Spain is a country that is steeped in history and culture, and in order to see as much as you can when you go there, chances are you are going to have to travel around a bit to do so. Fortunately, the distance from Málaga, on the southern coast, to Santander, on the northern coast, is just under 1,000 km. and could be driven in a little over 9 hours, which is almost the same distance and time it would take you to get from Barcelona to the border with Portugal.
The good news is that there are a number of transportation choices available to travelers who want to venture out and see a variety of places during their trip. Visitors planning a trip to Spain will be happy to know that the country has a well-developed road system, a train system that is efficient and covers all corners of the country, and a number of airline choices if you want to get from one point to another as quickly as possible. Each has its pros and cons, so you’ll have to decide which fits in best with your travel style, itinerary and budget.
Driving
Getting around in Spain by car is very easy, and the road infrastructure is quite good. Spaniards are drivers, and it’s very common for families to get into their cars to head to their homes in nearby towns on the weekends, or drive several hours to get to the coast for their summer holiday.
There are 3 main types of roads in Spain: highways (autovías and autopistas), national roads (carretera nacional), and rural roads. The difference between the autovías and autopistas is that autovías do not have a toll, and autopistas (carretera de peaje) are toll roads. The tolls can be a bit expensive and Spaniards are not big fans of paying tolls, so don’t be surprised if you have the toll road all to yourself, as they tend to not be very crowded.
When trying to decide which road is best to take, keep in mind that the national roads often are just two lane roads (one for each direction) and will require drivers to brush up on their car passing skills. The autovías and autopistas are multi-lane roads in each direction, and are more similar to what U.S drivers will be accustomed to in interstate roads. Rural roads are almost always only two lanes (one in each direction) and tend to be much narrower. Keep this in mind if your itinerary includes stretches on rural roads, as this can add a lot of time to your drive, even if it doesn’t’ appear to be a long distance.
Renting a car in Spain is easy, and the major U.S. rental companies (e.g. Hertz, Avis, Budget) have offices in airports, train stations, as well as downtown locations. Check with your rental company to determine whether an international driving permit (IDP) is required to drive in Spain. Keep in mind that an IDP is not valid on its own and must be accompanied by a driver’s license, as it is just a translation of the driver’s license into 10 languages. The translation allows foreign officials to interpret the information contained in your license. IDPs can be obtained through AAA; for more information, click here.
Trains
Most of Spain’s railways are run by the state-owned company called Renfe (Red Nacional de Ferrocarriles Españóles, or National Network of Spanish Railways). Renfe operates shorter-distance commuter services (Cercanías), medium-distance AVE (Alta Velocidad Españóla) high-speed trains, and long-distance intercity trains.
The introduction of the first AVE train in 1991 between Madrid and Sevilla made it possible to make the journey between these two cities in just 2.5 hours, half the time that it would take to drive. Passengers can ride in comfort as the train travels up to 300 km. per hour, and there are 3 levels of service to choose from: Tourist, Club (i.e. Business Class), and Preferente (i.e. First Class). The seats are comfortable, all classes offer in-seat audio and video programs, and staff is available to assist passengers. Passengers in Club and Preferente Class are served meals in their seats, or they can visit the bar buffet lounge (available to all three classes), where they can purchase food and beverages.
AVE service is now available on a number of other routes, including Madrid to Barcelona (2.5 hours), Madrid to Málaga (2.5 hours), Madrid to Valencia (90 minutes), Barcelona to Sevilla (5.5 hours), and Barcelona to Málaga (6 hours), to name a few. For more information on all AVE and other train routes, as well as schedules and prices, click here to visit the Renfe website.
The beauty of taking a train from one city to another is that you can go from the city center in Madrid, for example, to the city center in Barcelona, without having to allot extra time or expense for getting to the airport, not to mention the hassle of arriving 1-2 hours before the flight and having to deal with airport security. The trains have a very good on-time record, and you can arrive at the station just moments before the train’s departure time.
Flying
It used to be that your only choice for domestic flights within Spain was Iberia, the Spanish national airline. While Iberia, together with its franchisee, Air Nostrum, and Iberia Express, still operates the largest network of flights within Spain, travelers now have other options for getting around Spain (and other parts of Europe). Iberia is a member of the OneWorld alliance. For more information, click here.
Vueling is a low-cost airline that is the second largest in Spain, after Iberia. Vueling services over 25 cities within Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands, as well as other international destinations. For more information, click here.
Air Europa is the third largest airline in Spain, servicing about 25 cities with the country, including the Balearic and Canary Islands, as well as other international destinations. It is a member of the SkyTeam alliance. For more information, click here.
Ryanair is a low-cost Irish airline that services a limited number of cities within Spain, and more extensive network between the UK and Spain, and from Spain to other destinations in Europe. For more information, click here.
As you can see, there are many choices for getting around Spain. Which you choose will depend on your itinerary, budget and travel preferences. Driving gives you the most flexibility, since you don’t have to operate on anyone else’s timetable but your own. If there are a number of people in your travel party it could also be the most economical. Perhaps the best part of driving is that you can makes stops and detours along the way if you see a city or village you would like to explore.
Taking the train or flying will certainly save you time, but it will probably not save you much money, especially if there are more than 2 people in your party. You will have to decide whether saving some time will be outweighed by the expense and loss of some flexibility, since you’ll have to adhere to predetermined timetables and be limited to major (or larger) cities. Sometimes the places you will speed through or fly over can be the most memorable parts of your entire trip!
For assistance with your travel plans, including hotel and private tour reservations, click here.