Fred. Olsen Express is a Spanish ferry operator based in the Canary Islands. Its network is centred on fast passenger and vehicle ferry services between the islands, supplemented by a long-distance connection between the Canary Islands and Huelva on mainland Spain.
Current status: Fred. Olsen Express is an active passenger, vehicle and freight ferry operator. Its current network connects Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro, alongside services between Tenerife and Gran Canaria and the mainland port of Huelva.
Last checked: 7 September 2026.
Current Fred. Olsen Express ferry network
Fred. Olsen Express operates one of the main inter-island ferry networks in the Canary Islands. High-speed ferries form the core of the passenger network, connecting the larger islands with shorter crossings designed for passengers, cars and commercial traffic.
The network is structured around several important gateways. Tenerife has connections with Gran Canaria, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro, while Gran Canaria connects directly with Tenerife and Fuerteventura. Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are linked by a short crossing across the Bocaina Strait.
Fred. Olsen Express also operates a coastal passenger service within La Gomera and a longer-distance ferry connection between Huelva, Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
See the Canary Islands ferry network for the wider regional context.
Main Fred. Olsen Express routes
| Route | Typical crossing | Network role |
|---|---|---|
| Agaete-Santa Cruz de Tenerife | About 80 minutes | High-frequency connection between Gran Canaria and Tenerife |
| Los Cristianos-San Sebastián de La Gomera | About 50 minutes | Main passenger and vehicle connection between Tenerife and La Gomera |
| Los Cristianos-Santa Cruz de La Palma | About 2 hours 30 minutes | Direct Tenerife-La Palma connection |
| Los Cristianos-Valverde | About 2 hours 20 minutes | Main ferry connection between Tenerife and El Hierro |
| Las Palmas de Gran Canaria-Morro Jable | About 2 hours | Direct connection between Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura |
| Playa Blanca-Corralejo | About 25-35 minutes | Short crossing between Lanzarote and Fuerteventura |
| Huelva-Las Palmas de Gran Canaria | About 33-40 hours | Long-distance passenger, vehicle and freight connection with mainland Spain |
| Huelva-Santa Cruz de Tenerife | About 33-40 hours | Long-distance passenger, vehicle and freight connection with mainland Spain |
Fred. Olsen Express also sells connecting journeys between islands that require a transfer between ferries. These should not automatically be described as direct routes.
Tenerife and Gran Canaria
The connection between Tenerife and Gran Canaria is one of the principal corridors in the Fred. Olsen Express network.
The route links Santa Cruz de Tenerife with Agaete in northern Gran Canaria and is operated by high-speed trimarans. Fred. Olsen Express currently advertises a crossing time of around 80 minutes and up to eight daily departures.
Bajamar Express and Bañaderos Express are the principal vessels associated with this route.
The Agaete connection differs from ferry services using Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and gives the northern part of Gran Canaria a direct ferry link with Tenerife.
Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro
Los Cristianos in southern Tenerife is another important hub in the Fred. Olsen Express network.
From Los Cristianos, direct passenger and vehicle ferry services operate to San Sebastián de La Gomera, Santa Cruz de La Palma and Valverde on El Hierro.
The Tenerife-La Gomera crossing takes around 50 minutes, while the direct Tenerife-La Palma service takes around two and a half hours. The Tenerife-El Hierro crossing takes around two hours and twenty minutes.
These routes allow Los Cristianos to function as the main ferry gateway between Tenerife and the western Canary Islands.
Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura
Fred. Olsen Express connects Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with Morro Jable in southern Fuerteventura.
The crossing takes around two hours and carries passengers and vehicles between the two islands. It also forms part of wider connecting journeys involving Tenerife and other islands.
Betancuria Express is among the vessels currently associated with this corridor.
Lanzarote and Fuerteventura
The short crossing between Playa Blanca in Lanzarote and Corralejo in Fuerteventura is one of the shortest routes in the Fred. Olsen Express network.
The crossing takes approximately 25 to 35 minutes and provides a passenger and vehicle connection across the Bocaina Strait.
Current route information identifies Bocayna Express and Buganvilla Express among the vessels used on this service.
La Gomera coastal service
Fred. Olsen Express also operates a coastal passenger service within La Gomera.
The service links San Sebastián de La Gomera, Playa de Santiago and Valle Gran Rey, allowing travel between communities on the island without making the journey by road.
Benchi Express is used on this route. The service is different from the larger inter-island car ferry network and should be treated separately when describing vehicle access.
