Getting Around Spain

How Spain moves

For an American used to driving everywhere or flying between cities, Spain is a revelation. Its high-speed rail network is the largest in Europe and second only to China's in the world, and it connects Madrid with Barcelona, Seville, Málaga, Valencia, Alicante, Granada, Valladolid, León, Asturias and Galicia in roughly 1 to 4 hours. Trains leave from city-center stations, have no liquid rules, and usually beat flying once you count airport time.

Since 2021, Renfe, the state railway, has competed with two newcomers on the busiest routes: Iryo (backed by Italy's Trenitalia) and Ouigo (owned by France's SNCF). Fares on those routes have fallen sharply, and buying early can get you across the country for the price of a Madrid lunch.

Trains do not reach everywhere. For the white towns of Andalusia, the Picos de Europa, rural Galicia or the coves of the Costa Brava, you will want a bus or a car (see driving in Spain). For the islands, you fly or sail. This page covers all of it, plus metros, taxis and rideshares in the cities.

High-speed trains: AVE, Avlo, Iryo and Ouigo

Journey times

These are typical times on the fastest direct trains when the lines are running normally. Slower trains with more stops can add 30 minutes or more, and some routes run slower in 2026 because of temporary speed limits, so check the current timetable for your departure.

Some important trips are slower. Madrid to Bilbao and San Sebastián has no complete high-speed line yet, so trains take around 5 hours; buses or a short flight are often as quick. Barcelona to Valencia runs along the coast in roughly 3 hours 15 minutes. Seville to Granada takes about 2 hours 30 minutes by train via Antequera, similar to the bus.

Tickets, fares and booking

Spanish train fares work like airline fares: they rise as the train fills. Advance low-cost fares on Avlo, Iryo and Ouigo between Madrid and Barcelona, Valencia or Andalusia can be under €20 (about $22), and promotions sometimes start under €10. The same trip bought the day before on a full AVE can cost €100 (about $112) or more.

• Booking windows vary by operator and route, from a few weeks to several months ahead. Renfe sometimes opens summer and holiday trains late, so if the trains for your date are not on sale yet, check back.
• Where to buy: the operators' own websites and apps (renfe.com, iryo.eu, ouigo.com) have no booking fee. Trainline and other resellers compare several operators in one search for a small fee, and they accept US cards reliably.
• Fare types: Renfe's Básico fares are cheapest but restrictive; Elige lets you pick extras and changes; Prémium adds lounge access and meals on AVE. Iryo and Ouigo sell bag, seat and flexibility add-ons.
• Tickets: keep the QR code on your phone or print it. Carry your passport; staff can ask for ID matching the name on the ticket.

At the station and on board

Long-distance and high-speed platforms have an airport-style bag X-ray before the gates (you keep your shoes on, and there are no liquid rules). Arrive at least 20 to 30 minutes before departure at big stations, and more on Friday afternoons and before holidays. The departure board shows the platform (vía) about 15 to 20 minutes before departure.

The big stations

• Madrid: Puerta de Atocha (officially Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes) handles most trains to Andalusia, Valencia, Alicante, Barcelona and Toledo; Chamartín-Clara Campoamor in the north handles trains to Segovia, Valladolid, Galicia and Asturias, and some trains to Valencia and Alicante. Check which one is on your ticket. Some weekend mornings in 2026, tunnel works around Atocha have shifted or delayed early services.
• Barcelona: almost all long-distance trains use Sants, which is undergoing internal reorganization; allow extra time to find your gate.
• Seville: Santa Justa, a 20-minute walk or short bus ride from the center.
• Málaga: María Zambrano, a 15-minute walk from the old town, with the airport train on the same site.
• Valencia: high-speed trains arrive at Joaquín Sorolla, a short walk or free shuttle from the older Estació del Nord, which serves regional trains.

