. If you are staying in old Granada or Cordoba, there may well be nowhere to park anywhere near your accommodation. The general rule in many European countries is that the smaller the car, the lower the price. Many of the coastal resorts such as Marbella also a lot of parking options; most apartment complexes and condos have on-site parking. Per day. It's all on the Foreign Office's travel advice site if you need to refer to an official source. Your email address will not be published. While driving a rental car in Barcelona or elsewhere in Spain, be on the lookout for blue zone parking which is marked by the sign, 'Zona Azul.'. Best Things To Do in Barcelona (Travel Guide), https://www.saltinourhair.com/spain/rent-car-spain/. Tips For Renting A Car In Spain, Road Rules & Best Car Rental Companies Matt 19368 0 Andalusia, Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, Seville, Spanish Islands, Valencia Driving in Spain is really easy when going between cities. Check out these examples and compare prices: Opel Corsa. Failed rock star turned failing writer. Most of the time, tourists stop by in Spain or France to rent a car, then go to Andorra. 3-person tents are AWESOME. That said, the one between Granada and Malaga is well worth the 5 euro fee as it dramatically crosses a suspension bridge overlooking the stunning mountains. Spain is a European country located in the Iberian Peninsula. Rear facing car seats - Groups 0 and 0+. In this guide, youll find exactly how to drive and rent a car in Spain. To rent a car in Spain you will need a full EU driving license or an international driving license. If youre traveling during these times, automated gas stations may be the only ones that are open and these only accept cards. This is letting you know you have left that area you will not, however, find another sign telling you where you are now though. Book your transport on Bookaway NOW. or get an answer from the Salt in our Hair Travel Community On motorways, called autopistas and autovas, the speed limit is 120 km/h. It is in fact it is legally required to be carried with you at all times. Answered: Hi, I am getting married in Spain next year and was due to have my driving test before lockdown but that's all gone sideways. The lawful driving age in Spain is 18 years old. If you plan to rent a vehicle in Spain, you must be at least 21 years old and have had your driving licence for a minimum of one or two years. Again, thank you! When picking up your rental car in Spain, make sure to ask the agency about it. How much is a cross-border fee? Children younger than 12 years old and measuring up to 1.35m must be seated in a child restraint system adapted to their age and seizes. Article 18 of the General Traffic Law states that the driver and passengers must maintain a sensible position inside the vehicle. The per day cost of the rental varies greatly depending on the type of vehicle, the dates, and the collection point. If you want to continue reading about hiring a car without a debit card in Spain, tips for driving in Spain as well as inspiration for road trips across the country, take a look at some of our pieces below: Yes, you can drive in Spain using your full UK driving licence, as long as its in date. Flights here are plentiful and affordable and its great place to pick up a car. We'll assume you're okay with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. For those of you in need of some travel, inspiration lets take a look at some awesome Spanish road trip itineraries. If your plane lands at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport in Barcelona, you can rent a car at the airport, then proceed to Andorra. This is because many streets are narrow, parking spots are often small, and gas is relatively expensive. 2022, The Broke Backpacker. Hotels often have a parking garage for guests but you can almost be sure that youll be charged extra. Parking rules in Spanish towns and cities are decided by the municipal authorities, and the system can vary between towns, neighbourhood and street. For many, the main gain is the sense of freedom it offers. When you rent a car in Spain, youll need to bring the following documents: The legal driving age in Spain is 18 years old. In 2020, no-one knew if UK drivers would need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive - or to hire - a car in the rest of Europe once the transition period was over. These are as follows: 1.) Most of the mountain roads are in good condition but driving cautiously is always a good idea. Driving costs in Spain Using and maintaining a car in Spain isn't cheap. By comparison, in Wales, Northern Ireland and England the drink-drive limit is 0.8 mg/ml of blood, and .5mg/ml of blood for Scotland. If it makes sense on your route, pick up and drop off the car in different cities. Cheap Car Hire Deals Car Hire Companies in Spain Hyundai i30 Compact From 11.84 EUR Volkswagen Caravelle Full-Size From 14.88 EUR Fiat Qubo Economy From 18.96 EUR Toyota Corolla Compact From 22.09 EUR Citroen C4 Compact From 23.59 EUR Find great car hire deals in Spain Driving in Spain checklist: Full and valid driver's licence V5C Proof of Insurance Passport/national ID Motor insurance green card Reflective jackets Warning triangles Spare pair. With all of this in mind, it may prove cheaper to do your Spanish adventure by public transport depending on precisely where you are going. