This new academic year brings changes to access at the University of La Laguna, with the expansion of staggered schedules to the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism. This measure, agreed upon by the Cabildo of Tenerife and the ULL, aims to decongest access to the Guajara Campus, one of the busiest centers, hosting over 2,000 students.
The primary objective is to prevent thousands of university students from arriving at the same time, especially during periods of high traffic on the island. The TF-5, a vital and often congested artery, will benefit from this reorganization, which can have a significant impact by adjusting class start times.
The Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism thus joins the model already implemented in other ULL centers. The four degrees offered in this faculty – Business Administration and Management, Accounting and Finance, Economics, and Tourism – will have staggered entry times. Most will begin at 09:00 AM, while the Tourism degree at the South Campus will start at 09:30 AM.
With this expansion, the total number of university students with staggered schedules will exceed 4,700 from September, an increase of about 2,000 compared to the previous year. The system, which began in the 2025-2026 academic year with 13 degrees, will now cover 17 degrees across nine faculties and schools.
The ULL, with a community of approximately 24,000 people, acknowledges the significant impact of its daily activities on the island's mobility. The initiative not only aims to reorganize classes but also to better distribute daily commutes, affecting the use of roads, buses, trams, and parking facilities.
According to Cabildo data, this measure could remove up to 800 vehicles daily from the TF-5 during peak hours. While not a sole solution to Tenerife's mobility issues, it addresses a key point of traffic accumulation.
The President of the Cabildo, Rosa Dávila, emphasized that organizing university activity extends beyond the campus, benefiting all citizens who use the northern highway during rush hour.
This collaboration between the Cabildo and the ULL dates back to an agreement signed in November 2023, focusing on improving university mobility through enhanced public transport, carpooling, parking management, and schedule reorganization.
The Insular Minister of Mobility, Eulalia García, noted that traffic congestion is a multifaceted problem requiring solutions that address how, when, and from where people travel.
Complementarily, the shuttle buses launched in 2025 to connect various points in Tenerife with the Guajara Campus have recorded over 43,200 trips in the 2025-2026 academic year, demonstrating demand for alternatives to private vehicles.
Data from 2025 indicates that 70% of ULL students use Titsa and Metro for their commutes, highlighting the importance of public transport. Free travel, increased frequency, improved connections, and fleet modernization have encouraged its use.
Preliminary results suggest an improvement in travel times on the northern highway. The combination of staggered schedules and shuttle buses has reduced travel times between Puerto de la Cruz and La Laguna by up to 18% at 9:00 AM.
For those who rely on cars, the Cabildo has granted the ULL a subsidy of 530,000 euros to install smart barriers in 13 university parking lots. These systems will prioritize high-occupancy vehicles, encouraging carpooling and reducing the number of single-occupancy cars arriving daily.