Luggage

Renfe AVE fares let you bring a reasonable amount of luggage that you carry yourself, stored on racks at the ends of the car and overhead. The low-cost brands (Avlo, Ouigo and the cheapest Iryo fares) include only a small bag or one cabin bag and charge for larger suitcases, and staff do check. If you travel with a big case, compare the fare with the bag added.

Food and comfort

AVE and Iryo trains have a café car, and premium classes include a meal on some routes. Ouigo sells snacks. Most high-speed trains have power outlets (Type C/F European plugs, see staying connected), and Wi-Fi is patchy. Station cafés sell sandwiches, called bocadillos, for the road.

Rail passes: Renfe Spain Pass, Eurail

For most visitors, individual advance tickets are cheaper than a pass, because Spain's low-cost high-speed fares are so low. A pass makes sense if you will take many long trips, cannot commit to dates in advance, or are traveling in peak periods when last-minute fares are high.

Renfe Spain Pass

Renfe sells its own pass to non-residents in packs of 4, 6, 8 or 10 one-way journeys, used within one month of the first trip (you have six months from purchase to start). It covers Renfe AVE, Alvia, Avant and regional trains, but not Iryo or Ouigo. In 2025, prices started around €220 (about $246) for four journeys in standard class, with a higher Comfort tier; check Renfe's site for current prices. You must reserve each journey online or at a station before you board, free of charge. Each train counts as one journey, so a trip with a change uses two.

Eurail and Interrail

Americans use Eurail passes (Interrail is for European residents). They are valid on Renfe trains, but you must pay a seat reservation fee for high-speed and long-distance trains, often around €10 (about $11) per trip, and reservation quotas for passholders can sell out. Iryo and Ouigo do not accept passes. A Eurail pass makes the most sense if Spain is one part of a longer trip through France, Italy or Portugal (see Spain and its neighbors).

Regional and commuter trains

Below the high-speed network, Renfe runs Media Distancia (regional) trains and Cercanías commuter networks around Madrid, Barcelona (where it is called Rodalies), Seville, Málaga, Valencia, Bilbao, San Sebastián, Asturias, Cantabria, Cádiz, Murcia and Zaragoza.

• Madrid Cercanías reach El Escorial, Alcalá de Henares and Aranjuez, all easy day trips.
• Barcelona Rodalies run to Sitges, the Costa del Maresme and Montserrat (with connecting trains run by the Catalan railway FGC). Rodalies has a long record of delays and disruption, so give yourself slack.
• Málaga Cercanías line C1 runs from the city past the airport to Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola. See the Costa del Sol.
• In the north, narrow-gauge lines (including Euskotren in the Basque Country and Renfe's old FEVE lines along the Cantabrian coast) are slow but scenic. Euskotren connects San Sebastián with the French border at Hendaye.

Regional train tickets are usually sold at fixed prices without big advance discounts, and you can often buy them at the station on the day. Avant trains (mid-distance high-speed, such as Madrid to Toledo or Segovia, Seville to Córdoba, and Barcelona to Girona) need a seat reservation and can sell out at weekends.

Long-distance buses

Spain's intercity buses are modern, cheap and comfortable, and in some places they beat the train. ALSA is the biggest national operator; regional companies such as Damas in Huelva, Comes in Cádiz, Monbus in Galicia and La Sepulvedana between Madrid and Segovia fill in the map. FlixBus runs some long-distance and international routes.

• Andalusia's white towns: Ronda, Arcos de la Frontera, Vejer, Zahara and Grazalema are much easier by bus (or car) than by rail. See Andalusia.
• Granada: ALSA buses to Málaga (about 1 hr 45 min), Seville and Córdoba are frequent and compete well with the train.
• Madrid to Segovia: the bus drops you near the Aqueduct, while the fast train stops at a station several miles outside town.
• The Basque Country: frequent buses link Bilbao, its airport and San Sebastián in about 1 hr 15 min.

Buy tickets on the operator's app or site, or at the bus station. Many buses have reserved seats and allow one large suitcase in the hold. Buses on routes popular with tourists (Seville to Ronda, Granada to the Alpujarras) can fill on weekends and holidays.

