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TRANSPORT
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Public Transport
Spain has one of the most highly efficient public transport system in Europe.
Here is a basic guide to getting around on its trains, planes, buses and taxis.
PLANES
Spain's national airline is Iberia
(www.iberia.es, tel. 902 400 500), which
operates international and national flights.
Domestic flights may be cheaper with
budget airlines Spanair (www.spanair.es,
tel. 902 131 415) or Air Europa (www.aireuropa.com,
tel. 902 40 15 01).
TRAINS
RENFE (www.renfe.es, tel. 902 240 202)
operates the Spanish national train network.
Smaller towns are served by regional
networks such as FFCC in Catalunya.
The high speed train - AVE - service is
constantly being improved and extended
considerably so that by 2007 all provincial
capitals will be within a four-hour journey
of Madrid and all provinces within six
and a half hours from Barcelona. A full
refund is offered if an AVE train arrives
more than five minutes late at its destination.
On any route you will find a variety
of trains whose travel time to your destination
can vary enormously. Make sure
you realise this before you board, as you
may find yourself on a slow one which
stops at every station en route.
Fares are cheap - about €0.60 per 10km for
second class, €1 per 10km for first class -
though they vary wildly according to the
train's speed and comfort. Talgo trains are
long-distance trains, though slower than
the AVE, sometimes with sleepers (cochescama)
for overnight journeys. The Talgo
TEE operates international routes.
Intercity (IC) trains are air-conditioned
and fast, while Electrotren (ELT) and Tren
Electrico Regional (TER) are slightly slower
than the Talgo.
Suburban commuter trains (cercanías) stop
at all stations. A regional express or
interurbano is a second class, air-condi-
tioned diesel train and an exprés is a slow
night train, usually with sleeping cars. A
rápido is a daytime version of the exprés,
but neither are particularly fast.
BUYING TRAIN TICKETS
Buying tickets is always confusing, given
the range of trains, routes and fares on
offer - and the ticket office clerk may not
offer you, or know about, the cheapest
options so make sure you ask.
Fares for long-distance and high-speed
trains are published in leaflets available
from stations and RENFE offices and all
fare information is available on the
RENFE website (www.renfe.es). Children
under four travel free and those aged
between 4 and 12 travel for half price.
You can buy tickets at station ticket windows
(taquillas de billetes), from machines
(máquinas de billetes), at RENFE offices and
RENFE appointed travel agents or online.
For the latter, however, you will need a
password which requires calling RENFE
(tel. 902-157 507).
RENFE also provides a telephone booking
service (tel. 902-240 202) open from 5am to
11.50pm and tickets can be delivered to
addresses in Barcelona, Madrid, Seville
and Valencia. Otherwise you have to collect
your tickets yourself directly from a
train station.
There are two classes on most long-distance
trains: first class (primera clase,
shown as 1ª) and second class (segunda
clase, shown as 2ª). AVE trains usually
have three fare classes: turista (T-tourist),
preferente (P-business) and club (C-first)
and some trains such as IC and TEE international
trains are first class only. Avoid
travelling on public holidays and long
weekends (puentes) as the trains will be
fully packed.
SPAIN EXPAT SURVIVAL GUIDE WWW.EXPATICA.COM