Spain Questions
 

I will be spending 7 days in Spain, flying in and out of Madrid. I
want to see as much of the Andalucia region as possible. I have found
train schedules online, but nothing at all regarding BUS schedules.
Can anyone direct me to a website that can help?

Also, would renting a car be a better plan? What is driving like in
Spain? How expensive is the petrol?

Any advice on travel in this region would be appreciated. Thanks!

Re: Spain Questions
 

    >Subject: Spain Questions
    >From: [email protected] (Ross)
    >Date: 1/28/2003 9:04 PM

    >I will be spending 7 days in Spain, flying in and out of Madrid. I
    >want to see as much of the Andalucia region as possible. I have found
    >train schedules online, but nothing at all regarding BUS schedules.
    >Can anyone direct me to a website that can help?
    >Also, would renting a car be a better plan? What is driving like in
    >Spain? How expensive is the petrol?
    >Any advice on travel in this region would be appreciated. Thanks!

If time is an issue, the bullet train from Madrid to Sevilla is something you
should look into. You will find the schedules at www.renfe.es under the AVE
route. Once you are in Andalucia, bus becomes an attractive alternative
(sometimes the only one). Bus service in Spain is fragmented with different
companies running different route, so it is a bit more difficult to find info.
online. I wouldn't worry too much about getting all the details before you go
(unless you will be there during Semana Santa, etc.)

Dunno know about you, but dealing with arriving in a city and find a place to
park the car (the cities in Andalicia do not lend themselves to newbie drivers)
is the last thing I would want to deal with....with comprehensive public
transport, IMHO there is no reason to rent a car.

Take a look at www.andalucia.org Email the Turismo office near you and ask for
bus info. and maps..... Have a nice trip.

Re: Spain Questions
 

Fly Madrid>Malaga and rent there, my recommendation. Seven days goes quick!

Ross wrote:
    > I will be spending 7 days in Spain, flying in and out of Madrid. I
    > want to see as much of the Andalucia region as possible. I have found
    > train schedules online, but nothing at all regarding BUS schedules.
    > Can anyone direct me to a website that can help?
    >
    > Also, would renting a car be a better plan? What is driving like in
    > Spain? How expensive is the petrol?
    >
    > Any advice on travel in this region would be appreciated. Thanks!

Re: Spain Questions
 

On 28 Jan 2003 19:04:01 -0800 Ross said...

    > I will be spending 7 days in Spain, flying in and out of Madrid. I
    > want to see as much of the Andalucia region as possible. I have found
    > train schedules online, but nothing at all regarding BUS schedules.
    > Can anyone direct me to a website that can help?

The following web site was pulled up literally within seconds using
Google:

http://www.andalucia.com/travel/bus/home.htm

--
Phil Richards
London, N4

Re: Spain Questions
 

Ross,

Got the info below from http://travel.roughguides.com/roughguides.html
(go to Spain, Madrid, Basics, Travel Details, Buses). A starting
point at least !

Driving in Spain is a hoot if you like like speed, danger and macho
assholes. Otherwise stick to public transport.

Cheers

Nick


A bewildering number of companies operate buses from Madrid, each from
their own garage or terminus. Many of the services, however, run
through the Estación Sur de Autobuses (tel 914 684 200), to the south
of Atocha on the circular #6 metro line. Note that companies and
services change with great frequency and it's always worth checking
schedules with the turismo or the Information line (tel 914 352 266).

Estación Sur de Autobuses, c/Méndez �lvaro s/n Métro: Méndez �lvaro:
Albacete (11 daily; 3hr); Alicante (8 daily; 5hr); Almería (3 daily;
6hr 30min); Aranda (4 daily; 2hr); Ã?vila (8 daily, 1hr 30min);
Barcelona (15 daily; 7hr 30min–8hr); Ciudad Real (2–4 daily; 3hr);
Córdoba (7 daily; 4hr 30min); Gijón (15 daily; 5hr); Granada (12
daily; 5hr); Jaén (2–6 daily; 5hr); León (11 daily; 4hr 15min); Málaga
(10 daily; 6hr); Marbella (10 daily; 6hr); Oviedo (15 daily; 5hr);
Palencia (5 daily; 3hr); Pontevedra (3 daily; 7hr); Santiago (4 daily;
9hr); Sevilla (11 daily; 6hr); Toledo (every 15min; 1hr 15min);
Valencia (12 daily; 4hr); Vallodolid (18 daily; 2hr 15min); Zaragoza
(17 daily; 4hr); and international services to France and Portugal.

