Survival Guide - Discover Spain: Experience the Best of Spain - page 651

are the 10-trip tickets, known in Madrid as Metrobús (€9) and in Barcelona as T-10
(€7.85).
TAXI
You can find taxi ranks at train and bus stations, or you can telephone for radio tax-
is. In larger cities taxi ranks are also scattered about the centre, and taxis will stop if
you hail them in the street - look for the green light and/or the libre (free) sign on
the passenger side of the windscreen. The bigger cities are well populated with tax-
is, although finding one when you need to get home late on a Friday or Saturday
night in places such as Madrid and Barcelona can be tricky. No more than four
people are allowed in a taxi.
Daytime flagfall (generally to 10pm) is around €1.40 to €2.05. After 10pm and on
weekends and holidays (in some cities, including Madrid and Barcelona), the price
can rise to €3.10. You then pay up to €1 per kilometre depending on the time of day.
There are airport and luggage surcharges as well. A cross-town ride in a major city
will cost about €5 to €8 - absurdly cheap by European standards - while a taxi
between the city centre and airport in either Madrid or Barcelona will cost €25 to
€30 with luggage.
TRAM
Trams were stripped out of Spanish cities decades ago, but they are making a timid
comeback in some. Barcelona has a couple of new suburban tram services in addi-
tion to its tourist Tramvia Blau run to Tibidabo. Valencia has some useful trams to
the beach, while various limited lines also run in Seville, Bilbao and Murcia.
TRAIN
Renfe ( 902 24 02 02; www.renfe.com ) is the excellent national train system that
runs most of the rail services in Spain. A handful of small private railway lines are
noted throughout this topic.
You'll find consignas (left-luggage facilities) at all main train stations. They are
usually open from about 6am to midnight and charge from €3 to €4.50 per day per
piece of luggage.
Spain has several types of trains and long-distance trains ( largo recorrido or
Grandes Líneas ) in particular have a variety of names.
Alaris, Altaria, Alvia, Arco and Avant Long-distance intermediate-speed services