Transportation

From Madrid Barajas, the Metro, Cercanías train and the Aeropuerto Express bus reach the centre; taxis have a fixed fare to the centre. Barcelona El Prat has the Aerobús, Rodalies train and metro. Other cities have bus or train links from their airports.

Madrid and Barcelona have extensive metro, bus and suburban (Cercanías/Rodalies) networks; Valencia, Bilbao, Seville and others have metros or trams. Buy single tickets or multi-trip cards from machines. Networks are efficient and well signposted.

There is no single national transit card. Each city has its own system: Madrid uses the rechargeable Multi card (Tarjeta Multi), and Barcelona uses ticket bundles like the T-casual. In some cities you can also tap a contactless bank card at the reader.

Official taxis are licensed and metered, with fixed airport fares in big cities; hail them or use a rank. Ride-hailing apps like Cabify, FREENOW and Uber operate in Madrid, Barcelona and other cities, though availability varies by region.

Renting a car suits the countryside, coast and small towns. Spain drives on the right. Non-EU licence holders usually need an International Driving Permit with their home licence. In big cities, low-emission zones and parking make public transport easier.

Spain has an excellent high-speed rail network (AVE) run by Renfe, plus low-cost operators like Ouigo and Iryo on some routes. Madrid–Barcelona takes about 2.5–3 hours. Book ahead for cheaper fares. Long-distance coaches (e.g. ALSA) are a budget option.

Domestic flights connect the mainland with the Balearic and Canary Islands and distant cities (Iberia, Vueling, Air Europa and others). For mainland city pairs like Madrid–Barcelona, high-speed trains are often just as fast once you count airport time.

Spain drives on the right. Book high-speed AVE trains in advance for the best fares and reserve a seat. Watch bags on the metro and at stations where pickpockets operate. Check for occasional transport strikes before long journeys.