We are going on a trip to Spain. And in order not to go broke from transportation costs, we have compiled a detailed manual on budget travel around the country. Local low-cost airlines, buses, trains, car rental or search for fellow travelers - we analyze all possible options. Save to bookmarks!

BY PLANE

The plane is the easiest way to travel long distances: almost any flight within Spain will take no more than an hour. Often this is not only the fastest, but also, thanks to local low-cost airlines, quite a budget transport. In addition, this is practically the only way to get to the islands, for example, Ibiza or.

Major low cost airlines in Spain

Vueling

One of the main Spanish low-cost carriers with an extensive network of domestic flights, which is based in Barcelona. It is convenient to select directions and prices: for example, they offer to get from Barcelona to Malaga for € 40, and from Valencia to Bilbao - for € 42. By the way, there is a chance to grab these tickets and much cheaper: the company quite often arranges pleasant sales - follow information on the website of the low-cost airline.

Ryanair

From Barcelona to Seville or from Valencia to Santander, your favorite low-cost carrier offers many flights in Spain, including to the islands (all routes -). At the time of preparation of the material, a ticket from Madrid to Mallorca, for example, could be grabbed for a fabulous € 2.43, and from Barcelona to Ibiza for € 10. Keep your finger on the pulse - check prices here.

Volotea

This low-cost airline cannot boast such an impressive number of domestic flights in Spain as its competitors, but it often arranges sales. Cheap tickets are the most convenient to look for. For example, it is offered to fly from Malaga to Bilbao for €15 (in July), and from Santander to Seville for €26 (in October).

Iberia Express

The democratic subsidiary of the national carrier Iberia is based in Madrid and flies short and medium haul. Price tag for domestic flights starts from €30-40, however, not for all dates.

Life hack.

If you can’t find the perfect flight from your city, check the nearest airports. For example:

Instead of the main airport Barcelona – El Prat: Barcelona Girona and Barcelona Reus;

Instead of Seville - Jerez airport;

Airports are relatively closeMalaga and Granada, and, Alicante and Murcia.

BY TRAIN

Spain has a well-developed rail network. Most flights are operated by a national company Renfe.

Search for fellow travelers

The topic of finding fellow travelers in Spain is well developed - you can easily find a car in almost any city or town. But in this case, the trip is unlikely to be planned in advance: many drivers publish ads at the last moment. The option of driving someone else's car reduces the load not only on your wallet, but also on. Here is a list of the main services used by locals:

BlaBlaCar- the most famous service for finding fellow travelers, which also works properly in Spain.

Amovens- Another popular service, where you can also take a car and rent.

Amicoche– a completely free system for finding rides: no commissions will be charged from you. Please note that you will have to pay the driver in cash.

Compartir is a local service with a large base of loyal users.

Life hack.

The cost of a trip in the same direction for different drivers can vary significantly, and often the point here is not at all greed. Some drivers ask for less because they are in no hurry and decide to avoid toll roads, while others value speed but charge a higher price. Specify the route in advance.

Hitch-hiking

Spain is not best country for autostop. Experienced travelers warn that the average travel speed here will be significantly lower than in other European countries. Drivers stop reluctantly, those who catch the car at gas stations are more likely to be lucky. You can read more about hitchhiking in Spain.

ON YOUR TWO

The cheapest way to travel around any country is on foot. Passes through Spain

Before we started living in Spain, it was never possible to understand and feel the difference between free and toll roads. In three months, we managed to roll almost 15 thousand km here (well, 4 thousand of them were the road from Moscow, but the remaining 10 thousand km are local).

What catches the eye in general after Russia:

In Russia they don't know how to drive fast. Try to keep the speed of 80 km/h allowed by the rules along the serpentine, at first it was difficult to go even 50 km/h - this is recommended in some sections. We can talk for a long time about our experience and powerful car, but local grandfathers on 30-year-old Citroen heels really do almost any Russian on a serpentine) At least go to study again;

A LOT of cars on the handle. It is clear that the BMW 7th series will be automatic, but Peugeots, Golfs, Focuses, Fiats, Citroens, etc. - as one on the handle;

Passing at speeds up to 50 km / h is not accepted. Squeeze and squeeze too. If you turn on the turn signal on the highway, you can change it without looking in the mirror - they will definitely let you in;

