GETTING THERE & AROUND

GETTING THERE

By air

The main international airports in Spain include: Alicante Atlet (ALC), Barcelona el Prat (BCN), Bilbao (BIO), Granada (GRX), Ibiza (IBZ) Madrid Barajas (MAD), Malaga (AGP), Palma de Mallorca (PMI), Seville (SVQ) Valencia Manises (VLC). The national carrier Iberia offers flights from most major European towns to Madrid and also shuttle flights to other cities throughout Spain. British Airways, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa and Aer Lingus offer regular flights from European capitals to the Iberian Peninsula. Also several budget airlines offer flights to Spain, these include: EasyJet, RyanAir, Transavia, Badiqair, Germanwings, Buzzaway and BMI Baby.
Shuttle flights between Spanish cities are run by Iberia, Air Europa, Binter and Spanair.

Iberia schedules: www.iberia.com
Spanish airports: www.aena.es

By sea

Main Spanish ports include: Barcelona, Cadiz, Santander, Valencia and Vigo. Some of the ferry carriers offer routes to Portugal (Lisboa, Leixoes, Setubal), the Netherlands (Amsterdam, Rotterdam), Belgium (Antwerp, Zeerbrugge), France (Le Havre), England (Felixstowe, Liverpool, Southampton), Germany (Bremerhaven) and Greece (Pireaus).

Autoridade Portuaria de Barcelona: www.abp.es
Puerto de Cadiz: www.puertocadiz.com
Puerto de Santander: www.puertosantander.es
Valencia Port: www.valenciaport.com
Autoridade Portuaria de Vigo: www.apvigo.com

By bus

Coach is the cheapest option to get to Spain. Some European carriers offer connections between Spain and other European countries. ALSA has routes to Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Moldavia, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania and Ukraine.

ALSA schedules: www.alsa.es

By train

There are direct rail connections to Spain from Paris, Montpellier, Lisbon, Zurich, Geneva, Turin and Milan operated by long-distance night trains (Estrella), Talgo or Trenhotel. Other connections will require a change of train.

By car

Main routes from European countries to Spain lead through Bordeaux, Marseille or Toulouse (France). Driving to Spain can take much time but the roads in western Europe are well-maintained and signposted.

GETTING AROUND

By bus/tram

Buses are a good option for traveling within the country as well as within the cities. The bus network has a good coverage and tickets are cheap. Madrid has a large and efficient metro (underground) network.

Metro de Madrid: www.metromadrid.es

By taxi

Taxis are relatively cheap in Spain. They display a green light when free. They can be found on taxi stands or flagged down in the street. Tourists should beware of independent taxi drivers. Airport transfer and luggage are charged extra.

By car

Travelling around Spain by car is a good option. Driving is on the right side of the road. International and foreign driving licenses are accepted. Driver must also have insurance documents and ownership/rental documents. Driver must not drive with a blood alcohol level of more than 0.5 milligrams per milliliter of blood. Driver and passengers must wear seat belts. Speed limits: built-up areas – 50 km/h, motorways – 120 km/h, open roads – 90 km/h. Two warning triangles, a fluorescent jacket and fire extinguisher are required. First aid kit is not compulsory but recommended.