Auto-Res, Fernández Shaw 1 tel 915 517 200, www.auto-res.es; Métro:
Conde Casal: Badajoz (9 daily; 4hr 30min–5hr); Cáceres (7–10 daily;
3hr 50min–4hr 30min); Ciudad Rodrigo (1–2 daily; 3hr 40 min-4hr);
Cuenca (10 daily; 2hr–2hr 30min); Mérida (10 daily; 4–5hr); Salamanca
(24 daily; 2hr 15min–2hr 30min); Trujillo (10 daily; 4–5hr); Zamora (9
daily; 2hr 45min–3hr 15min).

Continental Auto, Avda. de América 9 tel 917 456 300; Métro: Avda. de
América: Alcalá (every 15 min; 40min); Bilbao (10 daily; 4hr 30min);
Burgos (9 daily; 2hr 45min); El Burgo de Osma (2 daily; 4hr);
Guadalajara (15 daily; 1hr); Logroño (5 daily; 4hr 30min–5hr 30min);
Pamplona (4 daily; 5–6hr); San Sebastián (9 daily; 6–8hr); Santander
(7 daily; 5hr 45min); Soria (5 daily; 2hr 30min–3hr); Vitoria (8
daily, 5hr).

Herranz, Intercambiador de Autobuses de Moncloa tel 918 904 100, an
underground terminal just above Metro Moncloa: El Escorial (approx.
every 30min). Onward connections to El Valle de los Caídos.

La Sepulvedana, Paseo de la Florida 11 tel 915 304 800,
www.lasepulvedana; Métro: Pío: �vila (8 daily; 1hr 30min); Segovia (31
daily; 1hr 15min).

Re: Spain Questions
 

[email protected] (Ross) wrote in message news:...
    > I will be spending 7 days in Spain, flying in and out of Madrid. I
    > want to see as much of the Andalucia region as possible. I have found
    > train schedules online, but nothing at all regarding BUS schedules.
    > Can anyone direct me to a website that can help?
    >
    > Also, would renting a car be a better plan? What is driving like in
    > Spain? How expensive is the petrol?
    >
    > Any advice on travel in this region would be appreciated. Thanks!


Bus schedules and tickets: http://www.alsa.es/

When are you travelling ? Andalucia is fully booked during Easter...

Hope this helps,

Alejandro.

Re: Spain Questions
 

[email protected] (Nick Fisher) wrote in
news:[email protected]:


    >
    > Driving in Spain is a hoot if you like like speed, danger and macho
    > assholes. Otherwise stick to public transport.
    >

Driven at speed in with danger, by the same Macho assholes, only this time
they have an audience to impress...


Smiling
‹(•¿â� �¢)›
Big 'G' > ' Better than a smoke or a cup of tea '
Sure you can mail me: GARETHLROBERTS at TALK21 dot COM
Just please... PLEASE Dont spam me !

Re: Spain Questions
 

Visit CORDOBA, an intermediate stop on the Madrid - Seville high speed rail
line.

I didn't find driving all that bad in the Alicante, Valencia, Murcia area
and the route from/to Madrid.

But do you want to see cities or countryside? A car is a Bad Idea if your
interests are mainly cities. With only 7 days you may not have much time
for the countryside.

"Ross" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I will be spending 7 days in Spain, flying in and out of Madrid. I
    > want to see as much of the Andalucia region as possible. I have found
    > train schedules online, but nothing at all regarding BUS schedules.
    > Can anyone direct me to a website that can help?
    > Also, would renting a car be a better plan? What is driving like in
    > Spain? How expensive is the petrol?
    > Any advice on travel in this region would be appreciated. Thanks!

Re: Spain Questions
 

Ross wrote:
    >
    > I will be spending 7 days in Spain, flying in and out of Madrid. I
    > want to see as much of the Andalucia region as possible. I have found
    > train schedules online, but nothing at all regarding BUS schedules.
    > Can anyone direct me to a website that can help?

Bus schedules are usually hard to come by, because there are usually
multiple countries involved. I found in Spain that the best place to
find bus schedules was usually the tourist office. Some guidebooks are
pretty good at telling you which towns you can reach by bus from a given
town; then you can get the specifics at the tourist office. (Let's Go
and Lonely Planet are both pretty good in this regard.)

    > Also, would renting a car be a better plan? What is driving like in
    > Spain? How expensive is the petrol?

I once travelled in Spain by train and bus, and I once travelled by
(rented) car. I would say that if you are at least two people, the idea
of renting a car becomes attractive. The roads in Spain are mostly in
very good condition, but we found the signs to be scanty and sometimes
misleading, so we often missed turns or got lost. There is a pretty good
long-distance bus network, and it often is easier to get around by bus
than by train.