If you are driving on the main one, the one who is driving on the secondary will slow down at the VERY LAST moment. He will let you through, we will smile, but at first it is very strange and unusual;

Lots of old cars in good condition. A couple of times they tried to buy something like the W210 or E39 ... well, they are only good from the outside, even taking into account the price of 4-6 thousand euros, the body is yes, but there are years and runs of 300-500 thousand km. .. As a result, we settled on a car with a guarantee. By the way, here even for 20-year-old cars they give a guarantee from 1 month to 1 year (this is if you take it from a dealer). But you come to good things quickly, 20-year-old cars with low mileage have not yet been found));

Typical ad:

Now to the roads:

Free roads are much prettier and more interesting. They pass through cities, beaches, mountains, fields, cafes, restaurants. As tourists before, we often traveled only on paid ones. Very in vain;

Free roads are noticeably slower. Constant speed limits of 50-70 km / h, traffic lights at pedestrian crossings, permanent circles (they are sooo loved in Spain. At first you don’t understand, but we have already imbued);

Nuance, if you want to go to a store, cafe, gas station that you see on the horizon - you need to go to the understudy for 300-500 meters. Extremely unusual;

Toll roads almost always have a limit of 120 km / h, but people tumble under 200 km / h. Most of the cars are cruising at 125-130 km/h. Few cameras. The fines are big. Police on the roads - a rarity. But this is Catalonia and not the season. In the south, people say that not everything is so joyful.

Toll roads cost money. When we traveled from Barcelona to Alicante - this is 550-600 km, in total we gave more than 50 euros. Although usually everything costs 1-2 euros.

Pay attention to the 3+ button. If there are three or more people inside the car, then you need to press. Then they will check on the cameras whether there were 3 or more people in the car and they will give a discount (it will be returned to the card).

If you go to Andorra, there is a tunnel, 5 kilometers long, it costs 19 euros, it takes 3 minutes to pass. On the way back, we tried a free ride. As a result, we traveled 2.5 hours along a mountain serpentine at a speed of 30-40 km / h (it was simply impossible to go faster, because there were constant turns, ascents and descents). But very pretty.

The length of the Spanish public road network, including the Canary and Balearic Islands, is 683.175 km. Almost all of them are paved roads. The length of motorways is 17,109 km, of which almost 3,000 km are .

Toll roads

In Spain, there is a toll for the use of motorways. Payment is also subject to travel through some tunnels.

The toll system in Spain depends on several parameters: distance traveled, vehicle category, season, and even rush hour during the day.

Tariffs for travel on major highways for 2019: Motorway fares in Spain

Highway	Route (distance)	Rate
AP-2	Zaragoza - AP-7 (225 km)	€ 24.60
AP-4	Seville - Cadiz (95 km)	€ 7.45
AP-6	Madrid - Adanero (74 km)	€ 12.70
AP-7	A9 (France) - Barcelona (156 km)	€ 14.70
AP-7	Barcelona - Valencia (347 km)	€ 37.50
AP-7	Valencia - Alicante (178 km)	€ 17.60
AP-7	Cartagena - Vera (97 km)	€ 10.90
AP-7	Malaga - Guadiaro (105 km)	€ 16.20
AP-8	А63 (France) - Bilbao (105 km)	€ 15.50
AP-9	Ferrol - A3 (Portugal) (196 km)	€ 21.55
AP-15	Tudela - Irurzun (112 km)	€ 5.70
AP-36	Ocana - La Roda (150 km)	€ 13.60
AP-41	Madrid - Toledo (60 km)	€ 7.65
AP-51	Villacastín - Ávila (26 km)	€ 1.45
AP-53	Santiago de Compostela - Dozon (57 km)	€ 6.00
AP-61	Segovia - AP-6 (28 km)	€ 1.35
AP-66	Campomanes - Leon (78 km)	€ 13.35
AP-68	Bilbao - Zaragoza (298 km)	€ 32.85
AP-71	Leon - Astorga (43 km)	€ 5.15
R-2	Madrid - Guadalajara (59 km)	€ 6.15
R-3	Madrid - Arganda del Rey (39 km)	€ 3.30
R-4	Madrid - Osana (58 km)	€ 6.00
R-5	Madrid - Navalcarnero (28 km)	€ 3.55
C-32	Montgat Palafolls (57 km)	€ 4.93
C-32	Castelldefels - El Vendrell (49 km)	€ 5.32
C-33	Barcelona - Montmeló (29 km)	€ 1.66

The fares in the table are for cars and motorcycles during the summer (during rush hour the fares on some roads, for example around Madrid, are slightly more expensive).

