Spain is easy to travel around with public transport like buses and trains, as well as ride-share options like BlaBlaCar. With the new speed trains, you can move quickly between major cities like Madrid and Seville or Malaga.
People Also Ask
Travelling by trainThe best way to travel long distances in Spain is to book the high-speed train or AVE (Alta Velocidad) which run between most major cities. A train ride from Barcelona to Madrid covers some 500km (311 miles) in just 2hrs 40 minutes, while a train from Madrid to Seville takes around the same time.
Compared to long road trips and all of the inconveniences of short flights, it's easy to get around Spain by train. Instead of sitting on a cramped bus or spending your time going to and from airports, the trains offer a quick and comfortable way to enjoy the ride to Spain's dazzling cities.
Spain, like most of Europe, has a great public transportation system, but it's not always easy for travelers to navigate (especially if they don't speak fluent Spanish). Our advice: have a local help plan your trip. They'll provide detailed transportation options that adhere to your budget. And that's not all!
Travelling by busGetting the bus is one of the cheapest ways to get around Spain – although for long distances it is not always the most comfortable. It's also one of the easiest ways to access off-the-beaten-track destinations and rural areas where there are no train lines.
Flying a budget airline between Spanish cities is almost always cheaper than taking the high-speed train, and a good portion of the time, it's cheaper than taking a slow train. If the trains, buses, and flights don't go where you want to go when you want to go, arrange a rideshare with Bla Bla Car instead.
Uber in Spain operates in exactly the same way that it does in every country. Therefore, if you already have the app downloaded and an active account – away you go. However, if you haven't used the platform yet you will need to download the app from your app store (find it for Android here and Apple here).
The policy could be here to stay with commuters being encouraged to ditch their cars in favour of taking the train. Spain has just extended its free train travel scheme through to December 2023. Earlier this year, free train tickets were introduced for short and medium-distance journeys.
But, do you need to rent a car during your trip to Spain at all? It actually depends on your agenda and where exactly you're planning to travel. If your main goal is only to spend time in cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Seville or Málaga, you don't need a car. In fact, having one will make your life harder.
Spain has just extended its free train travel scheme through to December 2023. Earlier this year, free train tickets were introduced for short and medium-distance journeys. It started on 1 September and was originally meant to end on 31 December.
In Spain, tipping is entirely optional and it's not very common. You may see people leaving small change at cafés and bars and, eventually, someone tipping at a nice expensive restaurant. But most of the time, you won't see anyone other than tourists leaving a tip.
Compared to the rest of Europe, Spain is easy on the eyes and even easier on the wallet. Between the low cost of food and alcohol and the ease of finding budget accommodation outside the large city centers and resort areas, your Spanish holiday doesn't need to be extravagantly expensive.
In between nine and 12 days, you can immerse yourself in multiple regions of Spain plus even visit Portugal if you choose. Consider combining the aforementioned excursion to Galicia with a road trip to Basque Country. This self-drive tour begins in Madrid.
If you're living in a major city, studying a course taught in English, interning or working at a company that requires English, or are living in expat areas such as Costa del Sol or Malaga, you can get by with just English in Spain. In all these scenarios, you can live in Spain even if you don't speak Spanish.
Across the country as a whole, the average minimum fee for a daytime trip between Monday and Friday is €3.48. The average price per kilometre after the minimum is 94 cents, an increase of 0.8% on 2019 fares, or €1.16 at night, a rise of 0.7% on 2019.
The cheapest time to visit Spain is usually from December to March, though you can also enjoy affordable flights and hotels in early spring and late autumn. The winter months see many vibrant markets and activities dedicated to annual celebrations such as Christmas, Carnival, and New Year's Eve.
For starters, the typical cost of a week-long trip to Spain for an individual fluctuates between $1,100-$2,257. For a couple, it appears to average between $1,900-$3,800.