Gas stations & driving in Spain - cash or credit?
May 5th, 2011, 06:06 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Gas stations & driving in Spain - cash or credit?
I'll be renting a car to explore Spain in a couple weeks and wondered about gas stations. Are they pay-at-the-pump or is cash the way to go? Do you pay before you fill the tank? I know this probably sounds silly, but I stood at a countryside gas pump in Italy once for about 15 minutes before someone took pity on me. Also, if there is anything else I need to know about driving in Spain (tolls, speed traps, etc.), let me know- thanks!
May 6th, 2011, 12:28 AM
#2
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,760
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Most filling stations are manned, except at service station along the Autovias.
All will take either cash or CC. The later may have limitation in which ones you can use. What is your CC? You may be asked for ID every time you use a CC.
You pay after you have filled up.
All will take either cash or CC. The later may have limitation in which ones you can use. What is your CC? You may be asked for ID every time you use a CC.
You pay after you have filled up.
May 6th, 2011, 12:31 AM
#3
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,760
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
PS what do you want to know about tolls? you just pay what is asked at the manned tollbooth.
Speed traps are everywhere, fixed cameras and ones that are moved from one location to another. If you are a non resident and caught you will be asked to pay the fine immediately. The smae goes for any motering offence.
Speed traps are everywhere, fixed cameras and ones that are moved from one location to another. If you are a non resident and caught you will be asked to pay the fine immediately. The smae goes for any motering offence.
May 6th, 2011, 05:51 AM
#4
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,254
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you are paying with a credit card, you may have to leave the card with the csahier while you fill your car with fuel.
Personally, when I am overseas I always like to make sure that I have enough cash on me to pay a bill even if I intend to pay with a card. You can never know what might go wrong with a card payment.
Personally, when I am overseas I always like to make sure that I have enough cash on me to pay a bill even if I intend to pay with a card. You can never know what might go wrong with a card payment.
May 6th, 2011, 06:07 AM
#5
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,492
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
More and more you pre-pay your gas. Or put in a certain amount, then go fill up, or leave the card with the cashier while you fill up. Photo ID will be necessary.
Be VERY careful with speed limits everywhere, but now especially approaching toll booth areas where you must reduce speed very quickly in a short distance and they are catching people right and left who are WAY over the suggested speed approaching the toll booth area.
Be VERY careful with speed limits everywhere, but now especially approaching toll booth areas where you must reduce speed very quickly in a short distance and they are catching people right and left who are WAY over the suggested speed approaching the toll booth area.
May 6th, 2011, 02:32 PM
#6
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,760
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
But how will the cashier know you want to pay by CC? If on the odd occasion you use a self service then they will not see your wallet until you enter the kiosk. If (as you will find in most filing stations) you get served again keep your wallet in your pocket until the car has been tanked. Even they the attendant will not know how you wish to pay until you pull-out either a CC or cash.
May 6th, 2011, 03:14 PM
#7
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,492
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There are a few pay at the pumps at large hyper markets.
When you need to pre-pay, you choose which method. CC or cash.
The pumps can be regulated to stop at 10, 15, 20, 25E, etc.. by pushing a button to mark the exact amount you want to put in, in those increments.
Ribeirasacra. I don't understand your last post.
The cashier would only know you wanted to pay by credit card if you told him/her when you went to pre-pay ( when that is the system).
When you have to pre-pay, you just also tell the cashier which type of gas you want. (So you can practice up on that before you go.)
sin plomo ( unleaded) 95 (noventa y cinco) sin plomo.
or
Diesel/gasoil NORMAL. ( because they have special higher octane diesel also)
"Normal" is pronounced norMAL.
Lots of speed traps and where there are tolls.. they are very high. Check www.viamichelin.com for approximate charges.
There are some wonderful secondary roads in Spain now and many free divided highways making traveling through the countryside a pleasure.
When you need to pre-pay, you choose which method. CC or cash.
The pumps can be regulated to stop at 10, 15, 20, 25E, etc.. by pushing a button to mark the exact amount you want to put in, in those increments.
