NIK-LAS.com | Travel Information for Spain

VISA INFORMATION

Tourist visas

Citizens of the following countries, with an ordinary passport, valid for a minimum of 6 months, who wish to stay in Spain for tourist or business purposes for up to 90 days DO NOT NEED A VISA:

ANDORRA, ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA, BOLIVIA, BRAZIL, BRUNEI, CANADA, SOUTH KOREA, COSTA RICA, CHILE, ECUADOR, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HOLY SEE, HONDURAS, ICELAND, ISRAEL, JAPAN, LIECHTENSTEIN, MALAYSIA, MEXICO, MONACO, NICARAGUA, NORWAY, NEW ZEALAND, PANAMA, PARAGUAY, REPUBLIC OF CROATIA, SAN MARINO, SEYCHELLES, SINGAPORE, SWITZERLAND, URUGUAY, USA, VENEZUELA, HONG KONG (SAR), MACAO (EAR) and citizens of THE EUROPEAN UNION.

Citizens of other countries must apply for a visa to enter Spain.

Student Visas

A student visa is mandatory for any foreigner wishing to study in Spain for 3 months or longer. The visa is processed in your country of residence prior to your departure. You cannot get the visa in Spain, and you cannot have it sent to you. The visa is affixed in your passport before you depart your country, and must be presented at the border Officials upon your entry into Spain.

All student visas are valid for a period of 90 days from your entry day into Spain, during which time the student must contact the local authorities to acquire a student residency card. This "Spanish Student Residency Card" is then valid for as long as the student is enrolled in the program in Spain.

Please allow sufficient time before departure date for visa to be process. Contact Spanish Consulate on this matter.

If you need more details on obtaining a visa to enter Spain click here.

AIRPORTS

Spain's national airline is IBERIA (IB). Many airlines operate to Spain, including an increasing number of low-cost airlines from most European cities.

Spain boasts over 30 international airports. Information on the major airports follows; information on any of the others can be obtained from AENA (Aeropuertos Espanoles y Navegacin Aerea) Calle Arturo Soria 109, Madrid 28043 (tel: (91) 321 1000; fax: (91) 321 1440; website: www.aena.es), which is the organization responsible for running all of the Spanish airports.

Barcelona (BCN) (del Prat): The refurbished Barcelona's El Prat airport consists of three terminals, A for international departures and arrivals, B for national and some EC flights, and C for the Puente Aereo or shuttle flights to and from Madrid and other major Spanish cities. Airport phone: +34 93 298 38 38 (in English after dialing 1; initial instructions in Spanish). It is 13km (8 miles) southwest of the city. Bus service to the city departs Mon-Fri every 15 minutes, Sat every 30 mins and Sun every 20 mins (0600-2400). Rail service is every 30 minutes (0613-2340). Taxi service is available.

Cadiz does not have its own airports. The closest airports servicing Cádiz are Jerez, Gibraltar, Seville, and Malaga.

Gibraltar Airport (GIB) is located about 2 Kilometers from the town center adjacent to the frontier with Spain. British Airways and Monarch Airlines serve it. There is a regular bus service to the town and taxis are available. Bus station of La Linea is located a few minutes from the airport, just across the border; here you may catch bus services to other parts of Spain

Jerez Airport (XRY) is located 5km north of the city on the NIV(highway). Affectionately known as an airport with Solera, after the famous method of producing Sherry. This is a modern, efficient, yet quiet airport with a future. Presently there are about 5 flights a day Mainly to Madrid, Barcelona and London Gatwick and Stanstead. Taxi service is available.

Madrid-Barajas (MAD) is 13km (8 miles) northeast of the city. Coach service departs to the city around every ten minutes (0445-0200) and underground services run every five minutes (0630-0130). Taxi service is available.

Malaga (AGP) is 11km (7 miles) southwest of the city. Buses run every 30 minutes. Train service runs every 30 minutes. Taxi service is available.

Salamanca does not have an international airport. You can fly into Madrid (Barajas) and take a bus or train, unless you are using the pick-up service.

Seville - San Pablo (SVQ) is 12km (7 miles) from the city. It is easily reached by air from other major European airports. International and domestic flights arrive at Seville's Aeropuerto San Pablo. Taxis and buses are available to the city center. The bus EA runs a regular service to and from the city and the main railway station.

Approximate flight times:

From Barcelona to Frankfurt/London is 2 hours
- From Madrid is 2 hours 15 minutes
- From Malaga is 2 hours 40 minutes.
From Madrid to Los Angeles is 13 hours
- To New York is 7 hours 25 minutes.

DRIVING IN SPAIN

In order for None EU citizens to drive in Spain, they must have one of the following:
The driver must be 18 years of age or older The driver must be a tourist or hold a residence permit for less than 6 months An international Driver's License To rent a car, there are many rental agencies in Spain, some of which offer the opportunity of renting a car in one place and leaving it in another within Spain. International companies allow you, under certain conditions, to rent a car in Spain and leave it in another European country. There are other smaller companies, which offer local rentals.