These are indicative fares calculated once at the beginning of the year based on the website of the Spanish motorways, assuming that traffic between the points is carried out on the same motorway.

For example: Zaragoza - AP-7 (€24.60), subject to movement only along the AP-1 motorway. When moving on a different route, the fare may differ in one direction or another.

Plots with special payment

Cadi Tunnel

The Cadi Tunnel is located in the province of Barcelona. The Cadi Tunnel is 5.026 meters long and is the third longest tunnel in Spain. It was opened on October 30, 1984.

Tariffs for 2019: Tariffs for 2019:

* Rush hour is weekdays at the following times:

• 07:30 – 10:30 (morning)
• 17:00 - 21:00 (evening)

Buy a road map of Spain and Portugal from the Amazon online store with delivery .

Basic traffic rules in Spain

Speed ​​Limit

Standard speed limits in Spain (unless otherwise indicated on signs).

Cars:

• V locality- 50 km/h
• outside the settlement - 90 km/h
• on the road - 100 km / h
• on the motorway - 120 km/h

Trailer vehicles:

• in built-up area - 50 km/h
• outside the settlement - 70 km/h
• on the road - 80 km/h
• on the motorway - 90 km/h

Vehicles are prohibited from driving on motorways, the speed of which, according to technical characteristics, does not exceed 60 km/h.

For vehicles with snow chains installed, the maximum speed limit is 50 km/h.

Speed ​​cameras

Speed ​​cameras are widely used in Spain. As of August 2010, some cameras (on the AP-7 in Castellón, AP-7 in Murcia, on the A-31 in Alicante and the A-52 in Zamora) are equipped to alert the nearest police officer in the event of speeding, committed by the driver of a foreign car.

The police officer receives a photo of the car and has the right to stop vehicle and impose a heavy fine on the spot. If the fine is not paid immediately, the car may be detained. More such cameras are planned to be installed in the future.

Alcohol

Maximum legal blood alcohol level 0.5‰.

For drivers with less than 2 years of driving experience, the allowed blood alcohol level 0.3‰.

If the blood alcohol level exceeds the legal limit, the fine will be € 500.

If the level of alcohol in the blood exceeds the legal limit by 2 times or the violation is committed repeatedly within a year, then the fine will be € 1,000.

If illegal drugs are found in the body, the fine will be € 1,000.

The fine for refusing to take an alcohol or drug test will be €500.

dipped beam

The use of dipped beam is mandatory only when driving through tunnels.

Transportation of children

Children under 3 years old can travel only when using suitable child restraint systems appropriate to their weight.

Children 3 years of age and under 135 cm must use a child seat appropriate for their weight or a booster seat.

Children over 135 cm tall can use normal seat belts.

The fine for violating the rules for transporting children is € 200. In this case, the vehicle may be detained.

Seat belts

Use of seat belts Necessarily for front and rear passengers.

Fine - € 200.

Talking on the phone

It is forbidden to use, while the vehicle is in motion, a telephone communication device that is not equipped with a technical device that allows hands-free negotiations. At the gas station during refueling mobile phone should be turned off.

Fine - € 200.

fines

Police officers have the right to collect fines on the spot for traffic violations. At the same time, an official receipt is issued.

Foreign drivers must pay the fine immediately in cash or their car may be held until the fine is paid. If you pay the fine immediately on the spot, then a 50% discount is given, but the right to appeal is lost.

If you received a penalty receipt by mail, then when you pay the fine within 20 days via the Internet or banking institutions(las oficinas de Correos o en cualquier sucursal del Banco Santander), its size is also reduced by 50%, and the driver is also deprived of the right to appeal against the decision.

If you have not paid the fine within 30 days from the date of receipt of the notice of the imposition of the sanction, a decision is made on enforcement fine.

There is a small nuance here, which is that it is very difficult to determine exactly when you received this notification, and it is not uncommon for you to receive a 50% discount 2 months after the decision was made.

Fines for speeding are different inside and outside the settlement.