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Compare prices from all major car rental providers to find the best deal. Prices start from 22/Day. In fact, it is not uncommon for drivers to deliberately drive into the bumpers of vehicles parked in front of or behind them to move them along a bit to facilitate parking this practice is known locally as bumping. The legal age to drive in Spain is 18, and you must hold a full, valid driving licence - provisional licences aren't valid in Spain. Unless youre going to need a lot of space or are planning on driving in the mountains, it is best to opt for a small car when you rent a car in Spain. After extensive research, I can't find a car hire firm that will let me book a car with less than a year on my. For starters, you will need to have a UK (not GB) sticker like in many other EU countries. The costs of renting a car may also work out more expensive than using public transport. In summary, if you are sticking to major cities, visiting relatively few destinations and have a fixed itinerary, then public transport may prove cheaper and easier for you. Yes, you do need an International Driving Permit to drive in Spain if your driving license was issued outside of the European Union. Head towards the mighty Seville but take a stop off at Ronda to admire the famous bridge. When you tell the counter staff you want to take the car abroad, they'll arrange to insure the car for you. Most of the roads are free to use although there are a few toll roads dotted around. The price of car rental in Spain would vary according to the days of use. Europe ; Spain ; Spain Travel Forum . If you've only passed your test within the past . Normal UK driving licence is fine on its own. Answer 1 of 4: Booked a car hire. The Spanish, like the rest of mainland Europe, drive on the right side of the road. It is also required by law that you hold an International Drivers Permit if youre a non-EU citizen driving in Spain. Young drivers who have little driving experience have to pay extra money. Automatic cars are few and far between and if you want one, you should consider booking well ahead of your trip to make sure they have one for you. In general, the following documents need to be carried: The speed limits in Spain are similar to those in the UK, namely: Fuel is currently approximately 1.7 Euros per litre or 6.5 Euro per gallon with almost all accepting credit cards as well as cash or pay as you go. Now that the boring but essential logistical stuff is out of the way to lets get on with the fun stuff! Search. This form will also list the mileage and the amount of fuel the car has upon pickup time. Its known that this sticker sometimes encourages theft in Spain. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Noon. Spend at least a day in Malaga itself before returning the car. Follow our travels daily on Instagram together with 300K others. The amount of the deposit required will vary from company to company. Here are the popular options for your car rentals in Spain. Then, getting lost can be fun for a while but getting lost without a sat nav or Google to help you out, it would suck. We compare the prices from all major car hire suppliers around the world in more than 30,000 locations so we can provide you with the best deal available for your requirements. 2-3 men drove in to the rental area, distracted us while we were loading our car and drove away with our two carryons, one brazenly taken out of our front seat! If this happens to your rental vehicle you can expect to lose some of your deposit. We had relatively few issues with parking in the smaller towns and villages though. Size does make a difference in the towns and villages of Spain (especially those youll want to be exploring while on holiday), some roads are TINY. Rent a car in Spain via Sunny Cars. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Planning ahead and booking online will always yield savings. Credit card with a name matching the one on the rental contract. International drivers permit (for those from non-EU country) Passport for the main driver. 4-5 doors. Want more deetz on why we love itso damn much? It might be a good idea to have a letter in your possession to say you have your wife's permission to drive the car and you are insured to drive it. This trip starts in the city of Santander, home of the super bank. Always be mindful of where you park and try not to leave anything on display inside the car. The toll routes in Spain typically cost between 5 and 30 EUR depending on the distance you travel on the route and the location of the Autopista. Along the cliffs of this gorge, a number of houses can be seen hanging off the cliff. Because of their afternoon break, Spain has four rush hours (horas puntas), but it is known to be busy throughout most of the day. A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. If you book in advance, itll be much more affordable than stepping into the office and arranging it there. Want to know what the key rules are for driving in Spain in 2022 and what differences there may be when it comes to driving in Spain after Brexit? Receive travel discounts, tips and behind the scenes stories. