|
|
|
|
SPAIN
- GETTING AROUND |
|
|
|
Most of Spain is well covered by
both bus and rail networks and
for journeys between major towns
there's often little to choose
between them in cost or speed.
On shorter or less obvious
routes buses tend to be quicker
and will also normally take you
closer to your destination; some
train stations are several
kilometres from the town or
village they serve and you've no
guarantee of a connecting bus.
We've listed approximate journey
times and frequencies in the
"Travel details"
sections, and local
peculiarities are also pointed
out in the guide. Car rental may
also be worth considering, with
costs among the lowest in
Europe. If your trip to Spain is
part of a wider European tour,
then it may be worth investing
in a rail pass, such as the
InterRail ticket.
By bus
Unless you're travelling on a
rail pass, buses will
probably meet most of your
transport needs; many smaller
villages are accessible only
by bus, almost always leaving
from the capital of their
province. Service varies in
quality, but buses are
generally reliable and
comfortable enough -
especially for long distances,
with prices pretty standard at
around ?5 per 100km. The only
real problem involved is that
many towns still have no main
bus station, and buses may
leave from a variety of places
(even if they're heading in
the same direction, since some
destinations are served by
more than one company). Where
a new terminal has been built,
it's often on the outer
fringes of town. As far as
possible, departure points are
detailed in the text or the
"Travel details".
One important point to
remember is that all public
transport, and the bus service
especially, is drastically
reduced on Sundays and
holidays - it's best not
even to consider travelling to
out-of-the-way places on these
days. The words to look out
for on timetables are diario
(daily), laborables
(workdays, including
Saturday), and domingos y
festivos (Sundays and
holidays).
By train
RENFE, the Spanish rail
company, operates a
horrendously complicated
variety of train services,
divided into three main
sections. Cercanías
are local commuter trains in
and around the major cities. Regionales
are equivalent to buses in
speed and cost, and run
between cities - Regional exprés
and Delta trains can cover
longer distances. Largo
recorrido (long-distance)
express trains have a
bewildering number of names:
in ascending order of speed
and luxury, they are known as
Diurno, Intercity (IC),
Estrella (often just signified
by a star *), Talgo, Talgo
P(endular), Talgo 200 (T200),
and Trenhotel. Anything above
Intercity can cost upwards of
twice as much as standard
second class. There is also a
growing number of
super-high-speed trains from
Madrid, such as AVE to Sevilla
and EuroMed to Alicante; for
those who can afford it, these
have cut travelling times
dramatically, with Madrid to
Sevilla, for example, taking
2hr 30min compared with 6-9
hours on the slower trains.
For budget travellers however,
it can mean switching between regional
trains to find an alternative
route, and rail staff can be
reluctant to work these out
for you. However, you can ring
the centralized RENFE
information and reservation
number on 902 240 202 - though
you'll need to speak Spanish -
or look on the internet at www.renfe.es
(English version available).
In recent years many bona
fide train services have been
phased out in favour of buses
operated jointly by RENFE and
a private bus company. This is
particularly the case when the
connection is either indirect
or the daily train or trains
leave at inconvenient times.
On some routes the rail
buses outnumber the
conventional departures by a
ratio of four to one. Prices
are the same as on the trains,
and these services usually
leave and arrive from the bus
stations of the towns
concerned.
The Spanish tend to use largo
recorrido trains in much
the same way as aeroplanes,
with advance booking
essential for both the outward
and return journey. Most RENFE
train tickets can be booked in
advance from North America
through V.E. Tours (tel
1-800/222-8383, fax
305/477-4220); there's no
RENFE representation in
Britain, Ireland or
Australasia.
Be aware that the different
train types produce their own
separate timetables; looking
at just one can give the false
impression that the overall
service is dramatically less
than it is.
By car
Whilst getting around on
public transport is easy
enough, you'll obviously have
a great deal more freedom if
you have your own car .
Major roads throughout the
country are generally good,
and traffic, while a little
hectic in the cities, is
generally well behaved -
though Spain does have one of
the highest incidences of
traffic accidents in Europe.
Equally, it also has some of
the lowest fuel prices on the
continent (but still almost
double US prices). In the big
cities at least you'll
probably want to pay extra for
a hotel with parking, use a
guarded pay-car park, or be
prepared to strip the car of
all its contents should you
park on the street (see
"Vehicle crime"
section); the only alternative
to this is to stay on the
outskirts.
Most foreign driver's
licences are honoured in
Spain - including all EU, US
and Canadian ones - but an
International Driver's Licence
(available from motoring
organizations, like the AA or
RAC, in your home country) is
an easy way to set your mind
at rest. If you're bringing
your own car, you must have a
green card from your insurers,
and a bail bond or extra
coverage for legal costs is
also worth having, since if
you do have an accident it'll
be your fault, as a foreigner,
regardless of the
circumstances. Without a bail
bond both you and the car
could be locked up pending
investigation.