Speeding fines in Spain: Fines for traffic violations in Spain

Over speed
up to 20 km/h	€ 100
21 - 30 km/h	€ 300	€ 100
31 - 40 km/h	€ 400	€ 300
41 - 50 km/h	€ 500	€ 300
51 - 60 km/h	€ 600	€ 400
61 - 70 km/h	€ 600	€ 500
over 70 km/h	€ 600

In 2014, the requirements for overtaking cyclists were tightened. The minimum allowable distance to them when overtaking must be at least 1.5 meters. At the same time, it is allowed to partially or even completely occupy the oncoming lane, provided that there is no interference with oncoming cyclists.

Since 2014, Spain has formally adopted the 2011 European Directive "on the facilitation of border exchange of data relating to road safety violations".

Now the authorities of the state where the traffic rules were violated have the right to track the violator by car numbers even in another state, and send a receipt to pay the fine to his homeland. In case of refusal to pay the fine, the case against the motorist will be referred to the authorities of the violator's home country for investigation and collection of the fine.

This directive covers eight types of violations: speeding, not wearing a seat belt, running a red light, exceeding the legal alcohol level, driving under the influence of drugs, driving without a helmet, using a mobile phone or any other means of communication while driving.

Helpful information

Petrol

1.29 1.43 1.20 0.72 as of 02/15/2020

In Spain unleaded petrol 95 and 98 are available ( Gasoline sin plomo) and diesel fuel ( Gasoleo "A" or gas-oil). Leaded gasoline is not available.

Note that gasoline prices in the Canary Islands are € 0.20-0.22 less than the national average.

There are a small number of gas stations (LPG), which are called auto gas.
Coordinates of LPG gas stations (96 Kb).

emergency numbers

• European emergency number - 112
• Police - 091
• Ambulance - 061
• Fire Department - 080

Required equipment

The equipment that necessary have in the car:

• Warning triangle- in case of an accident, 2 signs are recommended (otherwise local authorities may impose a fine if only one is installed)
• Spare wheel- or a repair kit
• Reflective vest- Mandatory when exiting a car that has stopped on the carriageway or roadside. However, it is not necessary to carry it in a car. The Spanish police cannot fine a foreign driver who does not have a reflective vest in the car. Fine - € 200.

Winter equipment

Winter tires

In the summer, the police pay attention to the driver's "dress code". For example, for driving with a naked torso or in flip-flops, the driver can be fined from € 80. The legs of a passenger sitting in front thrown over the dashboard can cost € 100.

Tow trucks enjoy the right of way.

The use of navigation software indicating the location of fixed speed cameras is permitted.

At the same time, the operation of navigation equipment while driving is punishable by a fine of € 200.

The use of radar detectors has been banned since May 2014. In case of their use - a fine of € 200. For the use of anti-radar, the punishment is much more serious - up to € 6,000.

If the radar detector is combined in one device with the navigator, then it must be deactivated.

Do not forget that when refueling a vehicle, your mobile phone must be turned off.

Traffic rules in Spain

Most Spanish roads are equipped with cameras that record the speed of cars passing by and transmit data to the nearest police station. If you violate the speed limit, a police officer will stop you and punish you financially. To avoid further trouble, it is worth paying this fine.

The use of dipped headlights during the day is required only in tunnels. The use of anti-radar in Spain is strictly prohibited. For this violation, a colossal fine of 6,000 euros is imposed.

When renting a car, you need to make sure that it has two warning triangles, a spare tire and a vest with reflective stripes.

In Spain, drivers are strictly enforced to use seat belts, and special restraints are purchased for children. You can only drive and talk on the phone at the same time using the speakerphone. If you do not follow this rule, your wallet will be seriously affected.

Fines in Spain

Violating the rules of the road in Spain will inevitably lead to the fact that you will have to pay a fine in an amount depending on the severity of the offense committed. For example, speeding in Spain is classified as a serious violation, especially if the speed is exceeded by more than 50% of the set speed. In this case, the penalty notice may come by mail. In this case, the fine receipt received from the policeman must be paid on the spot. This is a prerequisite for foreign citizens. The advantage is that there is a 50% discount for paying on the spot.

• Exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 km / h - from 100 to 600 euros
• Travel to the red traffic light - 200-300 euros.
• Neglect of seat belts - 200 euros.
• Phone call - 200 euros.
• Departure to the oncoming lane - from 400 to 500 euros.
• Drunk driving - from 500 euros.