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Children under 12 or under 1.35m - Must not travel in the front of a vehicle, unless in a specially adapted rear-facing seat for children. If you want to be absolutely certain that everything is logged, take some photos or videos of the rental cars noted damages, the amount of fuel in the tank, and the previous mileage of the car. Santander is a transport hub so it is easy to fly in and collect a car here. Drivers aged between 21 and 24 will have to pay a surcharge of 6,00/per day, maximum 85 / per car hire. Unleaded petrol - Sin plomo 98 or Eurosuper 95. Don't forget you must carry the following 7 essential items in your car when driving in Spain in 2022 Passport or ID Card Driving Licence Insurance Certificate Original registration document (permiso de circulacin) Ficha Tecnica/itv (Mot Certificate) Two warning triangles Reflective Jacket (s) - for anyone who gets out of the car on a main road. Although from other discussions on other forums you don't have to prove the insurance bit. Try to load the route on your app before leaving a WiFi zone or driving with mobile data. Go from busy history-rich cities to calm villages that lay in between valleys. A P surrounded with BLACK indicates parking for a special class of people (residents, etc) so do not use those parking spots. Before hopping into our tips and information, you find your perfect car to rent here! You can also check if your credit card policy covers car rental insurance in Spain. Gas stations can be found in the country, in small towns and big cities, and on the autoroutes. If you want MORE top-tier Broke Backpacker content like this, then sign up for our weekly newsletter below to get the latest and greatest! Although in Spain it is legal to drive after 18 years of age, the minimum age to rent a car is 21 years old, with at least 1-year of driving experience. We recommend you purchase a RentalCover.com policy online to cover your vehicle against any common damages such as tires, windscreens, theft, and more at a fraction of the price you would pay at the rental desk. Well sometimes link out to our affiliate partners, such as Amazon LLC, and make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Book your rental car here. Start your trip in Malaga collecting your car from the cities airport (named after Pablo Picasso). Mallorca Airport hire car. Car Parks which allow online bookings are usually cheaper but you need to ensure you have your smartphone with you to scan yourself in and out. In order to stay on the right side of the law, the following documents should always be carried: Full, valid UK driving licence Proof of ID (passport) Motor insurance certificate V5 registration document While for electric vehicles there are plenty of charging points for the green option of driving. Centauro Car Rental -This Company is known to provide amazing and cheap car rental services to people. However, the train between Barcelona and Madrid is usually around 50 80 Euro. Minimum and maximum age limits for renting a car vary by country, type of car, and rental company. Spanish Police are far more relaxed than in other parts of the world and rarely enforce parking regulations unless somebody specifically complains. Barcelona is a tourist mecca and can get a bit intense in the summer season. The new SUV cars are very comfortable to drive, offer a lot of storage space and have great safety features. This depends on a number of variables which we will look at in more detail in the next section. We cover all major cities, airports and train stations so we can make car rental more accessible to you all. Answered: I need to hire a private car and driver for one day in Spain. Even though Spain does have a few toll roads, on some Autopistas (AP) and radial roads (R), theyre significantly less common than in the neighboring countries Portugal or France. If not, then please dont worry too much. Even though the UK has left the EU, valid UK driving licences are enough to hire a car in Spain. Oi bus driver, pull over and wait I want to go and sample that wine!. Traffic . 4 2. Their rate is very affordable, and after giving them your credit card information to make a deposit on the car, you will receive an email confirmation with the voucher for picking up the car in Spain. To complete the car hire process, you will need a credit card. You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser. This can sometimes be done at no extra cost and is otherwise well worth it if you consider the gas, time, and potential tolls. If youre thinking of getting an automatic car, its essential to notice that these are the exception, not the rule, in Spain. *Learn How*. You could rent in Barcelona and drop off on the Spanish side and take a train into France and rent again and drop the second car off in Paris. Similar to the neighboring countries Portugal and France, Spains history is very much still present, meaning that youll find many narrow cobblestoned roads in towns and villages. Tips for Driving a Car Hire in Spain Car Hire Parking in Spain. I consent to my personal information being processed in accordance with The Broke Backpackers. Want to have buenos tiempos (good times) in Spain with your Debit Card Car Hire car without breaking any of the nations rules? Also, having a car allowed us to make a few unexpected detours and stop off along our route. Most rental companies will also insist that the license has been held for at least 12 months. My