Transport and Driving in Spain

When it comes to transport and driving in Spain, there are excellent options for getting around one of Europe’s biggest countries. The public transport system is thorough enough to give you plenty of choices for travel. The country functions as a gateway between Europe and Africa and a portal to the Americas and Asia with its vast network of ports, airports, roads, and rail networks.

While it’s possible to get by without a car, many people prefer to own one in Spain for the freedom it affords when getting around this diverse country.

Read more about travelling within Spain's most popular cities:
Getting Around in Madrid
Getting Around in Barcelona
Getting Around in Seville
Getting Around in Valencia

Public transport in Spain

Public transport in Spain is well organised and wide-ranging, enabling efficient travel both within your town and between cities across the Spanish mainland.  Getting around in Spain should prove straightforward and relatively stress-free.

Trains

The national railway network is one of the most popular ways to travel between regions, although many people fly or use the Spanish bus system. The Spanish railway network is operated chiefly by La Red de los Ferrocarriles Españoles (RENFE) and is often integrated with regional and urban networks, especially in larger cities.

The high-speed train network in Spain is known as AVE and travels between its largest cities. Centred in Madrid, it fans out to Barcelona, Seville, Córdoba and Zaragoza, and it also allows for travel to France. While not the cheapest way to travel in Spain, with speeds of up to 192 miles per hour (310km/h), it is one of the fastest and most convenient ways of getting around.

There are also regional train services in certain parts of Spain, such as the Ferrocarrils Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC), which operates in northeastern Spain.

Metro and trams

Several cities have light-rail or subway systems, and the metro system in Madrid is one of the best in the world. Spain has metro systems operating in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, Seville, and Palma de Mallorca. Tram networks also operate in several Spanish cities, including Barcelona, Zaragoza and Seville.

Buses

There are vast public bus networks in Spain’s larger urban areas, as well as a variety of options for inter-city travel. You can buy bus tickets online from Movelia. The site allows users to buy tickets from more than 20 transport companies that operate on countless routes in the country.

Useful links

• RENFE: Official Spanish Railway Network
• Movelia: Multi-Operator Bus Ticket Platform

Taxis in Spain

Taxis in Spain are widely available, especially in the cities. While they are generally reasonably priced and drivers deliver good service, non-Spanish speakers may be taken for tourists and overcharged. It’s always a good idea to know roughly how much your fare will come to beforehand, and ensure that your driver has switched on the meter or agree on a price upfront.

Ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Cabify eliminate a lot of the hassle, although their availability varies significantly by region. While these services operate in many Spanish cities, some areas like Barcelona have limited availability due to local regulations that allow regional authorities to restrict ride-hailing operations.

Useful links

• Uber Spain, Cabify, Bolt Spain
• Free Now, Pide Taxi, Radio Teléfono Taxi Madrid

Driving in Spain

It may take a while to get accustomed to local driving behaviour in Spain. There are also several laws that may differ from what expats are used to. Cars in Spain drive on the right-hand side of the road. You should also note that people are required to flash their vehicle’s lights before overtaking the car in front of them.

Non-Spanish speakers may have a little trouble getting around in Spain, given that signs are usually in Spanish, Catalan or Basque, depending on the region. Parking in larger cities can often be a frustrating experience owing to high congestion and limited spaces.

If you’re looking to drive and buy a car in Spain, you’ll have to be prepared to deal with the paperwork and costs associated with car ownership in the country. Car insurance is compulsory in Spain, and you’ll have to pay an annual road licence fee. Nonetheless, owning a vehicle frees you to venture further afield.

Driver’s licences

Those from the EU and EEA countries can use their national driver’s licence for up to two years before exchanging it for a Spanish licence. Non-EU and EEA nationals can have their foreign driver’s licence translated into Spanish or use it with an International Driving Permit (IDP) for a maximum of six months.

Ensure you register with the traffic authorities at the Central Register of Drivers and Minor Offenders (Registro Central de Conductores e Infractores) within six months of your arrival in the country.

UK citizens can use their licence as is, without a translation or IDP, for six months under the post-Brexit bilateral agreement between the UK and Spain. After that, you’ll need to obtain a Spanish driver’s licence.

Fortunately, Spain has direct exchange agreements with several countries, including the UK, which allows the nationals of these countries to simply exchange their national driver’s licence for a Spanish one. Otherwise, you’ll need to take lessons from a recognised driving school and take the written and practical Spanish driving tests to secure your licence.

Buying a Car in Spain

Useful links

• DGT Electronic Office: Online Services
• Government Portal: Driving Licence Information

Cycling in Spain

Some cities in Spain are more cycle-friendly than others. Seville and Barcelona, especially, are known for their excellent infrastructure, with dedicated cycling lanes, bike hire, and storage facilities. Seville has dramatically expanded its network from 7 miles (12km) to over 110 miles (180km) of separated bike lanes, making it one of Europe’s greatest cycling success stories. Cyclists are still encouraged to be cautious.

Travelling around Spain by bicycle is a popular holiday activity, especially in the summer months. You should, however, be prepared for steep gradients in some of the country’s mountainous regions.

Useful links

• Vías Verdes: Spain’s Greenway Cycling Routes
• Spain.info: Official Cycling Tourism Guide

Domestic flights in Spain

The three busiest airports in Spain are in Madrid, Barcelona and Mallorca, handling over 150 million passengers combined annually, but there are dozens of airports across the country, making it easy for expats to travel throughout the Spanish mainland and islands.

If you want to travel through Spain quickly at a lower price than high-speed rail, you can compare the domestic flight prices of different carriers. The largest airlines operating domestic routes in Spain include Iberia, Ryanair and Vueling.

Useful links

• Iberia
• Vueling
• Ryanair