Investment Property in Spain

Travel and transport

Getting there by air

Spain has 157 airports with the most popular and strategic 47 managed by AENA (Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea). Most UK and Irish airports now have at least two routes into Spain, reflecting the massive demand for holidays in the country. Even smaller UK airports now offer routes to Málaga and Alicante. Spain’s busiest airports are Alicante, Málaga, Murcia, Madrid and Barcelona.

Low-cost carriers

Visitors to Spain have a range of airlines to choose from. There are no-frills budget carriers such as easyJet, Ryanair and BMI Baby, as well as their more comfortable scheduled counterparts such as BA and Iberia. The frequency of flights and extensive range of routes ensures that whatever the traveller’s requirements, there is likely to be a price and timetable to suit.

Lesser-known destinations

Generally the south of Spain and the established ‘Costas’ are more accessible than the interior or north-eastern regions. However, as Spain invests more and more into tourism, the smaller regional airports are opening up previously unknown areas to everyday tourists and property buyers.

Getting there by land and sea

As an alternative to flying, travelling by a combination of ferry, train and car to Spain is a viable, if time-consuming, option. Direct ferries from Portsmouth to Bilbao or from Plymouth to Santander, both on the northern coast of Spain, are available. It is possible to travel by rail from the UK into Spain, starting by taking the Eurostar from London Waterloo to Paris or Calais and making the rest of the journey on the French and Spanish rail network.

Within Spain

Travelling by rail within Spain can be frustrating at times, but the rail system is steadily improving with high-speed trains being introduced. Buses are often preferable as services are frequent and usually comfortable. The main difficulty can be in planning a long distance route when bus services often operate on a regional basis.

Road network

The roads in Spain are comparatively good, particularly if the toll roads are used. Many drivers avoid these because of the cost, and the alternative parallel routes can therefore become over-crowded as a result. Foreign visitors driving in Spain for the first time should be cautious, however, since the Spanish style of driving is quite different to that in the UK and Ireland.