Getting around Spain: trains, buses, driving and domestic flights

Match the mode to the shape of your trip, not to a single rule. Trains win on the mainland trunk routes; buses win on the secondary ones; planes win over water and long distances; cars win where nothing else goes.

Trains. Four operators now run the main high-speed lines: state operator Renfe (AVE and the low-cost Avlo) plus Iryo and Ouigo. Competition pushed fares down on Madrid–Barcelona, Madrid–Valencia and Madrid–Andalusia, so compare all of them before booking. Buy 2–8 weeks out for the cheapest seats. Allow time at the station: bags go through screening and gates close a few minutes before departure. Low-cost tickets charge extra for large bags and usually do not allow changes.

Alsa and other operators run a dense long-distance network. Buses beat the train for Granada–Seville, Ronda, the white villages and many small towns with no station. They are also the cheapest way to cross the country. The trade-off is time and comfort: Madrid–Granada is 4 h 30–5 h by road.

Book online a few days ahead. Weekend and public-holiday departures sell out, and the busiest summer routes can fill a week out. Stations are often on the edge of town, so add a local bus or taxi at each end.

Fly when water or distance makes the train impractical: the Balearics, the Canaries, and Barcelona to the south. Barcelona–Seville is about 1 h 40; Madrid to the Canaries about 2 h 40. Fares run €30–150 depending on season and how early you book.

Watch the terminals. Madrid T4 and Barcelona T1/T2 are far from the other terminals, and transfers between them take time. Add 2 hours before departure for bag drop and security, more at peak summer weekends. For island hops, compare the ferry too: it is slower but often cheaper with a car.

Hire a car for the white villages of Andalusia, the north coast, Extremadura, and rural parts of the islands. Madrid to Seville is about 5 h 30 by road, so a car only makes sense if you are stopping on the way. Rates run €30–70 a day plus fuel and tolls; book early in summer.

Two rules matter. Low-emission zones restrict some vehicles in Madrid, Barcelona and other cities, and foreign-registered cars may need to register in advance — check before you drive in. Never leave anything visible in a parked car, including in car parks and at motorway service areas.

You need a valid licence from your home country or an International Driving Permit where required, plus the vehicle documents. Motorways are fast and well maintained; secondary roads to villages are slower than the map suggests.

Ferries link Barcelona and Valencia with Palma, and Dénia and Valencia with Ibiza and Mallorca. Barcelona–Palma takes 7–8 h; Dénia–Ibiza 2–4 h on fast services. Foot passengers pay roughly €40–120; bringing a car costs more and needs booking well ahead in summer.

Summer sailings sell out, and fast ferries cancel in rough seas. If a crossing matters to your plan, keep a buffer day or a flight as backup.

Madrid and Barcelona metros are fast, frequent and the default way to move. Single rides cost €1.50–2.60; multi-trip cards are much cheaper per journey (Madrid's Multi card, Barcelona's T-casual). Most networks now accept contactless bank cards at the gate, which saves queueing for a ticket.

Watch your bags on busy lines — Barcelona L3 and Madrid line 1 around Sol are the classic spots. Taxis and ride-hailing work in the big cities; outside them, taxis are often the only option after the last bus.

Train stations in Spain are often not where you think: some high-speed stations sit outside the city centre, so check the station name, not just the city. Buses frequently leave from a separate station again.

Public transport thins out on Sundays and public holidays, and small-town services can stop entirely. If you are travelling on a holiday weekend, book everything in advance.

Tap water is safe on the mainland, so refilling a bottle at your accommodation cuts cost and plastic. For payments and cards, see the money page; for phone data to book tickets on the move, see the SIM page.