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Travel to Spain
Flying to Spain
Spain has an extensive network of international airports, with Madrid-Barajas (MAD) and Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) serving as the country's principal gateways. Both handle flights from across Europe and long-haul destinations, including the Americas, the Middle East and Asia. Other major airports include Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP), Alicante-Elche (ALC), Valencia (VLC), Seville (SVQ), Bilbao (BIO) and Palma de Mallorca (PMI).
The Canary Islands are served by airports including Gran Canaria (LPA), Tenerife South (TFS), Tenerife North (TFN), Lanzarote (ACE) and Fuerteventura (FUE). Ibiza (IBZ) and Menorca (MAH) are important gateways to the Balearic Islands. International services to many coastal and island airports increase during the summer holiday season.
Iberia is Spain's principal full-service airline, while Vueling, Air Europa, Ryanair, easyJet and other carriers provide extensive European and domestic connections. Madrid is also an important hub for flights between Europe and Latin America.
Flight times:
From London to Madrid: 2 hours 30 minutes (direct).
From London to Barcelona: 2 hours 10 minutes (direct).
Airport guides
Airport Code: ALC. Location: Alicante Airport is located 9km (5.3 miles) southwest of Alicante. Money: Currency exchange desks and ATMs are available both in the landside arrivals area and airside in... Read more
Airport Code: BCN. Location: Barcelona Airport is located 12km (8 miles) southwest of central Barcelona. Money: ATMs and currency exchange desks, including CaixaBank and Global Exchange branches, are located in... Read more
Airport Code: LPA. Location: Gran Canaria Airport is situated 18km (11 miles) south of Las Palmas, and 25km (16 miles) north of... Money: There are several ATMs available on the first floor of the airport located in both the boarding and... Read more
Airport Code: ACE. Location: Lanzarote Airport is located about 5km (3 miles) west of Arrecife, Lanzarote's capital. Money: There are several ATMs at the airport. A currency exchange counter is at Arrivals, Terminal 1. Read more
Airport Code: MAD. Location: Madrid-Barajas Airport is located 12km (8 miles) northeast of Madrid. Money: Madrid-Barajas Airport has two banks, one in Terminal 2 and another in Terminal 4. There are also... Read more
Airport Code: AGP. Location: Malaga Airport is situated 8km (5 miles) southwest of Malaga city centre, and 5km (3 miles) north... Money: Bureaux de change and ATMs are located in Terminals 2 and 3. Read more
Airport Code: PMI. Location: Palma de Mallorca Airport is located 8km (5 miles) east of Palma de Mallorca. Money: The terminal has a several ATMs around the airport and a currency exchange service on the first... Read more
Airport Code: FUE. Location: Fuerteventura Airport is located about 5 km (3 miles) south of the island's capital, Puerto del... Money: ATMs are available in the terminal building, in both arrivals and departures areas. Read more
Airport Code: VLC. Location: Valencia Airport is located 8km (5 miles) to the west of Valencia. Money: There are ATMs on the ground and first floors of the terminal. Currency exchange facilities are... Read more
Airport Code: SVQ. Location: Seville Airport is located 10km (6 miles) to the northeast of Seville, Money: There are ATMs in Departures and the boarding area on the first floor of the terminal building. Read more
Airport Code: GRX. Location: The airport is located about 17.6 km (10.9 miles) west of Granada city centre. Money: ATMs are available on the ground floor of the terminal. Read more
Airport Code: XRY. Location: Jerez Airport is located 8km (5 miles) northeast of Jerez de la Frontera. Money: ATMs are available within the terminal. Currency exchange facilities are limited at this airport;... Read more
Airport Code: BIO. Location: Bilbao Airport is located approximately 11km (6.5 miles) north of Bilbao city centre. Money: ATMs are located on both the ground floor arrivals level and the upper floor departure area. A... Read more
Travel by rail
Spain has international rail connections with France and Portugal, although services are more extensive across the French border. High-speed trains link Barcelona with Paris and other destinations in southern France, while conventional cross-border services operate through the western Pyrenees. Travellers from the United Kingdom can reach Spain by taking Eurostar to Paris and connecting with onward trains towards Barcelona.
Rail connections with Portugal are more limited. Regional services connect Vigo with Porto and Badajoz with Entroncamento, where passengers can continue towards Lisbon and other Portuguese destinations. There is currently no direct high-speed passenger rail service between Madrid and Lisbon.
Spain's principal railway operator is Renfe, which operates domestic and international services. Tickets can be purchased through Renfe and other relevant railway operators, and reservations are generally required on high-speed trains.
Rail passes:
Interrail passes are available for European residents, while Eurail passes are available for residents of countries outside Europe. Both can be used on participating rail services in Spain and for international journeys to other participating countries. Seat reservations and supplements are required on most Spanish high-speed trains and some other long-distance services.
Driving to Spain
Spain shares land borders with France, Portugal and Andorra, while the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla border Morocco in North Africa. The main road connections from the rest of Europe enter through France, particularly via the Mediterranean coast near La Jonquera and the western Pyrenees near Irún. Numerous roads also connect Spain with Portugal.
Spain is part of the Schengen Area, as are France and Portugal. Travellers should nevertheless carry valid travel documents, as temporary border controls may occasionally be introduced. Andorra is not part of the Schengen Area, and travellers entering or leaving Spain through Andorra may be subject to border checks.
International coach services connect Spain with destinations throughout Europe, particularly Portugal and France. Madrid's Estación Sur bus station is a major hub for long-distance services, while Barcelona and other large cities also have international coach connections. Operators include ALSA and FlixBus.
Getting to Spain by boat
Spain has extensive international ferry connections, particularly across the Mediterranean and the Strait of Gibraltar. Ferries link southern Spain with Morocco, including routes from Algeciras to Tanger Med and from Tarifa to Tangier. Services also connect Spanish ports with destinations in Algeria.
In northern Spain, ferries operated by Brittany Ferries connect Santander and Bilbao with ports in the United Kingdom and Ireland, providing an alternative to travelling through France. Barcelona also has ferry connections with Italy, including routes to Civitavecchia, near Rome, and other Mediterranean ports.
Cruise ships:
Spain is a major destination for Mediterranean and Atlantic cruises, with Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, Cádiz, Palma de Mallorca and the Canary Islands among the principal cruise ports.
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