missus travels with all her clothes in ziplock bags:dont be like my missus. Talking on the phone while driving is prohibited, It is prohibited to sound the horn in urban areas, At junctions, priority is marked and all road signs must be obeyed, Reflective jackets MUST be worn if walking on the road or hard shoulder, Warning triangles must be displayed in the event of an emergency, Headlamp beam deflectors must carried so you dont dazzle other cars at night. After graduating at University of Humberside, Rich covered the visual and performing arts for a wide range of regional, national and international magazines, journals and newspapers. Also, its a great way to discover some of our must-see Spain road trip destinations! Parking spaces marked with blue lines means chargeable parking. Note that like the Italians, many Spanish drivers dont seem troubled by the odd bump, dent or scratch. Many of the historic city centers long predate the combustion engine and as such, the narrow streets cannot accommodate them. Usually possible, but avoid extra fees by. Car Rental Spain Malaga. Voucher Number View Reservation UNITED STATES Contact Our Reservation Specialists 888-223-5555 Renter Info 888-223-5555 888-223-5555 BEST RATES IN SPAIN GUARANTEED Compare Car Rental Rates Pick up Location: Your driver's license from your home country. Renting a car for a longer period usually brings down the daily price, meaning that 5 days of rental might just be slightly more than 3 days, for example. These sites are very much for locals, so those who dont speak the local language will have to depend on Google translate. Before you rent a car in Spain, its good to know some of the rules and customs on the road. If you're under 25 and looking to hire a vehicle, be aware that you can be subject to . There is no problem with you driving a Spanish Registered car with a UK licence. For safety reasons we recommend multi-storey car parks where you pay upon leaving. Currently, he is writing copy on road trips around the world, all from his office in Wortley, Leeds. Mini. 13 Plastic Products to replace when Traveling, Best Travel Insurances in 2022 (COVID-19 coverage), Website designed & built with by only us (Nick & Hannah), Your drivers license from your home country. 'Blue zone' parking exists in Spanish cities. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Here are some of our best golden tips to keep in mind when it comes to car rental in Spain: People will often say, Dont worry about following the road numbers. In addition, you must be at least 21 years of age, and there is often a limit of 70 years of age. Valencia on the coast is the home of Paella and you must try the dish here. We collect live prices from trusted tour and ticketing operators. SUV rental in Spain-Balearic Islands is ranked 6.8 out of 10 based on more than 1719 reviews. Google Maps and other navigation services typically show you which one is nearest to you. Required fields are marked *. This means that travelers from countries such as the US, the UK, or Australia will need to get an IDP to drive in Spain. Afterward, drive over to Cordoba either for a long day trip or an overnight stay. 25% of our users found a car hire in Spain for 19 or less. You should factor parking before you book any accommodation. For example, between Granada and Malaga youll cross a suspension bridge that overlooks the beautiful mountains in the area. All drivers must present a valid drivers license, an ID as proof of their identity, and a credit card to make the payment. Tip: You can find Europes main car rental agency here in Euros or here for USD. Please click here to confirm you have read and understand our privacy policy. Do I need an international drivers license to rent a car in Spain? That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we dont believe are up to scratch. The price of petrol is currently around 1.25 Euro per liter. Best car rental companies. Some might also ask that you have had your license for at least one year, and some might require you to be 23 or over. Rich Jevons was first published in the Yorkshire Post at the tender age of fifteen. Any navigation device or map app will have toll booths marked and can give you the option to avoid these roads. La Casa del Rey Moro, also known as the Moorish Kings house, is the point of entry to the water mine and the castles floating gardens. Special Tours Spain. Luckily, Spain has a lot of them. Comparing the costs of public transportation, renting a car is far more preferable for those tourists who want to have long drives across the country. Hiring a car abroad. One of the downsides of traveling Spain with a car is parking in the cites as this can prove to be a serious headache. Rideshare is exactly what the name suggests someone going somewhere posts their trip, along with however many seats are available in the car, and someone can search/find their trip and join (for a fee of course). Spain is a pretty big country (at least by European standards) but is very well connected by a modern, well-maintained network of fast and efficient highways. I have a promotional code. These roads are typically ones that go through mountain tunnels or involve another form of engineering and, therefore, require more maintenance. 4 seats. Also, motor insurance is necessary either in your own name or the policy of a named driver.