Away from main roads you
yield to vehicles approaching
from the right, and barring
the odd " loco
" the rules of the road
are generally adhered to. Speed
limits are posted -
maximum on urban roads is
50kph, on other roads 90kph or
100kph where there is an arcén
, or hard shoulder; the limit
on autopistas or
motorways is 120kph. On the
main highways speed traps are
common, especially in the
morning. If you're stopped for
any violation, the Spanish
police can and usually will
levy a stiff, on-the-spot fine
(which can range from
?300-600) before letting you
go on your way, especially
since as a foreigner you're
unlikely to want, or be able,
to appear in court. Should you
not have the cash on you they
will obligingly escort you to
the nearest cash machine and
issue you with a receipt there
and then; should you lack the
ability to pay up immediately
they can impound the vehicle
and take your passport as
security.
Parking laws are
rigorously enforced in cities,
and any illegally parked
vehicle will be removed
promptly - the authorities
sometimes (but don't count on
this) leave a sticker on the
road telling you where to pay
the hefty fine (?90 upwards)
to retrieve it. If your car
disappears off the street it
is best to assume that it has
been towed to the local pound
and enquiries in any hotel,
government office or police
station should produce the
address. You will be required
to pay the fine in cash. It's
worth noting that it is also a
towable offence to park on a
taxi-rank, so study any street
signs carefully wherever you
park and if in doubt ask
locals to be absolutely sure.
The EU's new disabled parking
badges will satisfy even the
most pedantic of police.
Hitching
As in most other countries
these days, we do not
recommend hitching in Spain as
a safe method of getting
around.
If you are determined to
hitch, be warned that the road
down the east coast
(Barcelona-Valencia-Murcia) is
notoriously difficult, and
trying to get out of either
Madrid or Barcelona can prove
to be a nightmare (you're best
off taking a bus out to a
smaller place on the relevant
road). Thumbing on back roads
is, however, often
surprisingly productive; the
fewer cars there are, the more
likely they are to stop.
Regionally there's
considerable variation as
well: the Basque country, and
the north in general, often
prove quite easy, whereas
Andalucía tends to involve
long (and very hot) waits.
By bicycle
Taking your own bike can be an
inexpensive and flexible way
of getting around, and of
seeing a great deal of the
country that would otherwise
pass you by. Do remember,
though, that Spain is one of
the most mountainous countries
in Europe and in the searing
high summer temperatures,
attempting to scale hills
becomes an endurance test.
Seasoned cycle tourists start
out at dawn, covering the main
part of the day's schedule by
mid-morning, before the
temperature peaks. That leaves
the rest of the day for
sightseeing, picnicking around
riverbanks or dipping into the
often pleasant village
swimming pools, before
covering a few more kilometres
in the cooler hours before
sunset.
The Spanish are keen cycle
fans - both on and off-road -
which means that you'll be
well received and find
reasonable facilities. There
are bike shops in the
larger towns and parts can
often be found at auto repair
shops or garages - look for
Michelin signs. On the road,
cars tend to hoot before they
pass, which can be alarming at
first but is useful once
you're used to it. When
cycling on major roads in a
group always go in single file
- never side by side - as this
is dangerous and has resulted
in several deaths in recent
years. Cycle-touring guides to
the better areas can be found
in good bookshops - in
Spanish, of course.
Getting your bike there
should present few problems.
Most airlines are happy
to take them as ordinary
baggage provided they come
within your allowance (though
it's sensible to check first
and get an agreement in
writing from the agent or
airline as they may try to
charge you up to £60/$80 at
the airport); crowded charters
may be less obliging. Deflate
the tyres to avoid explosions
in the unpressurized hold.
Spanish trains are also
reasonably accessible, though
bikes can only go on a train
with a guard's van ( furgón
) and must be registered - go
to the Equipajes or Paquexpres
desk at the station. If you
are not travelling with the
bike you can either send it as
a package or buy an undated
ticket and use the method
above.
When staying in major towns
and cities try not to leave
your bike on the street
overnight, even with a secure
lock, as thieves view them as
easy pickings. Most hostales
seem able to find somewhere
safe for overnight storage.
By plane
Iberia and the smaller,
slightly cheaper subsidiary
Aviaco, as well as the
independent companies Spanair
and AirEurope, operate an
extensive network of internal
flights. While these are quite
reasonable by international
standards, they still work out
very pricey, and are only
really worth considering if
you're in a hurry and need to
cross the entire peninsula.
The main exceptions are the
route between Madrid and
Barcelona, which is very
poorly serviced by public
transport, or getting to, and
between, the Balearic Islands,
for which flights are only
marginally more expensive than
the ferries. In peak season
you may well have to reserve
long in advance for these.
From North America, Central
Holidays/ Discover Spain
Vacations sell the Spain
Airpass for $165 per
flight on Iberia within Spain
(in conjunction with an Iberia
transatlantic flight); a
minimum of two passes are
required but there is no limit
to how many passes you may
purchase. Air Europa is a
carrier offering internal
flights which can be booked
from North America. In
Australia, the Spain Airpass
is available from Spanish
Tourism Promotions in
Melbourne. The Spain Airpass
isn't available in Britain and
Ireland.
|
