I am looking for some advice or guidance with this rental car situation

[Guest]

Hi all - I am thinking of getting a rental car in Spain in May. Madrid > Barcelona > Valencia > back to Madrid for our flight back to the US.

I have heard that public transportation is great but we wanted to be able to stop in the little coastal towns along the coast between Barcelona and Valencia. It seems about the same price to rent for the whole week than just a few days. Also, I have never driven electric which seems to be cheaper than renting petrol.

I am looking for some advice or guidance with this rental car situation.

Thanks!

[Kelly]

I just got back from Spain last Thursday.... I would not drive there! It's pure craziness especially in Barcelona and Madrid! We took the trains and used bolt and uber to get to places the train didn't go. Everything is easily accessible this way and driving would be super stressful! I know I would have caused a million accidents because they drive completely different.

[Diana]

I just got back from Spain and rented a car.

I didn’t see plug/recharging stations in the small towns and very few in the bigger towns. Parking is hard to find and can be expensive $21 a day.

I suggest that you only rent the car from Barcelona to Valencia and take the train the rest of the way.

[Cheryl]

We have driven all over Spain (and much of Europe) and it is NO problem to drive there!!! We love the freedom of stopping wherever we want, taking side trips (some of our fondest memories are from when we varied from our plans!).

[Jenni]

I would avoid driving in Barcelona if I were you—it’s a nightmare there. Also, make sure that you clarify what kind of transmission you are renting if you get a gas car—in Europe, it’s often very difficult or very expensive to get an automatic transmission, so if you don’t specifically rent an automatic transmission, you’re almost certain to be given a manual transmission car.

[Louise]

I would also personally choose to take trains, even busses 8f that's the best option to get to some small coastal town. We have been to Spain multiple times, most recently last month. In Barcelona and Madrid parking is very difficult. The public transportation is really very good, and the trains cover a lot of ground much more quickly than driving.

[Cheryl]

Use AutoSlash to find the cheapest rental prices!!! It gives you all the companies so you can compare. Also the rate is cheaper than going into a rental office and renting. l the same car.

[Mary]

As you said, public transport is fine and the train will take you to those places. Plus think of the parking situation.

[Sara]

I would rent the car Barcelona to Valencia and train Madrid to Barcelona and Valencia to Madrid. That is a 6 & half hour drive ( 2 and a half by train ) and not really that pretty. Trains are cheap and driving in Madrid is not fun . Parking in both can be challenging as well. You also can’t go the whole distance without recharging which would be annoying and add more time to the drive. If you are going to drive that far a hybrid might be better.

[Mary]

Use sixt, get petol not electric. Charging, when you can find it, takes a lot longer than gas fill up. Usually weekly rentals are about the same price as 4-5 day rentals

[Julie]

Be wary of driving in small towns. We drove into a spot that was pedestrian only. We felt like the dumbest humans alive.

[Whit]

What I've learned about Europe and BusBud, is many smaller cities are served by the big players by bus stations and tour buses. It is still possible to make day trips oit of just taking the bus

[Pedro]

I drive in Spain all the time and rent often too. I always start comparing the rates on Expedia then check the rental's websites rates to see if they are better. Parking is often paid but usually the first couple of hours are cheaper then the following. Get the Telpark app for convenience and discounts. You probably won't be parking for a full day anyway. My advice: from personal experience, stay away from Goldcar. They will actively look for something (or make it up) to charge you extra and if it wasn't noted before you get the car you're out of luck! Also, don't rent electric for long trips. Only if you'd be driving in the same city. Get a diesel if you want to save on fuel (yes, they exist outside the US!).