Traffic Offences - On the spot payment of fines (reduced by 20%) is compulsory for non-residents.

The main route from the EU countries is via France. Main motorways to Spain from France are via Bordeaux or Toulouse to Bilbao (northern Spain) and via Marseille or Toulouse to Barcelona (eastern Spain). A number of coach operators offer services to Spain.

TO MADRID
	From Barajas Airport take the NII in the direction of "Madrid Centro" (well sign posted at the exit of the airport). Parking facilities are situated close to the terminal buildings.

TO BARCELONA
	El Prat airport is approximately 12 kilometers from the city center. The route is well sign posted as you leave the airport.

SPAIN By BUS

Public bus service in Spain is comfortable and efficient. Although there are many lines, which cover long distances, buses are specially recommended for short trips and for excursions from major tourist centers. Local tourist offices can provide you with schedule information.

Spain: www.alsa.es Spain: www.daibus.es The Madrid - Seville bus company web site: www.socibus.es

TO BARCELONA
	From Barcelona Airport shuttle bus service which stops outside each terminal and goes to central Plaça Catalunya( 10 minute walk from the school) every 15 minutes. The "Aerobus" is the most comfortable and easy way to travel between the city center and the airport. Duration: 30 minutes.Price of the ticket 3,20 €

TO CADIZ
From Jerez
	Departures of the buses Jerez-Cádiz: 9:00, 11.00, 12:00, 16:30, 20:00, 21:00, 23:15. Price of the ticket: 2,37 €
From Seville
	Departures of the buses Sevilla-Cádiz: 07:00, 09:00, 11:00,12:00, 13:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 19:00, 20:00, 21:00 and 22:00.Price of the ticket: 9 €. Duration: 1:45 hours
From Madrid
	Departures of the buses Madrid-Cádiz (from Estación Sur): 08:00, 10:00, 14:00, 16:00, 22:00 and 24:00. Price of the ticket: 20,50 €. Duration: 8:00 hours
From Malaga
	Departures of the buses Málaga-Cádiz: 06:45, 07:30, 11:30, 13:00, 15:30 and only on Sundays: at 20:00. Price of the ticket: 17,25 €. Duration: 5 hours

TO MADRID from Airport
A special Airport Bus operated by the Municipal Transport Company (EMT) leaves from the airport every 15 mins to the centrally located Plaza Colon terminal (takes about 30 mins) where taxis are waiting. Price of the ticket 2,40 €.

TO SALAMANCA
From Madrid Airport
	From the airport a metro leaves daily from 6.30am to 2.30 am every 7 minutes. Line 8 (pink) to Mar de Cristal, and then change trains to Line 4(brown) to Avenida de America, change trans to Line 6 (gray) to Conde Casal. Duration: 50 minutes, Price: 0,90 €.
	From Bus Station "Auto Res" located at Plaza Conde Casal in Madrid, there is an express bus that leaves daily from 8am -9.30pm every hour. Duration: 2.5 hours, Price of the ticket: 12€
From Madrid Airport:
	This bus leaves the airport daily from 7:00am to 22:00 every 10 minutes from terminal T1, T2, and T3 to the city center. Bus stop Avenida de America. Metro Connection with Line 6 (gray) to Plaza Conde Casal. Duration: 30 minutes. Price; 2,90 €
	From Bus Station "Auto Res" located at Plaza Conde Casal in Madrid, there is an express bus that leaves daily from 8am -9.30pm every hour. Duration: 2.5 hours, Price of the ticket: 12€

TO SEVILLE
From Seville Airport to Sevilla Center
	Runs every 45-60 minutes from Arrivals of the airport to center. Price of the ticket: 2.10 €
From Malaga
	Take DIRECT bus for 2.5 hrs to Seville (run by Alsina Graells). Price of the ticket: 12.50 €. There are 10 departures a day.
From Madrid
	Buses runs 11 times per day to Seville (by Damas) at a cost of 15.40 € and takes 6 hrs.
From Lisbon, Portugal
	Buses runs 2 times per day to Seville (by Damas or Eurolines) at a cost of 28.25 € or 32 € and takes 4.5 or 7 hrs
From Faro, Portugal
	Buses runs once per day (except Sunday) to Seville (by Damas) at a cost of 10.45 €

