.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ALSA (National Express Group): Spain's largest intercity bus operator, part of UK's National Express Group. Operates long-distance routes across mainland Spain and parts of the Canary Islands; comparable on interurban coach operations and route network design, though with much broader national scope.
• Monbus: Galician-based intercity and regional bus operator with services across multiple Spanish regions including some Canary Islands operations. Comparable on regulated regional bus concessions and integrated transport card systems.
• Samar (Grupo Samar): Spanish regional bus operator providing intercity and metropolitan services across central Spain. Comparable on fleet modernization, Bono card systems, and concession-based regional public transport operations.
• Avanza (Ouibus, Deutsche Bahn subsidiary): Major Spanish intercity bus operator owned by Deutsche Bahn/Moovia, serving regional and long-distance routes across multiple Spanish regions. Comparable on interurban bus operations and digital ticketing/bono systems, though primarily mainland-focused.

Direct peers

• Titsa (Transports Interurbans de Tenerife): Public interurban bus operator on Tenerife, the other major Canary Island, run under the Cabildo de Tenerife. Operates the closest comparable interurban island bus network with similar fare-card systems, fleet modernization programs, and regulated fare coordination with regional transport authorities.
• Guaguas Municipales (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria): City bus operator in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria that integrates with Global through the Bono Residente Canario monthly pass. Operates urban routes complementing Global's interurban service on the same island, sharing the same AUTGC regulatory framework.

Emerging players

• FlixBus España: Low-cost intercity bus operator active across Spain including routes to Canary Islands. Comparable on digital ticketing, route planning apps, and dynamic pricing, though operating under a different asset-light franchise model.

Regional players

• Transportes La Veloz (Grupo Cabrera): Canary Islands-based bus operator serving Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and other islands with interurban and airport transfer services. Direct regional peer operating in the same Canary Islands geography with similar island-orography route challenges.
• Cabus (Cabrera Medina / Grupo Cabrera): Gran Canaria airport transfer and interurban coach service under Grupo Cabrera. Directly comparable on the Airport Express segment and island interurban routes, competing on Gran Canaria's premium airport transfer market.

Others

• Empresa Municipal de Transportes (EMT) Madrid: Madrid's municipal public transport operator. Comparable on fleet size, multi-modal card systems (similar to Bono Residente), and Spanish public transport regulatory environment, though urban rather than interurban.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/globalsalcaiutinsa

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Guaguas Global