Getting Around Spain – Tips for Maximizing the Latest Improvements in Spain’s Transportation

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Getting around Spain today is easier than ever before. Even recently, the World Economic Forum rated Spain’s infrastructure as the tenth best in the world. Since living here, we’ve seen first-hand the progress that’s been made, especially regarding the improved online access to essential information, purchasing tickets and other great features.

Traveling around Spain has always held its own special charm, reminding us of that age-old wisdom that it’s not just about the destination, but also the journey. To make sure your Spain journey is the best, utilize these tips and features that will save you money and time getting around Spain.

Getting Around Spain by Train

Above Image – The AVE trains at Madrid’s Atocha Station.

Train is our favorite mode of transportation for getting around Spain. Renfe, a state-owned company, is the national provider of the train network countrywide. The types of routes provided are suburban lines, regular lines, and high-speed lines.

The suburban lines are shorter routes, which are called Cercanías and connect nearby towns to a major city. For example, from Valencia there are several Cercanías that you can take to various neighboring towns. The farthest one is usually no longer than 1-hour of travel time and cost only up to 7€ – 9€ each way, depending on the distance.

Then there are the regular lines which cover longer distances but take longer. On the Renfe website they are referred to as ‘Intercity’ and ‘Regional’. These can also be quite a bit cheaper, if you have the time to spare.

What is the most enjoyable though, is traveling on the high-speed train network called AVE. These connect most of the major cities and popular destinations within 3 hours. The one we travel the most is the AVE train route from Valencia to Madrid, which is less than 2 hours.

Above Image – One of the rooms inside Valencia’s Estacion Norte.

As you can see, we use the Renfe website a lot. Over the years, we continue to find that it’s the best prices to purchase directly through them when possible, and they offer helpful features and discount opportunities.

Another wonderful thing about traveling Spain by train, is that the majority of major train stations are also architectural sites. Even if you’re not taking the train, the Atocha Station in Madrid is a beautiful landmark and place to visit, with its indoor atrium and garden. And the Estacíon Norte in Valencia is adorned with carved oranges and hand-done tile work depicting the local culture.

Metro Systems

Many of the major cities of Spain have incredible metro systems, which are underground railway. The stations have very little crime and it’s easy to navigate your trip. Just follow signs for the final destination of the line that your stop is on. When you go to disembark, make sure to remember to push the door button once it lights up green or pull the lever, so you can actually get out.

We’ve found that if you’re visiting Spain, the metro is usually a great way to get from the airport into the city-center. But once in the center, you may want to use bus a little more, so you can be above ground and see more. For those of us living in Spain and its major cities, the metro is even more of an ideal mode of transportation on a daily basis.

Bus for Getting Around Spain

Above Image – A public bus in Madrid’s city center.

Bus (autobús) transportation in Spain is quite good, and many times is the only way besides car to get around more rural areas of the country. We travel by bus quite a bit from our town of Denia, just south of Valencia, and when we’ve visited the regions of Extremadura and Asturias.

Each major city, and even towns, have their own public bus system. These offer passes for saving money on multiple trips, and other discounts such as being a student or senior citizen (referred to here as pensioner). Just keep in mind that they can get pretty crowded and usually have more standing room available than seats.

The long-distance coach buses (autocar) provide services between the major cities and are managed by a variety of private companies. One of the largest companies is Alsa, which is also our favorite. But there are certain areas they do not cover, such as Extremadura, where instead Avanza provides bus transportation. Some other popular companies are Damas, Hife, and Interbus Murcia which used to be Lycar.

While there are some not-so-nice buses you can end up on in Spain, they are usually quite clean and nice. Many of them, especially for longer distances, have televisions and show movies and have free WiFi (although that is sometimes not so reliable). Overall, traveling Spain by bus can be a great way to go.

Getting Around Spain by Ferry

Above Image – A Balearia ferry leaving from Denia.

Taking a ferry in Spain may not seem like the most practical mode of transportation, but it sure can be an enjoyable way to travel.

In the Mediterranean, the company Balearia operates routes to the Balearic Islands, all along the mainland Mediterranean coast, and even to destinations in Africa, like Tanger. The company also features newer, environmentally friendly boats that travel even faster. Visiting the popular island of Ibiza from our town Denia can be done in around 2 hours.

Along the northern coast of Spain, you find opportunities to ferry to and from the UK and other parts of Europe. These routes are managed primarily by the company Brittany Ferries, which operates what they refer to as cross channel ferries.

Some years ago, Balearia made Denia its world headquarters. Their main port is here, in our Marina Portet. The company’s presence makes Denia another great reason to visit, especially if you’re traveling Spain’s Mediterranean Coast.

Airplane

Ah, the good-old airplane. Flying around Spain can not only be a time-saver, but a money-saver as well. Don’t you just love those low-priced inner-country flights? And even traveling to other European countries from Spain, can be down-right cheap.

