Social Conventions Spanish life has undergone rapid change in recent decades and many of the stricter religious customs are giving way to more modern ways, particularly in the cities and among women. In spite of this, traditions remain strong; hospitality, chivalry and courtesy thrive. Handshaking is the customary form of greeting between men, while women to whom one has already been introduced may be greeted with a fleeting kiss to either cheek. Normal social courtesies should be observed when visiting someone’s home and a small gift is always appreciated. Conservative casual wear
is widely acceptable. Some hotels and restaurants encourage men to wear jackets. A black tie is only necessary for very formal occasions and is usually specified if required. Outside resorts, scanty beachwear should be confined to beach or poolside. The evening meal is taken late, generally 2100-2200. The Spanish have two family names; the maternal surname follows the paternal, but is rarely used outside a formal context. A law banning smoking in offices, shops, schools, hospitals, cultural centers and on public transport was introduced on 1 January 2006. Bars and restaurants must declare whether they permit or prohibit smoking. The vast majority have opted for the former.
International Travel:
Getting There by Air The national airline is IBERIA (IB) (website: www.iberia.com).
Departure Tax None.
Main Airports Madrid (MAD) (Barajas) is 13km (8 miles) northeast of the city. To/from the airport: Bus and underground services depart to the city regularly. Taxi service is available. Facilities: Restaurants and bars, bank, several car hire offices, hotel reservation and tourist information desks, and outgoing duty-free shop.
Barcelona (BCN) (el Prat) is 3km (2 miles) southwest of the city. To/from the airport: Bus and rail services to the city depart regularly. Taxi service to the city is available (journey time - 30 minutes). Facilities: A bank, restaurant, bar, several car hire companies, hotel reservation and tourist information desks and duty-free shops.
Alicante (ALC) (Altet) is 12km (7 miles) southwest of the city. To/from the airport: Bus service runs to the city regularly. A taxi service is available to the city. There is a taxi connection between Alicante and Valencia Airport. Facilities: Duty-free shop, bank, bureau de change, car hire, tourist information and restaurant.
Málaga (AGP)is 10km (6 miles) southwest of the city. To/from the airport: Buses run regularly throughout the day. A train service runs regularly also. A taxi service to the city is available. Facilities: Duty-free shop, bank/bureau de change, restaurant and car hire.
Valencia (VLC) (Manises) is 8km (5 miles) west of the city. To/from the airport: An aero bus takes passengers into the city. Other buses travel to the city frequently throughout the day. Taxis also run. Facilities: Several car hire firms, bank/bureau de change, restaurant, bar and duty-free shop.
Spain boasts over 30 international airports, run by AENA (Aeropuertos Espanoles y Navegación Aérea) (website: www.aena.es).
Note For information on travel to and within the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, see the respective sections.
Brittany Ferries (tel: 0870 366 5333, in the UK; website: www.brittany-ferries.com) operates a service to Santander (on the north coast) from Plymouth (journey time - 18 hours). P&O European Ferries (tel: 0870 520 2020, in the UK; website: www.poportsmouth.com) operates a service from Portsmouth to Bilbao (journey time - 35 hours).
Getting There by Rail The quickest route by train from the UK is through the Channel Tunnel with connections from Paris to Spain. Eurostar operates direct high-speed trains from London (St Pancras International) to Paris (Gare du Nord) and to Brussels (Midi/Zuid). It takes 2 hours 15 minutes from London to Paris (via Lille) and 1 hour 51 minutes to Brussels. For further information and reservations, contact Eurostar (tel: 0870 518 6186, in the UK or +44 1233 617 575, outside the UK; website: www.eurostar.com); or Rail Europe (tel: 0844 848 4064, in the UK; website: www.raileurope.co.uk).
There are direct trains between Madrid-Paris and Madrid-Lisbon, as well as Barcelona-Paris, Barcelona- Zürich or Milan, Barcelona-Montpelier and Barcelona-Geneva. These services are called Estrella, Talgo or Train-Hotel. On other international services to and from Spain, a change of train is necessary. However, work on the AVE (high-velocity train) route between Madrid and Barcelona is expected to be completed in December 2007, after which the French border connection is expected to be fully operational in 2010 and it will be possible to connect with the French TGV (high-velocity route) and the rest of the high-velocity routes in Europe. Motorail services run between Paris and Madrid. For more information, contact the Spanish Rail service (tel: (020) 7725 7063; website: www.spanish-rail.co.uk).
Rail Passes InterRail: offers unlimited first- or second-class travel in up to 30 European countries for European residents of over six months with two pass options. The Global Pass allows travel for 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (tel: 0844 848 4064, in the UK; website: www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Eurailpass: Options include a comprehensive Global Pass with practically unlimited travel in 18 European countries, the more limited Select Pass and Regional pass, or the single-country National Pass.For more details, contact The Eurail Group (website: www.eurail.com).
Getting There by Road The main route from the UK is via France. The main motorways to Spain from France are via Bordeaux or Toulouse to Bilbao (northern Spain) and via Marseille or Toulouse to Barcelona (eastern Spain). Eurolines (tel: 08705 143 219, in the UK; website: www.eurolines.com) runs regular coach services to Spain. Passes: Travelers can book a 15- or 30-day pass.
Overview The Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla are treated as being outside of the EU for the Duty Free section. The following goods may be imported into Spain without incurring customs duty by passengers 17 years of age or older arriving from non-EU countries:
• 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco (300 cigarettes, 150 cigarillos, 75 cigars and 400g of tobacco for EU nationals). • 1l of spirits if exceeding 22% volume or 2l of alcoholic beverage not exceeding 22% volume and 2l of other wine (1.5l exceeding 22% and 3l of up to 22% and 5l of wine for EU nationals). • 250ml eau de toilette and 50g of perfume (375ml eau de toilette and 75g perfume for EU nationals). • 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract (1000g of coffee and 4000g of coffee extract for EU nationals). • 100g of tea or 40g of tea extract (200g tea or 80g tea extract for EU nationals). • Gifts up to the value of approximately €37.26 (no limit for EU nationals). Note: The Canary Islands are not part of the EU.