Domestic flights

Flying makes sense for the islands, for long diagonals the train does poorly (Barcelona to Seville is about 1 hr 45 min in the air versus 5 hr 30 min on the train), and for Bilbao, Santiago or Vigo from the south or east. Iberia and its regional partner Air Nostrum, Vueling, Air Europa, Volotea and Ryanair cover the mainland. Binter is the main airline between the Canary Islands and also flies to the mainland.

Budget fares often include only an under-seat bag; a full carry-on and a checked bag can double the price. Compare the total against a train once airport transfers and security are counted. For the Madrid and Barcelona airports, see flights.

Ferries to the islands and beyond

Balearic Islands

Baleària, Trasmed and GNV sail from Barcelona, Valencia and Dénia to Palma, Ibiza and Menorca. Overnight sailings from Barcelona to Palma take roughly 7 to 8 hours (book a cabin); faster crossings from Dénia reach Ibiza in a few hours. Between the islands, fast ferries link Ibiza and Formentera in about 30 minutes, and ferries cross from Alcúdia in Mallorca to Ciutadella in Menorca. Taking a car is possible but costly in summer. See the Balearics.

Canary Islands

Naviera Armas and Fred. Olsen connect the Canary Islands with each other: Tenerife to La Gomera in under an hour on fast ferries, Tenerife to Gran Canaria in under 2 hours, and Lanzarote to Fuerteventura in about 30 minutes. There is also a weekly ferry from Huelva and Cádiz to the Canaries that takes about a day and a half, but almost everyone flies. Remember the islands run one hour behind the mainland. See the Canary Islands.

To Morocco, Italy and the UK

Ferries cross from Tarifa and Algeciras to Morocco, from Barcelona to Italy, and from Bilbao and Santander to England. See Spain and its neighbors.

Metros, buses and taxis in the cities

Spanish cities have excellent public transit. Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, Seville, Málaga and Palma all have metros or light rail, and every city has city buses. Most central old towns are best on foot.

Licensed taxis are white (black and yellow in Barcelona), metered, and cheaper than most US cities. Uber, Cabify, Bolt and FreeNow work in Madrid, Málaga, Seville, Valencia and other cities; in Barcelona, rideshare supply is limited by local rules and official taxis are often faster. Bike-share systems such as BiciMAD in Madrid, Sevici in Seville and Valenbisi in Valencia have tourist options; Barcelona's Bicing is for residents only.

When to rent a car

Do not rent a car for Madrid, Barcelona, Seville or Valencia: traffic, low-emission zones and parking costs make a car a burden. Rent one for the white towns and the Cádiz coast, the Rioja wine country, Asturias and the Picos de Europa, Galicia's Rías Baixas, the Costa Brava, Mallorca and the Canary Islands. A common pattern is to train between cities and pick up a car for two or three days at a station, then drop it before the next city. Speed limits, tolls and the international driving permit are covered on the driving page.

Strikes, holidays and accessibility

Rail and transit strikes happen a few times a year. Spanish law requires minimum services (servicios mínimos) during strikes, often 60 to 75 percent of long-distance trains, and operators publish which trains will run a few days before. If your train is canceled, the operator must offer a refund or a seat on another train.

Trains and buses sell out on holiday weekends, around Christmas and Three Kings, Holy Week (March 21–28, 2027), and the first and last days of August. Book those dates as early as possible. See when to go.

Renfe's free assistance service for passengers with reduced mobility, called Atendo, operates at major stations; request it in advance when you book. Newer high-speed trains have accessible spaces and toilets. See Spain by interest for more on accessible travel.

• Download the Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo apps before you go, and check tickets show the right station (Atocha or Chamartín in Madrid).
• Book high-speed trains as soon as your dates are fixed.
• Arrive 20 to 30 minutes early for the bag scan.
• Keep your passport with you on every train and flight.
• Check for strikes (huelga) a few days before a big travel day.