Ribeirasacra. I don't understand your last post.
The cashier would only know you wanted to pay by credit card if you told him/her when you went to pre-pay ( when that is the system).
When you have to pre-pay, you just also tell the cashier which type of gas you want. (So you can practice up on that before you go.)
sin plomo ( unleaded) 95 (noventa y cinco) sin plomo.
or
Diesel/gasoil NORMAL. ( because they have special higher octane diesel also)
"Normal" is pronounced norMAL.
Lots of speed traps and where there are tolls.. they are very high. Check www.viamichelin.com for approximate charges.
There are some wonderful secondary roads in Spain now and many free divided highways making traveling through the countryside a pleasure.
May 6th, 2011, 03:55 PM
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is perfect - thanks! I'll practice the pronunciations, too.
Are there many unmanned tollbooths on the main highways, or is this not common? I've been caught other places with unmanned booths and no loose change to pay. Perhaps I need to carry spare euro for this occasion?
Good advice on viamichelin.com, and the secondary roads. I love to wander off the main routes this way so I'm glad you mentioned this option. Thank you, everyone!
Are there many unmanned tollbooths on the main highways, or is this not common? I've been caught other places with unmanned booths and no loose change to pay. Perhaps I need to carry spare euro for this occasion?
Good advice on viamichelin.com, and the secondary roads. I love to wander off the main routes this way so I'm glad you mentioned this option. Thank you, everyone!
May 7th, 2011, 05:17 PM
#12
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 657
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Keep me honest please - I may be wrong. I remember driving somewhere in Spain, on a 4 lane road that had stop lights every 1/4 mile or so. They stayed on green unless you exceeded the speed limit and, then the next light you came came to turned to red. Instant punishment: if you speed you get to sit for 60 seconds. Am I dreaming or does anyone else remember this?
Re paying on the spot: I was ticketed for speeding near Logrono. 100 Euro. Didn't have that much cash on me so the cops followed me to an ATM which wasn't working. Second ATM which wasn't working. Finally, I had to pull out the $100 bill I kept in my shoe, go to a bank, get it changed and paid the fine. They were persistent, but polite.
Re paying on the spot: I was ticketed for speeding near Logrono. 100 Euro. Didn't have that much cash on me so the cops followed me to an ATM which wasn't working. Second ATM which wasn't working. Finally, I had to pull out the $100 bill I kept in my shoe, go to a bank, get it changed and paid the fine. They were persistent, but polite.
May 7th, 2011, 08:08 PM
#13
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 4,074
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We were kind of trapped by the Policia may be they were the Guardia Civil ... on a fairly empty national road coming out from Leon a nice Sunday morning. They were kind of hidden What happens is that in National Roads the speed limit can change suddenly . In our case there were a few houses by the road and the speed limit was suddenly much lower than the one in existence before the houses. Too bad. I do not remember but they were quite a lot of euros.
May 8th, 2011, 01:56 PM
#14
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,314
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In my area, if the man does not come to service you, do it yourself. Then get in to pay with cash or cc, your choice. Just mention the number of your pump. At night you have to pay before service.
May 9th, 2011, 01:06 AM
#15
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,760
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
lincasanova
I felt my posting was clear it is disputing the information above that posting. No pump attendant or cashier would know your preferred method of payment, as some posters had suggested.
Ref to all readers about speed traps. There are many so-called mobile traps. These are often set up for just a few hours at a time. Then move on to a new location. These are never added to maps. So please don’t rely on this information alone. These mobile set ups can be set up on any class of road be it autovias, exit junctions to autovias or secondary or even minor roads.
I felt my posting was clear it is disputing the information above that posting. No pump attendant or cashier would know your preferred method of payment, as some posters had suggested.
Ref to all readers about speed traps. There are many so-called mobile traps. These are often set up for just a few hours at a time. Then move on to a new location. These are never added to maps. So please don’t rely on this information alone. These mobile set ups can be set up on any class of road be it autovias, exit junctions to autovias or secondary or even minor roads.