Most small towns in Spain have traffic lights that are controlled by radar. If you exceed the speed limit, the traffic light will automatically turn red.

Payment of fines in Spain via the Internet

If the fine notice came by mail, then you can pay the fine online, having credit card any of the major payment systems, such as Maestro or Visa. To do this, you must activate the option on your computer browser that allows you to accept cookies. Detailed instructions for paying fines issued in Spain via the Internet can be found.

Surprisingly, in Spain there are conditions under which, when paying fines, you will receive a certain discount. For example, if you hurry up and make payment within 15 days from the moment the offense was established, the amount of the fine can be reduced by 50%. True, taking advantage of such a discount and paying a smaller amount, you thereby lose the right to appeal the offense in an administrative proceeding.

Toll roads in Spain

To use toll roads, the tourist will have to fork out a little. The amount of payment directly depends on the distance. You can pay for the service as plastic card, as well as in cash.

On such roads, there are special lanes at the entrance and exit from them, which are indicated by a blue circle with white lines in a square. These lanes are intended for local residents who have a car with an automatic toll device on such a road. The fare from January 2019 on some roads in Spain has been increased.

Main fares toll roads in Spain you can see.

In addition to toll roads, there are toll tunnels near Barcelona:

• Cadi (length 5 kilometers): motor vehicles - 9.83 euros, cars - 12.08 euros, trucks and cars with a trailer - 26.36 euros.
• Vallvidrera (length 2.5 kilometers): during rush hour - motorcycles - 3.38 euros, cars - 3.34 euros; off-peak hours - motorcycles €3.01, cars €3.86.

Parking in Spain

Basic moments

In the heart of major Spanish cities, it is always difficult to find a free parking space, especially a free one. The area marked in blue means that the car must be paid for at a nearby machine. In some places, it is generally forbidden to park during the daytime on weekdays without a special document.

Underground car parks at the entrance have information about free places or about their complete absence. At the exit from this kind of parking there is a cash desk for payment.

Some Spanish cities have the Ora Zona system. It allows you to purchase a parking ticket in a small supermarket or stall, which will allow you to park your car for a short time from half an hour to 90 minutes.

It is forbidden to leave the car on the sidewalk with a yellow stripe or Vado sign.

Despite the fact that everything looks very complicated, it will not be difficult to park correctly in Spain if you study the issue in advance and familiarize yourself with certain rules, which are in many ways similar to Russian rules road traffic. The main of these rules is that parking is allowed only in specially designated areas. At the same time, it is important to note the fact that the observance of this rule is closely monitored not only by the police, but also by local residents. Therefore, there is no need to take risks and rely on luck when parking near a house that has a no-parking sign. The owner of the house will not turn a blind eye to this and will definitely call a tow truck.

Of course, as with any rule, there are exceptions. For example, during a football match, the police will not issue a fine if you leave the car not far from the stadium. In other cases, when faced with difficulties in finding a parking space, you should not take risks and break the law - look for paid parking.

There are enough paid parking lots in Spain and it will not be difficult to find them. There are both underground and surface parking.

Underground parking in Spain

Underground paid parking in shopping centers

Often, any shopping center in Spain has paid parking. However, you can use parking absolutely free of charge - almost all major commercial centers provide this opportunity, subject to certain conditions. For example, if you visit a shopping center during the so-called "free parking hours" (usually siesta time), then there is no charge for parking your car in the parking lot. Moreover, it is possible to extend this time by simply shopping for a certain amount.

Along with large shopping centers, there is the possibility of free parking in regular grocery stores. To do this, you only need to present a parking ticket to the cashier when you pay for your purchases.

Public underground paid parking

In the cities of Spain, public parking is indicated by a special symbol "P" (Parking publico). Such parking lots are usually located in residential and office buildings, and despite the fact that they are called public, it will not be possible to park on them for free. Public parking is private property, therefore, the cost of services, however, as well as the opening hours, may vary and depend on the owner of a particular parking lot. This can be a round-the-clock mode, or a more abbreviated version, for example, until eight o'clock in the evening.

Before using the public parking service, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the conditions of its work in advance. And you should start by studying the information that is indicated on the scoreboard located directly under the pointer. If the word “ocupado” is lit on the scoreboard, then all the places are occupied, otherwise you will see the word “libre” - there are empty seats.