Abolition of duty-free goods within the EU On 30 June 1999, the sale of duty-free alcohol and tobacco at airports and at sea was abolished in all of the original 15 EU member states. Of the 10 new member states that joined the EU on 1 May 2004 and the two states that joined on 1 January 2007, these rules already apply to Cyprus and Malta. There are transitional rules in place for visitors returning to one of the original 15 EU countries from one of the other new EU countries. But for the original 15, plus Cyprus and Malta, there are no limits imposed on importing tobacco and alcohol products from one EU country to another. Travelers should note that they may be required to prove at customs that the goods purchased are for personal use only. Member states may follow the EU’s guide levels of: 10l of spirits; 20l of fortified wine; 90l of wine; 110l of beer; 800 cigarettes; 400 cigarillos; 200 cigars and 1kg of tobacco.
Internal Travel:
Getting Around By Air Domestic flights are run by Iberia (IB) (website: www.iberia.com), Air Europa (website: www.air-europa.com), Binter (website: www.binternet.com) and Spanair (website: www.spanair.com). Scheduled flights connect all main towns as well as the Balearic and Canary Islands and enclaves in North Africa. Air taxis are available at most airports. Reservations should be made well in advance.
Getting Around by Water There are regular hydrofoil and car and passenger ferry sailings from Algeciras to Tangier and Ceuta (North African enclave); Málaga and Almeria to Melilla (North African enclave); Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante to the Balearic Islands; and Cádiz to the Canary Islands. There are also inter-island services, including a catamaran service linking Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca. For further information, contact AccionaTrasmediterránea (tel: 9024 54645; website: www.trasmediterranea.es).
Getting Around by Rail The state-owned company RENFE (tel: 9022 43402; website: www.renfe.es) operates a railway network connecting all the regions on the Iberian Peninsula. It is mainly a radial network, with connections between Madrid and all the major cities. There are also some transversal services connecting the northwest coast with the Mediterranean coast, as well as services from France to the Mediterranean coast. Reservations for passenger services in Spain may be made in the UK through the Spanish Rail service (see above), European Rail Travel (tel: (020) 7619 1083, in the UK; website: www.europeanrail.com), or The Association of European Rail Agents(AERA) (tel: (020) 7398 5137; website: www.aera.co.uk).
High-speed trains: The AVEservice connects Madrid and Seville in 2 hours 15 minutes, with several services each way via Córdoba. Some services also stop at Ciudad Real and Puerto Llano (La Mancha). A new Madrid to Barcelona leg is now open, and the high-speed border connection with France is due in 2010. A new line from Córdoba to Málaga is also now open. Madrid to Valencia and Madrid to Valladolid should follow by 2010. The Talgo 200 connects Madrid and Málaga in 4 hours 35 minutes.
Tourist trains: The Andalus Express and Transcantábrico offer a pleasant way of discovering their respective regions. There are also a number of privately run narrow-gauge railways in Spain, mainly in the north, the Mediterranean coast and the Balearic Islands, which run at a leisurely pace through picturesque scenery. For more information, contact the Spanish National Tourist Office (see General Info).
Rail Passes InterRail’s One-Country Pass: offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Spain. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (tel: 0844 848 4064, in the UK; website: www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail). Note: Seat reservations are required on all intercity trains. This ruling applies to the passes and cards mentioned above.
Getting Around by Road Traffic drives on the right. Motorways are well-maintained and connect Spain north-south. Tolls are in operation on some sections and have to be paid in Euros. Trunk roads between major cities are generally fast and well-maintained. Rural roads are of differing quality.
Bus: There are bus lines which are efficient and cheap, operating between cities and towns. Departures are generally from a central terminal at which the operators will have individual booths selling tickets. Most places have a bus link of some kind, even the more remote villages.
Car hire: All major car hire companies are represented in major cities, resorts and airports. Drivers must be over 21 to hire a car.
Motorcycles: No person under 18 may hire or ride a vehicle over 75cc. Crash helmets must be worn.
Regulations: Side lights must be used at night in built-up areas. Spare bulbs, red hazard triangles and a reflective vest or jacket must be kept in all vehicles. Traffic lights: two red lights mean ‘No Entry’. Parking laws are rigorously enforced. The speed limit for motorways is 120kph (80mph) in general, but for buses and lorries the limit is 100kph (60mph); in built-up areas the limit is 50kph (30mph); for other roads it is 90kph (56mph).
Emergency breakdown service:Real Automóvil Club de España (RACE) (tel: 9023 00505; website: www.race.es). Documentation: Most foreign licenses including Canadian, EU and US are accepted. Minimum third Party insurance is compulsory; carry a copy of your policy and registration document if bringing your own car.
Getting Around Towns and Cities Traffic in Spanish cities is normally heavy, and urban driving takes some time to adjust to. City public transport facilities are generally good. Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia have metros as well as buses; the Seville metro and tram system is scheduled for completion in late 2008; work on the first two lines of the Málaga metro is well underway. Other towns and resorts are well served by local buses. Metered taxis are available in most major cities and a 2 to 3% tip is customary.
Journey Times The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Madrid to other major cities and towns in Spain.
Air
Road
Rail
Barcelona
1.00
8.00
8.00
Canary Is.
2.30
-
-
Mallorca
1.00
-
-
Palma
1.10
6.00*
5.00*
* Plus nine hours by boat (three hours by catamaran).
