Do we need a car?
 

Hi.

We will be a family of 5 (4 adults, one child) traveling from Seville to Granada to Toledo to Madrid. I've heard different opinions about whether or not we should rent a car and could use some solid advice.

We were thinking that we would not rent a car while in Seville and do day trips by train to Ronda, Cordoba, etc.

We thought we would rent a car to go to Granada and then Toledo. We would drop it off once we got to Madrid.

Does this sound reasonable? Should we try to find an apartment in Seville (we will be there 9 days) that has parking and keep a car there too, or is that too much of a hassle?

Thank you in advance.

Also, we will be arriving at different times in Seville via Madrid. (We are all flying into Madrid.) Is it easier to fly from Madrid to Seville or take the train? If we fly, the tickets are cheap, but we would have a 6 hour layover in Madrid. Is that worth it? The train is more expensive (at least from what I have found), and it seems like it would be a hassle to get to the station. What do most people do?

Thanks!

I would take the train from Madrid to Sevilla. Toledo is only a half hour train trip from Madrid.

Seville to Granada, you could rent a car for the day and drive through Ronda or take the train, but I think there is something wrong with that route. Perhaps someone with knowedge can update the Seville to Granada train route.

We've spent well over 3 years vacationing in various regions of France. Except for "long hauls" - we've always used a car. We've rented a car twice in Spain & wish we hadn't. One was for Granada to Ronda to Cadiz - visiting mountains & white villages in between. On another trip we went from Salamanca to Avila to Segovia - visiting castles & towns along the way. We planned to drive the car to the Madrid airport for our flight home - but after the "experience" of driving in Spain following the harder-to-read road signs & traffic & parking in the cities - we decided to return the car early in Segovia & take a limo to the Madrid airport.

Friends are leaving next month for an all train trip from Barcelona to Cordoba to Granada to Seville to Madrid.

Stu Dudley

We always rent a car. Much more flexible than public transport.

For many reasons I would not a rent a car, not the least of which is 5 people and luggage and teh cost of that.

I believe the high speed train, the AVE, leaves from Atocha for Sevilla. Atocha is an easy trip from Barajas.

Check the schedule under RENFE for the AVE.

Unless you are visiting small towns or where there is limited public transportation, I would avoid renting a car in Spain.

We have done Spain twice - mostly Andalusia each time - once plus Lisbon, Evora and Merida, ending in Madrid. The other almost all Andalusia plus a couple of days in Madrid and Toledo.

In both cases we had a rental car (not a super mini but a mid size) and no places did we have trouble parking (but we got only hotels with parking) overnight, or taking the highways from city to city or driving within cities. We really enjoyed the chance to explore towns or sights as we ran across them which would have been basically impossible if using the train.

You do need to remember though that many streets are very narrow which means:

Whenever you park the car fold both mirrors into the car

If you get into a very narrow street you may have to drive with wheels on one side up on the sidewalk. Once - in Ubeda - we had to drive with both sets of wheels on the opposite sidewalks for about 3 blocks.

Parking spots may be very small so be sure that you are expert at parallel parking on both sides in space barely bigger than the car (relatively easy for us since we live in NYC which often has similar spaces, rather than parking in a driveway or a super wide mall space.

As IMDonehere says, no hassle to get to Atocha train station from the Madrid Barajas airport. The train runs all the time. Taxi would be some 25 minutes and a flat 30€ rate. http://www.aeropuertomadrid-barajas....rt-bytrain.htm

We rented a car for the day when we left Seville and drove to Nerja, via Ronda. We left the car in Nerja and took a bus to Granada. We then rented a car when we left Granada and drove to Toledo, since there wasn't a direct train. I wouldn't keep the car in any of the cities you listed.

I have always traveled by train in Spain. The new, fast trains are very nice, especially if you opt for Preferente class. Note, it is cheaper to buy from the web site than at the station, even if you are buying ahead. And the earlier the cheaper.

For schedules see bahn.de or renfe.es, buy from renfe.es and print the tickets yourself.

I prefer to drive to give me the flexibility. However 5 plus luggage in a car could prove to be a bit of a squeeze.
Your child may need a support seat.
The law is:
From 9kg to 18kg and from 9 months to 3 years old, child seats facing frontwards or rearwards. It must be fitted to the rear of the car and secured.
From 15kg to 25kg and 3 to 6 years of age, use a seat adaptor to lift the child up to fit comfortably to use the seat belts. Use an EU approved seat belt adaptor too.
From 22kg to 36kg and 6 to 12 years of age, use a seat adaptor so that the child is comfortably protected using the seat belts. It should by this age that a seatbelt adaptor should not be necessary.
Children up to the age of 12 or are less than 1.35 Metres or less in height are not allowed to sit in the front seat.
Every driver that will driver the car will require an IDP.

The reason you DO want a car is the 5 people.

Agree with Bob. Not only will a car give you more freedom but it will also be cheaper. Get at least a mid size with enough room for luggage in the trunk - it must not be visible

Thank you, all. Several people confirmed that a car would make things more convenient and possibly cheaper with 5 people. I will look into one-way rentals between the Seville and Granada and Granada and Madrid vi Toledo. Thank you also for the advice about keeping the luggage hidden and the need for permits for all drivers.

You can have a GinTonic on the train and relax...not in the car.

((H))

Very good point, maitai ;-)

As long as khor is not driving, (s)he can have a G&T in the car!