Barbara

Re: Spain Questions
 

Madrid to Cordoba on the fast AVE. Then make your way to Granada by bus. Not
sure of the bus company but just ask.
Then from Granada take the train to Ronda (last stop Algeciras) where you
will like the hill town. From Ronda you need to get to Sevilla. Not sure
about the bus schedule here. If desperate, a taxi is not horrendously
expensive?!? Then Sevilla back to Madrid.
Look at www.multimadrid.com forum for more answers etc

"Ross" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I will be spending 7 days in Spain, flying in and out of Madrid. I
    > want to see as much of the Andalucia region as possible. I have found
    > train schedules online, but nothing at all regarding BUS schedules.
    > Can anyone direct me to a website that can help?
    > Also, would renting a car be a better plan? What is driving like in
    > Spain? How expensive is the petrol?
    > Any advice on travel in this region would be appreciated. Thanks!

Re: Spain Questions
 

Barbara Vaughan wrote:
    >
    > Ross wrote:
    > >
    > > I will be spending 7 days in Spain, flying in and out of Madrid. I
    > > want to see as much of the Andalucia region as possible. I have found
    > > train schedules online, but nothing at all regarding BUS schedules.
    > > Can anyone direct me to a website that can help?
    >
    > Bus schedules are usually hard to come by, because there are usually
    > multiple countries involved.
^^^^^^^^^

I meant companies.

Barbara

Re: Spain Questions
 

"Ross" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I will be spending 7 days in Spain, flying in and out of Madrid. I
    > want to see as much of the Andalucia region as possible. I have found
    > train schedules online, but nothing at all regarding BUS schedules.
    > Can anyone direct me to a website that can help?
    > Also, would renting a car be a better plan? What is driving like in
    > Spain? How expensive is the petrol?


We spent 2 weeks last summer near Malaga and drove around a lot.. Granada,
Cordoba, Gibraltar, and lots of other places.. We really enjoyed the
freedom of having a car. Fuel wasn't too expensive, the roads were good,
and it was just about like driving here at home. Europeans do drive a
little faster than we do, but *you* don't have to just because you're there.
The rules of the road are pretty much the same as here. Unless you're from
a country where you drive on the left, you will be fine.. There are plenty
of worse countries to drive in than Spain..
Bruce

--
Bowe Custom eCommerce
Santa Rosa, CA
www.santarosa.nu

Re: Spain Questions
 

On 29 Jan 2003 03:00:57 -0800 Alejandro said...

    > Bus schedules and tickets: http://www.alsa.es/

Presumably this is a long distance bus company - it doesn't seem to offer
much for local buses in the Andalucia region.

--
Phil Richards
London, N4

Re: Spain Questions
 

Having done an Andulucia a 10-day trip from after Xmas 2001 thru early Jan
2002, I would NOT advise using public transport for this trip, except for
the Madrid to Sevilla leg via the AVE train. On that trip, I reserved a car
via www.alamo.com and picked it up at the Santa Justa train station in
Sevilla, Alamo subcontracts with a local outfit "Atenza" and a one week
rental was about $150, unlimited mileage with no dropoff charge for dropping
it off in Cordoba. Even, with a car, there were still a lot of sites that I
was not able to see. In your case, with just 7 days, I think it would be
mistake trying to use public transport. Andalucia is really one place where
having a car is a big plus. I found myself stopping at various
out-of-the-way small towns like Zahara de los Atunes, that I would not have
been able to visit if I was using public transport. And I did not encounter
any of the so-called "macho" drivers and the road were very good. In fact,
the only thing I noticed that on a lot of the freeways was that there were
actually more slow drivers than I am used too, but they were very
considerate and stayed on the right lane.By the way, on certain roads on the
way to Malaga, you could either take a tool road if you were in a hurry, or
take the more scenic route which had NO toll.

"Ross" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I will be spending 7 days in Spain, flying in and out of Madrid. I
    > want to see as much of the Andalucia region as possible. I have found
    > train schedules online, but nothing at all regarding BUS schedules.
    > Can anyone direct me to a website that can help?
    > Also, would renting a car be a better plan? What is driving like in
    > Spain? How expensive is the petrol?
    > Any advice on travel in this region would be appreciated. Thanks!

RE: Spain Questions
 

"Phil Richards" escribió en el mensaje
news:[email protected]...
    > On 29 Jan 2003 03:00:57 -0800 Alejandro said...
    > > Bus schedules and tickets: http://www.alsa.es/
    > Presumably this is a long distance bus company - it doesn't seem to offer
    > much for local buses in the Andalucia region.

Yes, Alsa is a long distance company but they offer some routes in
Andalucia. To see a map of their national routes, there is one in the
English version of their Website:

http://www.alsa.es/44/info-corporati...acionales.html



Opinions expressed here are my own and may not represent those of my employer.



Opinions expressed here are my own and may not represent those of my employer.