Page 251 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

TR A VEL INFORM A TION  249

in Lleida. In winter, especially
in the Pyrenees and around
Burgos, minor roads may
be closed.

Travel by Coach
The cheapest way to travel to
Spain is by coach. Eurolines
operates routes throughout
Europe and runs services
to Madrid and Barcelona.
Alsa is part of the British
group National Express and
operates most intercity routes
The speed limit on dual carriageways is 100 km/h (62 mph) in Spain and Europe.
Coach services within Spain
Most autopistas are toll roads; subscribe to a special are comfortable and efficient.
they are expensive, with tolls pre paid credit system), Coach companies operate
calculated per kilometre. They automático (for motorists many long-distance routes, as
have service stations every who can pay by credit card) well as short routes and special
40–50 km (25–30 miles), mostly and manual (for motorists sightseeing trips for tourists.
with fuel, shops and toilets, and who require change from Spanish coaches are clean and
emergency tele phones every an attendant). usually air-conditioned.
2 km (1.2 miles).
Other Roads Hitchhiking
Car Hire
Spain’s main roads (carreteras Hitchhiking in Spain is not
International car hire com panies nacionales) have black and recommended as a safe
operate all over Spain. Hertz, white signs and are designated method of transport, though
Avis and Europcar are the N plus a number. Those with young people, mainly tourists,
most popular, and they have Roman numerals (N-III) start are often seen hitchhiking
branches at airports and in most at the Puerta del Sol in Madrid. around, especially during
large towns. Other companies The distance from the Kilómetro the summer.
are Pepecar and Enterprise Zero mark at the Puerta del Sol
(formerly Atesa). When signing appears on kilometre markers. DIRECTORY
a car-hire agreement, you will Those with ordinary numbers
be required to show your (N-3, N-12 etc.) have kilometre Alsa
driving licence, credit card, markers giving the distance Tel 902 42 22 42.
and passport or other ID. from the provincial capital. ∑ alsa.es
Some carreteras nacionales Avis
are dual carriageways, but Tel 902 18 08 54.
most are single-lane roads. ∑ avis.com; avis.es
The logos of the larger car hire companies Secondary roads (carreteras Enterprise
comarcales) have a number Tel 902 10 01 01.
preceded by the letter C. Other
Paying Tolls minor roads have numbers ∑ enterprise.es
When you join a motorway preceded by the letters Eurolines
you pick up a ticket from a representing the name of the Tel 902 40 50 40.
toll booth (peaje, also called province, such as the L-200 Tel 0871 781 8177(UK).
peaxe in Galicia or peatge in ∑ eurolines.co.uk
Catalan); when you leave Europcar
the motorway, you surrender Tel 902 50 30 10.
the ticket along with the ∑ europcar.com; europcar.es
appropriate fee. Over some Hertz
short stretches of motorway, Tel 902 40 24 05.
a fixed price is charged but ∑ hertz.com; hertz.es
in most cases you pay
according to the distance Pepecar
you have travelled. Tel 902 99 66 66.
∑ pepecar.com
There are three types of
motorway toll booths: telepago Traffic Information
(tourists should avoid this lane A long-distance coach, part of the fleet Tel 011. ∑ dgt.es
as it is only for motorists who run by Alsa

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