Page 637 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

TR A VEL INFORM A TION  635

and the summer, shade is
highly prized. In summer
months the city government
stretches tarpaulins across
the buildings in the centre
so that many of the streets
Madrid bus are in the shade.
Madrid’s rail system is comfort­ Taxis are a good option for
able, economical and efficient. short journeys in Valencia. Cycling
The 13 lines all leave from or There is a minimum fee during Cycling tours are a popular
pass through Atocha station, the day and fares are higher at way of seeing Barcelona, and
and trains run daily from 6am night; extra fees apply for its cycle lanes provide safe
until midnight every 15–30 trips to the airport. access to most of the city.
minutes. Consorcio Regional Seville’s taxis provide a viable Visit www.bikerentalbarcelona.
de Transportes de Madrid way of getting into town, com or contact the tourist
provide helpful information on although much of the city office to hire bikes.
routes, fares and tourist tickets. centre is difficult to access by For those wishing to explore
car because of heavy traffic, Madrid, www.bravobike.com
especially during the Feria de offer a wide variety of city
Taxis Abril or Semana Santa fiestas. bicycle tours, some of which
Barcelona’s distinctive yellow­ As elsewhere, the tariff is higher include the surrounding areas.
and­black taxi cabs can be for journeys at night. There are many cycle lanes
relied upon for a good and in Valencia, and cycling tours
reasonably priced service, provide a great way of seeing
although it is rare to find a driver Walking all the major sights. More
who speaks English. The meter Barcelona is an excellent city information can be found
begins running with a set fee to explore on foot. The Old at www.doyoubike.com.
and will rise every kilometre. Town (Ciutat Vella), near the Seville is home to Sevici, a
Be aware that the tariff rises port and up to the Plaza fleet of bicycles that can be
at night and on Saturdays, Catalunya, consists of narrow hired on subscription. Visit
Sundays and public holidays. medieval streets and winding www.sevici.es for details. (For
There are supplements added alleyways. It is easy to get lost more on cycling see p633.)
to your taxi fare when arriving in this area, and care should
at or leaving the airport, port or be taken here at night. Las DIRECTORY
train station; for each piece of Ramblas is one of the world’s
luggage; and also after 10pm on most famous walkways and Metro
Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. offers a vibrant slice of Metro de Barcelona
The taxis in Madrid are white Mediterranean street life. The
with a diagonal red band on the Eixample area is also good for Tel 902 07 50 27.
front doors. A lit green light on walking, with large boulevards ∑ tmb.cat
top of the taxi indicates that it is in a grid pattern. If you need Metro de Madrid
available. Finding a taxi in the to get your bearings, simply Tel 902 44 44 03.
downtown area of Madrid is ask a local which direction is ∑ metromadrid.es
relatively simple and should mar (sea, to the south) and
take only a few minutes. The which is montaña (mountain, Metro de Valencia
taxi meter starts its fare with a to the north). Tel 900 46 10 46.
flat fee, the bajada de bandera Distances are considerable ∑ metrovalencia.es
(lowering of the flag). After that, in Madrid, and it is advisable to Metro de Sevilla
the meter runs according to the combine walking with public Tel 902 36 49 85.
distance covered, the urban transport to make more
area, the day of the week (higher efficient use of your time in ∑ metro-sevilla.es
fares apply on holidays) and the the city. The most popular Public transport
pick­up point (there are higher areas to visit on foot are those
fares for pick­ups in bus stations, around the emblematic Plaza FGC (Barcelona)
train stations and the airport). Mayor and the city’s most Tel 900 90 15 15.
The night fare is always higher famous park, El Retiro, which ∑ fgc.net
than the day fare. All additional is also near the most well­
fares should be indicated on known museums. Consorcio Regional de
informational signs on the back Most sights in the centre Transportes de Madrid
windows. There is an extra of Seville are best reached Tel 915 80 42 60, or 012
charge for pick­ups and drop­ on foot. The popular Barrio from Madrid.
offs at Barajas Airport, but there Santa Cruz should be visited ∑ ctm-madrid.es
is no extra charge for luggage. with a map. During late spring

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