Seville, Spain — Travel Tips
Getting There By Air
Airlines offering flights to Seville from the UK include Iberia, Vueling Airlines, Spanair, bmi and Ryanair.
Seville (San Pablo) Airport (SVQ)
Tel: 902 404 704.
Website: www.aena.es
Seville Airport is located 12km (7.5 miles) northeast of the city.
Airport facilities
There are ATMs on the first floor of Seville Airport. Car hire is available from Atesa, Avis, Crown Car Hire, Europcar and Hertz. Other facilities include a tourist information desk, duty-free shopping, left luggage, post box, pharmacy, first-aid center, shops, restaurants and bars. There is no business center but AENA and Iberia both provide VIP lounges.
Transport to the city
TUSSAM (tel: 902 459 954; www.tussam.es) runs an airport bus service to and from Prado every 30 minutes. Taxi ranks are located opposite the terminal.
Getting There By Road
In Seville, traffic drives on the right and the minimum driving age is 18 years. Speed limits are 120kph (74mph) on motorways (autopista) and 50kph (31mph) within towns.
A valid driving license and third-party insurance are required to drive in Spain. National licenses from EU countries are accepted, although drivers are advised to obtain an International Driving Permit. A Green Card is strongly recommended for all visitors and is compulsory for those from outside the EU. The use of mobile phones, unless completely hands-free, is illegal while driving in Spain. Real Automóvil Club de España - RACE (tel: 902 404 545; www.race.es) has reciprocal agreements with the AA and RAC in the UK and the AAA in the USA for emergency breakdown services. * The speed limit on motorways in Spain has temporarily been reduced to 110kph (68mph). The new limit will remain in effect until the end of June 2011 at the earliest. The slowdown is intended to save energy in response to the surge in oil prices sparked by the unrest in Libya and elsewhere in the Arab world.
Emergency breakdown services
RACE (tel: 902 300 505, 24 hours). Alternatively drivers can contact the Ayuda en Carretera, run by the Guardia Civil, via the roadside SOS telephones located on both sides of the carriageway at 2km (1 mile) intervals.
Routes to the city
Seville is well-connected to the rest of Spain and Europe by a network of motorways. All of the motorways from Seville to other major Spanish cities are toll-free except the A4, which connects to Cadiz. There are two routes to get from Seville to Portugal: A-49 via Huelva or the new A-22 that leads directly to Faro and Lagos. On the opposite direction, Córdoba is 1 hour 45 minutes away via A-4 and Granada 2 hours 30 minutes on the A-92. A3 leads to the coast towards Valencia via Ciudad Real.
Driving times to the city
From Madrid – 5 hour 30 minutes; Barcelona – 10 hours 30 minutes; Valencia – 7 hours 25 minutes; Faro – 2 hours; Lisbon – 4 hours 10 minutes.
Coach services
Eurolines (tel: 902 405 040; www.eurolines.es) runs international coach services from Estación Plaza de Armas in Seville’s city center. Eurolines operates several routes from Seville to many other parts of Spain, Europe and also Morocco. Alsa coach company (tel: 91 327 0540; www.alsa.es) also operates out of the same station, with routes throughout the rest of Spain in addition to services to France and Switzerland.
Getting There By Rail
Train travel in Spain is generally comfortable, punctual and fast, although it is more expensive than other modes of transportation in Spain.
Rail Services
Estación de Santa Justa, Avenida de Kansas City, is Seville's main railway station. Seville has good rail links to the rest of Spain, with hourly departures to Almeria, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva and Valencia. Thanks to the AVE high-speed train, travel time to Madrid has been reduced to 2 hours 30minutes and Barcelona to 5 hours 25minutes. There are no trains from Seville to Algarve in Southern Portugal despite its proximity; the best way to get there is by bus.
Rail Operators
The Spanish rail network is operated by Renfe (tel: 902 320 320; www.renfe.es). The operator manages all routes in Spain, from the suburban trains (Cercanías) to medium-distance trains to international rail services. RENFE connects Seville to all major Spanish cities including Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia.
Connections
From Madrid - 2 hours 30 minutes; Barcelona – 5 hours 25 minutes; Granada – 2 hours 30 minutes; Cordoba – 40 minutes; Seville – 8 hours 30 minutes; Malaga – 2 hours 20 minutes.
Getting Around in Seville, Spain
Public Transport
Seville is a relatively compact city and its major attractions are all within walking distance; but if you’re looking to travel outside the historic center, there are plenty of options. The main bus network within the city center is TUSSAM (tel: 902 459 954; www.tussam.es), with 45 different lines around the city. The most useful for visitors are the C1-C5 circular lines. Services in general operate between 0600 and 1130. The Metro de Sevilla (tel: 902 364 985; www.metro-sevilla.es) is a fast way to get to the suburbs and the expo. There is only one metro line and it works like a tram in the city center. Tickets can be purchased at any metro station and validated in a machine before boarding. Services generally run daily from 0630 to 2300 on weekdays and until 0200 on Fridays and Saturdays. Multi-ride tickets (Bonobus for 10 journeys) and multi-day tourist passes (one-day and three-day passes) cover all transport in the city and are available at tobacco kiosks and TUSSAM ticket offices.
Taxis
Reliable taxi companies in Seville include Tele Taxi (tel: 95 462 2222), Radio Taxi Giralda (tel: 95 467 5555) and Radio Taxi (tel: 95 458 0000). Meter fares include VAT (rates rise at night and on Sundays and holidays). Tipping is not expected, but if you would like to tip, the usual amount is 5 to 10% of the meter fare.
Driving in the City
Roads in Seville are excellent, although the narrow streets within the historic city center are harder to navigate. There are numerous paid car parks in the city center. Blue markings with a meter signify pay-to-park for a limited period of time, while yellow markings signify no parking. During rush hours, the motorway leading to the suburbs can get extremely congested.
Car Hire
The minimum age to hire a car in Spain is 21. Car hire companies in Spain often charge supplements for drivers under the age of 25. A valid passport is required for proof of identity. A valid international insurance policy is also necessary, although this can be purchased at the time of hire. The following major companies provide car hire in Seville: Atesa (tel: 95 441 2640; www.atesa.es), Avis (tel: 902 110 283; www.avis.es), Europcar (tel: 95 418 4664; www.europcar.es) and Hertz (tel: 95 453 8331; www.hertz.es).
Bicycle Hire
Since the expansion of the bicycle route network, Seville has become a great city to explore on two wheels. Sevici (tel: 902 011 032; www.sevici.es) offers a bike hire scheme. A deposit is required but hire rates are very cheap. Major bicycle hire companies include Rent a Bike (tel: 619 461 49; www.rentabikesevilla.com) and Cyclotour, Fernando Tirado 5, (tel: 95 458 4927; www.cyclotour.es) where you can also hire canopied quadracycles. You can rent scooters on a daily basis from Vespasur, Calle Padre Méndez Casariego 19 (tel: 95 441 7500; www.vespasur.es).