Another feature of Spanish underground parking lots is the possibility to rent a parking space for a long time. When choosing a free seat, pay attention to whether the empty seat is marked with the designation "plaza reservada" or a more abbreviated version - "reservado". This means that the marked place is reserved for a long time and you cannot park here.

Surface paid parking

In Spain, paid surface parking areas are usually marked with different colors.

blue zone

This parking zone is the most common option. In Spanish, it is called "zona azul" and is indicated by a special blue dotted line drawn on the roadway, as well as an icon in the form of a picture that shows a hand dropping a coin. Pay attention to the difference in the payment system. Unlike underground parking lots, payment is made not upon leaving, but immediately after you have parked. For the convenience of paying in the blue zone, there are special parking meters designed to pay for parking depending on the time you need. The ticket received at the parking meter must be placed in a clearly visible place under the windshield. The presence of such a coupon is vigilantly monitored by employees of the blue zone. And don't forget to extend your parking time if it has expired and leave your extra time ticket in the same visible place. A careless attitude to timely payment can lead to undesirable consequences - you can be fined, and the car can be taken to a car impound.

The blue parking zone in Spain is designed specifically to prevent large accumulations of cars left on the streets, and therefore, it is not customary to consider it as a place for long-term parking. That is why you will not be able to purchase a parking ticket for several hours at once. The maximum number of hours for one payment is no more than two hours.

It should be noted that paid parking can significantly hit your pocket, because the average price for 1 hour is from 1 to 3 euros. But there are also positive aspects - on weekends, as well as at night, payment for the parking service in the blue zone is not provided.

Paid parking hours may vary depending on which city you are in, details are always on the sign. Basically, you will have to pay for parking:

• from 9:00 to 16:00, and from 16:00 to 20:00 on weekdays,
• from 9:00 to 14:00 - on Saturday.

The coastal zone has its own characteristics. In winter, parking in the blue zone can be used free of charge, but in summer the paid parking time can be increased, so we recommend that you find out about these features in advance.

Orange or green zone

These zones are designed for parking under special conditions, and you can find it in almost any major city in Spain. In fact, here we are dealing with the same blue zone, but it is such only for those who are not lucky enough to live in the neighborhood. Car owners who live nearby can enjoy a number of benefits, from discounted parking rates to the ability to leave the car for a long period (from a week to 3 months).

For other car owners, the rules for parking, as well as payments, will not differ much from the blue zone. You can pay for parking at a time with a time limit (up to 2 hours), in addition, you can use the parking only on the set days of the week. Most often these are weekdays, with rare exceptions, when you can park on Saturday. Parking time is from 8:00 to 20:00.

What is the difference between orange and green zone? There are no differences in the purpose of the zone itself. It's just that in some cities the zones are designated differently. For example, in green ("zona verde") the zone is designated in Madrid and Barcelona, ​​and in Zaragoza and Valencia, the same zone will be indicated already in orange, and be called "zona naranja".

Recall that only car owners with a resident card can use the privileges of this parking lot. At the same time, there must be a registration in this place.

Special parking zones

In addition to public parking areas, there are specialized parking areas, access to which is significantly limited, as well as areas where parking is generally not allowed. These areas include the following categories.

Residents zone - designated by the icon "zona residentes" and is intended exclusively for parking cars owned by residents living nearby.

The loading and unloading area is indicated by markings applied to the asphalt in the form of diagonal yellow lines. It is allowed to use it only for the purpose of loading or unloading at the strictly allotted time: from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 20:00. Moreover, there are also restrictions on the duration of parking - no more than 30 minutes. There is no charge for using this area.

No Parking. No matter what city you are in, the designation of such a zone will be the same. If a yellow continuous line is marked on the asphalt, it is better not to park in this area.

What to do if your car was towed in Spain

In most cases, the reason for this is a violation of the rules in force in the territory of this state. Before you park, be sure to pay attention to the warning signs about the prohibition of parking. Usually in Spain they are installed in areas:

Also, be sure that you will not find your car if you park it on a double solid line or in a place where your car will interfere with the movement of other vehicles or pedestrians.

