Seville Transportation

Getting There:

By Air: Seville is served by 2 airports: Seville Airport (+34 95 444 9000) (for European travelers) and Malaga International Airport (AGP) (+34 95 204 8484). Please call for airline information. International travelers typically arrive in Madrid or Barcelona, then transfer to Malaga. The Madrid Barajas International Airport (MAD): (http://www2.aena.es/aeropuertos/barajas/index.htm /+34 91 305 6000) Located nine miles east of downtown, Madrid handles 25 million passengers a year. Its three terminals, which are connected by free shuttle buses, are loaded with restaurants, cafes, and retail outlets. Major airlines serving the airport include:

Aero Mexico (+ 1 800 237 6639/ http://www.aeromexico.com) Air Berlin ( +45 30 41 47 75 10/http://www.airberlin.com ) Air Europa (+1 888 238 7585/http://www.air-europa.com) Air France (+1 800 871 1366/ http://www.airfrance.com) American Airline (+1 800 433 7300/http://www.aa.com) British Airways (+1 800 247 9297/http://www.british-airways.com) Continental (+1 800 525 0280/http://www.continental.com) Delta (+1 800 221 1212/http://www.delta.com) Iberia (+1 800 772 4642/http://www.iberia.com) Iberworld Airlines ( http://www.iberworld.com ) United (+1 800 241 6522/http://www.ual.com) US Airways (+1 800 428 4322/http://www.usairways.com) Vueling ( +34 93 378 78 78/ http://www.vueling.com )

The Barcelona Airport: (+34 932 983 838; http://www.barcelona-airport.com/)

Taxis are easy to locate outside the terminals. Only board taxis that operate via meter for the others are notorious for overcharging.

Rental Car Companies:

Avis (+1 800 831 2847/ http://www.avis.com) Hertz (+1 800 654 3131/ http://www.hertz.com) Carjet.com (http://www.carjet.com/)

Local rental prices are high, so it is best to book in advance. Remember, in Spain cars drive on the right-hand side of the road. For more Seville driving tips, check out http://www.seville.world-guides.com/travel.html.

By Train: RENEFE (+34 93 490 1122/http://www.renfe.es) is Spain's largest train line station, catering to the towns and cities in southern and eastern Spain including Seville and Valencia.

By Bus: Estacion de Autobuses Plaza de Armas (+34 954 908 040) and Estacion de Autobuses Prado de San Sebastian serve as Seville's main bus stations. National Express (http://www.nationalexpress.com/) serves all of Europe. Eurolines (http://www.eurolines.com/) also serves Europe.

Getting Around:

By Bus: Transportes Urbanos de Sevilla (TUSSAM) (+34 954 420 011; http://www.tussam.es/)

By Metro: Metro de Sevilla (+34 902 364 985; http://www.metrodesevilla.net/)

By Taxi: Unless it is during a main fiesta, it is easy to hail a cab on the street. Be aware that most taxi drivers do not speak good English, so it is helpful to know a few key Spanish phrases. Look for taxis with a green light; it is important to ensure they are metered. Companies include: Radio Taxi Giralda (+34 954 675 555) Radio-Taxi (+34 954 580 000) Tele-Taxi (+34 954 622 222)

By Horse Carriage: For a unique way to tour the city, take a ride on a horse carriage. They are waiting in line at the Cathedral and at the Plaza de España in the Maria Luisa Park. The cost is EUR30 for 40 minutes.

By Foot: It is easy to travel as a pedestrian in the city, especially as a tourist. Most of the major attractions are within walking distance of Seville's main hotels.

Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- Iberia (tel. 800/772-4642 in the U.S., or 90-240-05-00 toll-free in Spain) flies several times a day between Madrid (and elsewhere via Madrid) and Seville's Aeropuerto San Pablo, Calle Almirante Lobo (tel. 95-444-90-00). It also flies several times a week to and from Alicante, Grand Canary Island, Lisbon, Barcelona, Palma de Majorca, Tenerife, Santiago de Compostela, and Zaragoza (once a week). The airport is about 9.6km (6 miles) from the center of the city, along the highway leading to Carmona. A bus run by Amarillos Tour S.A. (tel. 90-221-03-17), meets all incoming flights and transports you into the center of Seville for 2.50€ ($4). For airport information, call tel. 95-444-90-00.

By Train -- Train service into Seville is now centralized into the Estación Santa Justa, Av. Kansas City s/n (tel. 90-224-02-02 for information and reservations). Buses C1 and C2 take you from this train station to the bus station at Prado de San Sebastián, and bus EA runs to and from the airport. The high-speed AVE train has reduced travel time from Madrid to Seville to 2 1/2 hours. The train makes 23 trips daily, with a stop in Córdoba. Twenty-three trains a day connect Seville and Córdoba; the AVE train takes 45 minutes and a TALGO takes 1 1/2 hours. Five trains a day run to Málaga, taking 3 hours; there are also four trains per day to Granada (3 hr.).

By Bus -- Although Seville confusingly has several satellite bus stations servicing small towns and nearby villages of Andalusia, most buses arrive and depart from the city's largest bus terminal, on the southeast edge of the Old City, at Prado de San Sebastián, Calle José María Osborne 11 (tel. 95-441-71-11). Several different companies make frequent runs to and from Córdoba (2 1/2 hr.), Málaga (3 1/2 hr.), Granada (4 hr.), and Madrid (8 hr.). For information and ticket prices, call Alsina Graells at tel. 95-441-88-11. A newer bus station is at Plaza de Armas (tel. 95-490-80-40), but it usually services destinations beyond Andalusia, including Portugal.

By Car -- Seville is 540km (341 miles) southwest of Madrid and 217km (135 miles) northwest of Málaga. Several major highways converge on Seville, connecting it with the rest of Spain and Portugal. During periods of heavy holiday traffic, the N-V (E-90) from Madrid through Extremadura -- which, at Mérida, connects with the southbound N-630 (E-803) -- is usually less congested than the N-IV (E-5) through eastern Andalusia.

Visitor Information

The tourist office, Oficina de Información del Turismo, at Av. de la Constitución 21B (tel. 95-478-75-78; www.andalucia.org), is open Monday to Friday 9am to 7:30pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm and 3 to 7pm, and Sunday and holidays 10am to 2pm.