Huelva and the Canary Islands
Fred. Olsen Express also connects the Canary Islands with mainland Spain through a long-distance route from Huelva.
The service operates in a triangular pattern linking Huelva with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Depending on the sailing, one Canary Islands port is served directly and the other after an intermediate call.
Fred. Olsen Express currently gives a journey time of around 33 hours to the first Canary Islands port and around 40 hours to the second.
The route carries passengers, private vehicles and freight and differs substantially from the operator’s high-speed inter-island services.
Main Fred. Olsen Express ports
Important ports in the current Fred. Olsen Express passenger network include:
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Los Cristianos, Tenerife
- Agaete, Gran Canaria
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- Morro Jable, Fuerteventura
- Corralejo, Fuerteventura
- Playa Blanca, Lanzarote
- San Sebastián de La Gomera
- Playa de Santiago, La Gomera
- Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera
- Santa Cruz de La Palma
- Valverde, El Hierro
- Huelva, mainland Spain
Together these ports form much of the passenger ferry structure of the Canary Islands network.
Fred. Olsen Express fleet
Fred. Olsen Express operates a fleet dominated by high-speed ferries, alongside vessels designed for longer passenger and freight services.
Passenger vessels currently listed by the operator include:
- Buenavista Express
- Barlovento Express
- Bañaderos Express
- Bajamar Express
- Buganvilla Express
- Benchi Express
- Marie Curie
- Betancuria Express
- Benchijigua Express
- Bocayna Express
- Bentago Express
- Bencomo Express
The operator also has dedicated freight vessels operating through Fred. Olsen Cargo Express.
Vessel deployment changes between routes and operating periods, so FerryLines should not treat every vessel-route pairing as permanent.
Fast ferry network
High-speed vessels are central to the Fred. Olsen Express operating model. This allows relatively short journey times between islands while still carrying passengers and vehicles on the main inter-island routes.
The Tenerife-Gran Canaria route is operated with large trimarans including Bajamar Express and Bañaderos Express, while Benchijigua Express is used within the western island network.
Other vessels are adapted to shorter or lower-volume corridors, including the Lanzarote-Fuerteventura and La Gomera services.
Buenavista Express and the mainland route
Buenavista Express is used for the long-distance connection between Huelva and the Canary Islands.
The vessel is a conventional ro-pax ferry rather than one of the high-speed craft used on the main inter-island services. Fred. Olsen Express lists capacity for up to 944 passengers, 390 vehicles and substantial freight space.
This illustrates the two different roles within the Fred. Olsen Express network: fast inter-island passenger transport and longer-distance passenger, vehicle and freight transport between the archipelago and mainland Spain.
Passenger, vehicle and freight access
Most major Fred. Olsen Express inter-island routes carry both foot passengers and private vehicles. Commercial freight is also an important part of the wider network.
Vehicle access should not, however, be assumed for every service. The coastal service within La Gomera has a different operating role from the main car ferry network.
Fred. Olsen Express also operates dedicated freight services through Fred. Olsen Cargo Express, which should be distinguished from ordinary passenger ferry connections.
Connections between islands
Not every journey marketed by Fred. Olsen Express is a direct ferry crossing.
For example, the operator offers connections between Gran Canaria and La Palma, La Gomera or El Hierro by combining separate ferry legs. A journey may therefore include a transfer in Tenerife or another island.
FerryLines route pages should distinguish direct ferry routes from through journeys that require a change of vessel.
How Fred. Olsen Express fits into the Canary Islands network
Fred. Olsen Express forms one of the principal passenger ferry networks within the Canary Islands.
The operator connects the eastern islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, links Gran Canaria and Tenerife through a high-frequency fast ferry corridor and uses Tenerife as the main gateway towards La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro.
The Huelva service adds a direct connection between this island network and mainland Spain.
Fred. Olsen Express overlaps with other Canary Islands ferry operators on some corridors, while other routes have a more specialised role within the wider archipelago network.
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Sources and verification
Fred. Olsen Express routes, journey patterns, ports and vessel information were checked against the operator’s official route, timetable, terminal and fleet information.
The current network includes direct ferry routes as well as connecting journeys involving more than one vessel. FerryLines distinguishes these where relevant and does not treat a marketed island-to-island journey as a direct ferry route unless the operating pattern confirms this.
Schedules, frequencies and vessel assignments are time-sensitive and can change. Exact departure times and operating arrangements should therefore be checked against the current Fred. Olsen Express timetable.