Please note that towing services in Spain are by no means cheap and prices may vary depending on the city. Car towing in Madrid, Barcelona and Zaragoza will hurt your wallet the most. More “loyal” cities in this regard include Leon, Melilla and Jaen.

You broke the rules, but managed to arrive at the place before the car was loaded onto a tow truck? In part, you are lucky and there is a chance to negotiate with a service employee. If you are lucky, you can only get off with a verbal warning. Otherwise, you can’t do without paying a fine, just don’t forget to ask for a receipt for payment.

Is it possible to refuse to pay for towing services at all? It is possible, but in this case the car will remain in the impound lot and you will not be allowed to pick it up from there. So, as you can see, this is not an option, and, unfortunately, you will have to pay.

And one more nuance. The fact that you have unpaid fines will not be the basis for preventing the return of the car from the impound lot. You will be allowed to pick up the car, while requiring you to pay only the costs of the current evacuation.

Luck was not on your side and the car was evacuated after all? The first thing to do is call the Municipal Police Department. Here you can get information about the location of the penalty parking, from where you will have to pick up the car in the near future.

How to pick up a car from a parking lot in Spain?

The easiest way in this situation is for those who own the evacuated car. In this case, you will need to present a driver's license, as well as an identity document. In addition, you may be asked to show documents for the car.

Worst of all things will be if the car is not yours and the owner is another person. You will need to provide not only official permission for the right to use (power of attorney) from the owner of the car, but also his documents.

We also advise you not to aggravate the situation by making too insistent demands to return your car in case it was towed at the end of the working day and the impound is already closed. Be patient until the start of a new working day, because in this situation there are no “exception cases” provided.

Summing up: do not violate the established rules of the road, park your car only in the prescribed places, do not neglect the services of paid parking - and you can completely protect yourself from many unpleasant situations and unplanned expenses.

Recently, short-term car rental has become more and more relevant, which allows the traveler to travel comfortably and not waste extra time on public transport. Having visited such a wonderful country as Spain, you should definitely think about renting a car to see the diversity and beauty of Spanish cities. In most cases, renting a car in Spain can be cheaper than taking a taxi. This and much more will be discussed in this article.

In Spain by car: profitable and convenient

Using your car to travel to other countries is not always possible. Many people believe that renting a car is too expensive, unreliable and dangerous. As practice shows, car rental in Spain is very profitable, simple and, of course, convenient. Spain is a very beautiful country, each city of which is unique in its own way. Therefore, to visit the most interesting corners of the country, a car is simply necessary.

Car rental point

Considering that the price of a taxi ride around the city on a weekday will average 15 euros per 10 kilometers *, then renting a car for 30-50 euros (2340-3902 rubles) per day will be much more profitable.

Additional Information! Renting a car in Spanish sounds like this: "alquiler de automoviles".

A little about car rental in Spain

You can rent a car in Spain at almost any Spanish airport or railway station. This is very convenient, since you will not need to spend money on a transfer to the hotel. A cheaper option would be to rent a car directly from the offices of companies located in Barcelona, ​​Malaga and other major cities of the country.

Additional Information! In international car rental companies such as EuropCar, Goldcar, Avis, Hertz, the choice of cars is much wider than in local agencies.

Approximate cost (per day) of car rental in international companies:

• Fiat 500 and similar models of other brands - 30-55 euros;
• "Citroen C1" - 55-65 euros;
• convertible "BMW" - 90 euros;
• SUVs like Range Rover will cost 125-150 euros.

Car types

For a child seat, you will need to pay an additional fee of about five euros.

When paying for rental services, a deposit from 300 to 1000 euros may also be charged from the client’s card, which will be returned to the account one week after the expiration of the contract. This condition is negotiated by the company in advance.

Most people are interested in the question, what kind of driver's license is needed in Spain? In order to rent a car, an international driving license is required. Of the other documents, it is worth having a passport, as well as a credit card. Lately it is allowed to rent a car in Spain with Russian law new sample (plastic). Some companies also put forward other conditions for car rental, for example, the age of the driver must be at least 21, and sometimes 23 years, and you must also have a driving experience of 1 or 2 years. The car rental price also includes insurance with or without deductible.

Important! On a rented car, you can travel outside of Spain (to the countries of the Schengen visa area), but then you will need to take out additional insurance.

