Question
How necessary is it to have a car in Spain? Is public transportation good? Where I currently live, we need to get two cars because public transport is not a thing here. Thanks.
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“Public transportation is great here. In the cities, having a car is a liability. Traffic and parking can be a nightmare. You need a car if you’re going to live in the countryside. Getting a license here is a major challenge if you’re coming from the US.
You have to start from scratch, go to driving school, and take a written and practical exam. It takes most people three or so months of serious study to prepare for the test, and you’ll spend somewhere between 500 and 1,000 euros when all is said and done.
My wife recently got her license—it should’ve come with an honorary PhD! I’ve been here for five years and never felt the need to have a car.”
“Barcelona, three years, no car—no problem.”
“Not necessary.”
“It depends on where in the country you plan to live.”
“100% depends on where you live. City centers are much more likely to have great connections. In the suburbs of those cities, you can usually do without a car, but it gets harder the farther you are out. We purposely moved somewhere right in the center so we can walk to any store or park we want or hop on a Metro or train to anywhere else.”
“It depends on where in Spain you plan to live.”
“There is good transportation in big cities but no transportation at all in some medium- or small-sized cities.”
Conclusion
Public transportation in Spain is highly efficient in major cities, making car ownership unnecessary for many residents. In places like Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia, metros, buses, and trains provide convenient access to nearly all areas.
However, in smaller towns and rural areas, having a car is often essential due to limited or nonexistent public transport.
For those considering driving in Spain, it’s important to note that US driver’s licenses are not directly transferable, requiring a full licensing process, which can be costly and time-consuming.
Ultimately, whether you need a car depends entirely on where you live and your lifestyle needs.