SPAIN By RAILWAY

There are direct trains between Madrid - Paris and Madrid - Lisbon, as well as Barcelona - Paris, Barcelona - Zurich or Milan and Barcelona - Geneva. These services are called Talgo, Estrella or Train-Hotel. On other international services to and from Spain, a change of train is necessary. However, work on the AVE (high-velocity train) route between Madrid and Barcelona and is expected to be completed in 2006, after which the French border connection is expected to be fully operational in 2010 and it will be possible to connect with the French TGV (high-velocity route) and the rest of the high-velocity routes in Europe. Motorail services run between Paris and Madrid. For more information, contact the Spanish Rail service (tel: 0207 629 4543; fax: 0207 409 0379. Spain has an extensive railroad system with fast and comfortable trains, offering some of the best fares in Europe. The national network is known as RENFE. One of Europe's most luxurious sightseeing trains is the AL ANDALUS EXPRESS with classic cars restored and refurbished in modern "grand luxe" style. There is 5-stars accommodation in the bedroom/salon cars. All excursions and meals are included. The AL ANDALUS EXPRESS has several itineraries, although it usually goes from Madrid south to Andalusia. The TRANSCANTABRICO, another sightseeing train, covers the northern and north-western parts of Spain know as Green Spain, from San Sebastian in the Basque region to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. The trains are air-conditioned and have showers, a bar and live music. All excursions and meals are included. AVE, Spain's sleek bullet train is the rail link between Madrid and Seville, going through Ciudad Real and Cordoba. This ultramodern train, which travels at a speed of up to 185 miles per hour, makes the Madrid-Seville run in 2 hours 30 minutes. TALGO is an ultramodern, fully air-conditioned train operating throughout Spain. New fast and sleek trains called EUROMEDS are going along the Mediterranean Coast, significantly cutting your traveling time from Barcelona to Valencia. Tickets can be purchased through RAIL EUROPE: 1-800-361 RAIL, which sells special rail passes only for Spain. Train Passes, such as EUROPASS and FLEXIPASS can also be purchased through RAIL EUROPE.

TO BARCELONA
The airport train into the city, is just a walk out and cross the long overhead bridge (with moving walkway) between Terminals A and B. Train goes to Paseo de Gracia, which is located just a few minutes from the school. Trains run every half hour and the journey only takes 20-25 minutes. Duration: Half the price of the bus, just 1,72€.
TO CADIZ
From Madrid
	Departures of the trains TALGO Madrid/Puerta de Atocha-Cádiz: 10:05, 15:56. Price of the ticket: 61,00 €, 50,50€. Duration: 5:00 hours.
From Seville
	Departures of the trains Sevilla-Cádiz: 8:15, 09:00, 10:56, 13:19, 13:58, 15:25, 17:00, 18:00, 19:26* 20:02 and 21:35.Price of the ticket: 8,25, (22€), (*14,50€). Duration: 1:44 hours
From Malaga
	Departures of the trains Málaga-Cádiz: 07:45, 10:40, 14:00, 16:35, and 18:55. It is necessary to change the train in Dos Hermanas (Sevilla). Price of the ticket: about 25 €. Duration: 5:40 hours
From Jerez
	Departures of the trains Jerez-Cádiz: 06:45, 07:15, 07:46, 08:15, 08:45, 09:15, 10:15,11:15, 12:15, 13:15, 13:45,14:20, 14:45, 15:15, 16:10, 17:15, 18:15, 19:15, 20:10, 21:15 and 22:15.Price of the ticket: 2,75 €. Duration: 45 minutes
TO MADRID
Line 8 (pink) links Barajas Airport terminal 2 to Mar de Cristal Station where you take Line 4 (brown) to get to the city center. Duration:45 mins Price: 1,10€.
TO SEVILLE
From Malaga Airport to Seville
	Take the Aeropuerto bus from the Malaga Airport or the Metro (at 0,90€) to the Malaga Renfe station on Calle Explanada de Estacion. Train to Seville leaves at 7.50am, 10.50am, 2pm, and 7.47pm, 8.10pm Duration: 2.25hrs
From Madrid
	There are at least 11 daily departures from the Atocha RENFE station. You can take the AVE, which takes 2.5 hrs and costs 60.70 €. There are 15 per day and usually leave on the hour. The TALGO takes 3.5 hrs and costs 49.88 €

TAXIS in SPAIN

All major cities in Spain have metered taxi service. Any extra charges must be posted in the vehicle.

TO BARCELONA

From the Barcelona airport to city center take about 25-30 minutes dependent on traffic and cost about EUR 15 to 20, including a supplement for each large piece of luggage placed in the car boot. Price: 17,50€

TO CADIZ

From Jerez Airport to Cádiz. Price: about 37,30 €.
From Seville Airport to Cádiz. Price: about 111,05 €.
From Madrid Airport to Cádiz. Price: about 499,00 €.
From Malaga Airport to Cádiz. Price: about 193,40 €.

TO MADRID CENTER

Madrid's red-and-white striped taxis charge around 30 € from the Madrid airport to the city center (EUR 0.30 supplement for each piece of luggage) and take approximately 20 mins outside peak hours.

TO SALAMANCA

From Madrid Airport to Plaza Conde Bus Station : Duration: 20 minutes, Price: 17,50 € (See Bus from Plaza Conde to Salamanca)
From Salamanca bus station in Salamanca to the school or your accommodations: Duration: 10 minutes, Price; 2,90 €

TO SEVILLA

From Seville Airport to Center. This is your best choice. Duration: Less than 30 minutes Prices. 17.50 €

TRAVEL INFORMATION FOR SPAIN

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