Travelling in Spain

Car Hire

Car hire is easy to arrange (see our car hire page), easy to collect and return, often free of insurance excesses and generally inexpensive!

The main roads in Spain are excellent and well signposted, although you may encounter the occasional Toll. The Toll charges vary between summer and winter. The traffic is light by UK standards although coastal roads such as the N332 can become quite congested in peak summer season.

Own Car

Years ago Spain had a reputation for being relaxed about driving regulations – not any more!!! Spain imposes severe penalties for driving offences.

1. Drive on the right in Spain
2. The legal age for driving is 18 years
3. Car insurance is obligatory
4. It is compulsory for a driver to have driving license, car registration and insurance documents in the car
5. Every vehicle must have a driving permit (permiso de circulación), which has to be renewed when the vehicle's owner changes when the car is bought or sold
6. Valid Spanish, other EU country and International Driving Licenses are accepted in Spain
7. Car tax must be paid annually at your local town hall
8. It is illegal to drive with headphones connected to a sound device
9. Mobile cellular telephones may only be used with a "hands free" system
10. It is forbidden to carry devices to evade police vigilance (radar detectors, for example)
11. Children under 12 years may not travel in the front seats, unless they are over 150cm tall
12. It's compulsory to wear a seat belt (el cinturón de seguridad) including in the back seats if belts are fitted
13. Snow chains are obligatory on some mountainous roads in the winter
14. Dogs must be restrained in a moving car
15. Headlights must be used in tunnels, even during the day
16. It is illegal to pass on the right (to "undertake") in free-flowing traffic
17. Motorbikes drivers may not carry passengers under the age of 12
18. Drivers involved in an accident must stop and help injured people, collaborate in avoiding danger and other possible accidents and call the police if there are injured people or if the road cannot be cleared (Police Tel: 112)
19. It is obligatory to carry a yellow, orange or red reflective danger vest. The vest must be accessible without leaving the car
20. Each car must carry 2 red warning triangles
21. Spare bulbs and the tools required to fit them
22. A spare wheel, inflated and the tools necessary to change it
23. Approved child seats for children under 12 and/or 150cm
24. The speed limit in a built up area is 50 Kph (31mph)
25. A driver with a blood alcohol level of 0.5 grams per liter will be considered to be driving under the influence of alcohol. The amount of alcohol in the system will vary according to weight, sex, normal alcohol consumption and the amount of food in the system

If you want more information about buying a car in Spain please call us on
++44 02( 0) 8645 6655 (UK) or ++34 605 116 589 (SPAIN)

Buses

Regular airport bus services run from the main airports

Alicante airport bus

Spanish Airports

If a bus services is going to be important to you when you are in Spain let our representation know so that we can show you properties that are on good bus routes.

Taxis

Taxis are reasonably priced but sometimes quite difficult to locate anywhere other than at the airport and main line stations.

Trains

Train services vary quite a bit from one region to another, but tend not to cover the inland areas, so a car is a must. For service timetables and prices check out www.europeanrail.com