Most flights within Spain’s mainland only take within 2 hours. Of course, you need to calculate your time getting to the airport and through security. So reality is, there are still some routes that are quicker by train, for example taking the AVE train from Madrid to Barcelona, Valencia, Seville or even Malaga.

Two of the best airlines for flying within Spain are Vueling and Ryanair. You’ll want to use them for quicker travel to and from corners of the country, like from Barcelona to Asturias, or from Seville to Bilboa.

We haven’t traveled as much by plane in Spain. There’s something about wanting to see more of the journey along the way. But flying to your destination is especially a great option when you’re visiting and possibly have less time.

Taxis

The taxis in Spain are great! They are usually friendly and helpful drivers who get you to your destination in the most direct route possible. It is a licensed profession here and regulated. Their rates (or tariffs) are set prices for more popular destinations. For example, taking a taxi from the Madrid airport to the city center is a flat-rate of 30€

While they’re mostly convenient to use in major cities, you can also call a radio-taxi in smaller towns. It does cost more though to call a taxi versus hailing one day in the street or finding one at a taxi stop.

The taxi stops (paradas de taxí) are well organized areas found at train stations, airports, bus stations, and certain major points in city or town centers. You line up here and take the next available taxi, so it’s not a free-for-all.

Recently, Uber and Cabify have been introduced to Spain, and it has really stirred things up. Just this past year, the traditional taxi drivers went on strike in all major cities.

We remember because we were traveling in Madrid and Valencia at the time. It was pretty annoying because it was then that we also learned that Uber and Cabify are more expensive. Could it have been because they knew the regular taxis were not an option for us? Perhaps, and in that case, even more reason why we prefer to use the traditional taxis. It feels to us more like keeping business local, and can be the simpler and more affordable option.

Blah Blah Car for Getting Around Spain

What a name, right? Blah Blah Car is a car-ride service that incorporates us every day drivers. It essentially monetizes carpooling. This can be a great way to travel by car and save money.

Trips between major cities are pretty common and a good price, coming out cheaper than train or bus or in some cases even gas if you were to drive by yourself. This can also be a great way to travel between towns in more rural or remote areas, although in those cases the frequency can be less.

We’ve used Blah Blah Car twice in the almost four years we’ve been living in Spain, and both experiences were pretty good. But each trip did feel crammed and we realized we were limited with our luggage. Overall, we feel that this way of getting around Spain can be more ideal for younger people, like students, and singles (but to each their own). If you’re traveling as a couple or family, it can be more comfortable to go by another means of traveling.

Rental Car

Renting a car is probably one of the most popular ways of getting around Spain, especially for visitors. Compared to other European countries, rental car prices can be very affordable. What can cost a bit more than what you’re used to is perhaps gas (especially for visitors coming from the US). But rental cars typically are good quality vehicles and have good gas-mileage, depending of course on what you get (do you really need the SUV?).

The roads throughout Spain are relatively good. There are autovías, which are distinguished on signs by an ‘A’ and are single-laned expressways that usually parallel larger highways. They can be a little rough and not in as good condition as the autopistas. The autopistas, which are ‘AP’ on road signs, are multi-laned expressways that charge tolls (these can be pretty pricy), and they’re in very good condition and have less traffic. Then there are also national roads, identified by ‘N’ and regional roads, identified by ‘C’.

In our time living in Spain, we have not driven and we still do not have a car. While one day we’ll get a vehicle, we do not miss the stress that can come with it and the extra cost.

At the same time, if you’re moving to Spain, you can consider doing what friends of our’s do. Having moved to Denia from Denver last year, they rent a vehicle for 3 – 4 days about once a month. This is when they plan to do shopping for bigger items or at stores further away, and explore the surrounding area. It works out great because it’s a ridiculously cheap price of only 12€ a day, and they pay for a car only when they’re going to use it.

Make Getting Around Spain Be All About the Journey

Above Image – When traveling by train, don’t forget to enjoy the bar car!

It’s great to see the improvements that Spain’s transportation has achieved. We have high expectations that it will only continue to expand in positive ways. Many of the best ways to save money and enjoy more benefits is to purchase directly from the company. Even the long-existing stereotype that everything in Spain is late, doesn’t apply as much any more when it comes to especially the public transportation. Things actually leave on time.

And thank goodness that the websites are finally getting better. Many still have a long way to go, but it’s a big area of growth for many Spanish companies in the transportation and travel industry.

More than anything, your choices for getting around Spain will be most influenced by whether you’re visiting or living here. Take this into consideration when making your plans and you’ll enjoy not only the amazing destinations that Spain has, but the charm of the journey as well. Have a great time getting around Spain!

What have been your favorite modes of transportation for getting around Spain? We’d love to hear about your experiences. Or ask any questions and we’ll help you find the answers.