Automotive fuel prices in Spain

Spanish gas stations have 95th and 98th gasoline, as well as diesel fuel. The right type of fuel for a particular car is better to check with the lessor in advance . Renting a car in Spain on diesel fuel is usually more expensive. However, if the client plans to travel long distances, then the savings on gasoline pays off significantly.

Important! In Spanish parking lots, there is a single rule - during refueling, the mobile phone must be turned off.

How much does petrol cost in Spain today?

Fuel prices are:

• gasoline euro 95 - 1.1-1.5 euro / l.
• Euro 98 - 1.2-1.6 euro / l.
• diesel A - 0.97-1.2 euro / l.

Spanish toll roads

The length of motorways in Spain is about 16,600 kilometers, 2,980 of which are paid for the movement of cars. Road fares include such components as: distance traveled, type of vehicle, season. Sometimes even the congestion of free roads affects the cost of highways. Toll roads in Spain justify themselves due to the quality of the coverage, as well as the absence of traffic jams.

Estimated fares for some destinations:

• Madrid - Adanero - 7.3 euros for 95 kilometers;
• Madrid - Toledo - 7.65 euros for 60 kilometers;
• Madrid - Guadalajara - 7 euros for 59 kilometers;
• Bilbao - Zaragoza - 32 euros for 298 kilometers;
• Seville - Cadiz - 7.3 euros for 95 kilometers.

Cadi Tunnel

Separate tariffs apply to special sections. Yes, travel to passenger car through the Barcelona tunnel Cadi with a length of 5 kilometers will cost the driver 12 euros. The 2.5 km journey through the Vallvidrera tunnel will cost 3.78 euros and 4.25 in rush hour. Peak hours are weekdays from 7:30 to 10:30 and from 17:00 to 21:00.

Most Spaniards have automatic payment devices installed in their cars, thanks to which they can enter toll roads without stopping. For them, special lanes for movement are allocated, indicated by a blue circle and white stripes in a black square.

Map of toll roads in Spain

Traffic rules in Spain

Before renting a car, you should familiarize yourself with the basic rules of the road in Spain in order not to pay fines, which are very large here.

The following speed limits are set for movement within the country:

• 50 km/h in built-up areas;
• 90 km/h outside the National Park;
• 100 km/h on roads;
• 120 km/h for motorways.

To control the speed limit on the roads of Spain, speed cameras have been installed, with the help of which the nearest police officer will be informed if a certain vehicle is exceeding the speed limit. After that, the car will be necessarily stopped, and the driver fined. Foreign tourists are required to pay small fines on the spot, upon receipt of an official receipt, otherwise the vehicle will be delayed. Regarding alcohol while driving, the maximum allowed blood level is 0.5%, and for drivers whose experience is less than two years - 0.3%. Exceeding the allowable norm will cost the violator 500 euros, and double exceeding the norm - 1000. Refusal of the driver to pass the test is punishable by a fine of 500 euros.

Important! Movement through tunnels must be carried out with the dipped headlights on.

When transporting children under three years old, the car must be equipped with a special restraint system. For children over three years old, a child seat must be installed in the car. Children over 135 centimeters tall must wear seat belts. Violation of the rules for transporting children entails liability in the form of a fine of 200 euros.

The driver and all passengers must wear seat belts. The fine for violating this rule is 200 euros.

Note! The use of mobile communications is permitted only through special means (bluetooth headset, loudspeaker) that do not occupy the driver's hands. Responsibility for such a violation is a fine of 200 euros.

It is noteworthy that traffic lights with radars are installed in many provincial towns, which also regulate the speed limit. Even with a slight excess of speed by the car, the red light immediately turns on at the traffic light.

Based on the above fines, we can conclude that it is very expensive to violate traffic rules in Spain.

Note! Bare-chested driving in the summer in Spain carries a €80 fine. If the passenger sitting in front decides to put his feet on the dashboard, it will cost the driver 100 euros.

Just in case, it is worth remembering the main emergency numbers of Spain:

• police - 091;
• ambulance - 061;
• fire service - 080.

It is better to build the necessary route scheme for traveling in Spain in advance. For this, it is very convenient to use the navigator.

In general, car rental in Spain is a very good alternative. public transport and intercity buses. If you do not violate the Spanish traffic rules, renting a car will not only add comfort to the trip, but also save tourists money.

*All prices in the article are current as of August 2018.