Transportation in Spain
There are several ways to travel to Spain. From the neighbouring European countries, you can get into Spain by either car or by train. Visitors from other parts of the world have to take the journey by air.
[read more]Spain is peppered with international airports making air travel the most convenient option!
Use our Spain Transportation Guide to help you decide on the best mode of transportation in Spain for you. With handy tips about the variety of transport options to get you to, from and around Spain it will be an invaluable holiday tool. Contact our local connection in Malaga for some great Spain and Malaga transportation tips and a locals expertise to help you easily get around. Book your Spain tours and activities through us too; we offer a range of standard and personalised tours to suit your holiday needs.
Spain Transportation Guide
Getting to Spain
By Air
Iberia is the national carrier of Spain and is also its largest airline. The following cities are connected by air: Madrid, Barcelona, A Coruna, Malaga, Jerez de la Frontera, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Valencia, Santiago de Compostella, Murcia and Vigo. These are also the country's busiest airports. All these are listed in the website of the airport governing body.
There are also low cost airlines in Spain and they include ClickAir, which is a budget airline and subsidiary of Iberia, RyanAir, EasyJet, Vuelins, Sterling Airlines and Blue Air.
Note: If you choose to buy an e-ticket from Iberia or ClickAir using a credit card, you may be asked to produce your credit card while checking in.
Internal Flights - Flights within Spain are operated by Iberia and a smaller airline called Aviaco and these have a wide network of flights flying out from all major airports. To reserve tickets in these airlines, you can use a country wide number, 902 4005 00.
Visit our partner Air Valid for Airline Reviews and Information about Spain or visit Cheapflights.co.uk for cheap flights to Spain!
By Train
There is a dependable and modern train system in Spain. Most of the trains are new and well maintained and their punctuality rates rank as one of the highest in Europe. The only drawback is that not all towns have a railway station and you may be forced to take a bus if that is the case. Another concern with the Spanish Rail network is that it has been laid in a radial fashion and inevitably all lines head towards Madrid.
By Bus
If you are travelling on a low budget, then travelling by bus in Spain is a good option. By using funds given by the European Union, the roads in Spain have improved in the last twenty years and as a result, travelling by bus does not take much time.
There are a number of private bus companies in Spain which connect all major Spanish towns. If you choose to travel by bus, the best thing would be to head towards the local bus station and check out the routes and their timetable. Except for Barcelona and Madrid, most cities and towns just have one bus terminal. Travelling by bus is one of the best modes of transport in Spain.
Getting Around Spain
By train
Intercity Rail: A state owned company called Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles (RENFE) operates the Spanish Rail network. While long distance trains are always on time, you need to be careful about short-haul trains-known as Cercania- which can be delayed by ten to twenty minutes. This is especially true in the Barcelona area.
While RENFE operates service to all major cities, it doesn't run in smaller towns and is supplemented by other networks such as the FFCC city lines which runs in Barcelona and also by other private railways.
By Bus
The local bus service in Spain usually operates from 06:00 hours to 22:00 hours. After this a night bus system starts to operate which is more expensive. As most towns have bus terminals, travelling to these places is easiest by bus. Most buses in Spain take you point to point.
By Taxi
If you wish to travel by taxi in Spain, make sure that it displays a special license given to them. Taxis are governed by very strict legislations and are of a high standard. When a taxi displays a green light, it means that they are free and can be flagged down. Otherwise, taxis can be found at a taxi rank. They are metered and have a fixed price for a specific journey. Usually a tip of 5-10 percent is considered to be the norm.
By Metro
Metro lines are found in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. They provide the fastest way to get around in these cities and it is no surprise that they are quite crowded during rush hours. There are special tickets available such as the inexpensive day return ticket; the metrocard facilitates unlimited use for either three or five days and there are also weekly and monthly passes. You can take the help of a map, called Plano del metro which shows metro routes in different colours and these are available at all ticket offices or area guides.
By Sea
If you have a private yacht in Spain, you are indeed very lucky. From the yacht, you can distance yourself from the milling crowds that flock to these places of tourist interest and enjoy the beautiful scenery. The month of May is a good time to charter a boat and go around Costa Blanca, Costa Brava and the Balearic Islands. At this time, the weather is perfect and the tourist crowd also would not have started to pour in.
By Car
In cities such as Barcelona and also in mid-sized towns such as San Sebastian, travelling by car can be quite costly as well as intimidating. The fines for incorrect parking is €85 and upwards.
It is imperative that you have a driving map handy, if you are driving around Spain. There are many one-way streets and strangely there are more right turns than left. If you still insist on driving around, it is easier if you rent a car that is equipped with GPS navigation.
You will find that intersections of two highways always have a roundabout under the higher road. This way you can choose any turn and start driving in the opposite direction.
By Bicycle
Spain is an ideal country if you want to cycle around. This is quite evident by the number of cyclists you see riding around in the city. There are exclusive cycling lanes that are available in large cities and mid-sized towns. If you plan to cycle around Spain, do take into consideration that Spain is a mountainous country and to cycle around, you need to be physically fit.
