Cycle Touring in Spain. Harry Dowdell
urban and suburban trains will take bikes with few restrictions and these are detailed on the RENFE website. High speed intercity trains (AVE) do not carry bikes.
RENFE is the state-owned railway (tel: 0034 90 22 40 20 2 [Spain] or at www.renfe.com). FEVE runs trains from Bilbao along the northern coast to Ferrol and allows bikes on all its trains although sometimes with limits as to numbers (tel: 0034 94 42 50 61 5).
Another agent that can organise tickets and give advice is Rail Europe, tel: 08448 484 064 (UK) or 1 800 361 RAIL (Canada) or 1 888 622 8600 (US) or www.raileurope.com.
Inter-city coaches
Coaches will usually take bikes but may insist they are bagged or boxed. There is often a limit to the number per bus. A fee is usually charged. Be early for your connection and be prepared to do all your own loading. For many of the smaller companies the reservation will have to be made in person and ensure that it is clear that you are taking a bike. The coach network is extensive and often connects directly with airport terminals, ports and city centres. movelia (www.movelia.es) run an industry-wide information and booking service. Companies with known policies are:
Alsa (www.alsa.es) permit booking of tickets and reservations online. To access the bike booking facility passengers must be booked one at a time. Should the facility not appear then it is not available or the bus is full up. There is a limit of four bikes per bus.
Socibus (www.socibus.es) allow bikes subject to available space.
Avanza (www.avanzabus.com) allow bikes subject to available space.
Car hire
One-way car hire is probably the most convenient method of linking airports to tour starts and finishes. Expect to find all the major car hire companies at all the airports, but not necessarily at all the start and finish points, so check before making a reservation.
Making reservations in advance of travel often saves money. However, prices can vary by as much as 50%, so compare prices from several companies before booking. Check what is included in the prepaid price and what is charged locally. Look for mileage limits, insurance and the levels of any excess, Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), bail bond, theft waiver, airport levies, taxes and cost of extra drivers. Confirm age limits of drivers – sometimes they have to be over 25 – and cleanness and type of driving licence. Always check what is being signed for, and always check the condition of the car for dents, scratches and missing items. Any faults must be reported to the car hire company and recorded before setting off. Expect the fuel tank to be full at collection and hand it back full on return or pay heavily for the fuel used. Some operators include a full tank and expect it back empty.
Invernales de Igüedri on the approach to the Puertos de Aliva (Route 8)
The miners’ track traversing the Sierra de la Corta (Route 8)
A medium-size five-door hatchback such as a Ford Focus or Renault Megane with the rear seat folded down will easily take two bikes with the wheels removed. If the hire company can provide a bike carrier or roof bars then a smaller car could be used, or more people carried per car. See Appendix 6 for details of car hire companies operating widely in Spain.
Passports, Visas, Health Care and Insurance
A full passport valid for the period of stay is required for entry into Spain. For citizens of EU states that issue National ID cards (as well as Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco and Liechtenstein) the card will suffice. For stays of over 90 days a residence permit is required. For stays of up to a year a temporary permit will suffice; longer stays require a permanent permit. Applications can be made at the Aliens Office of the province in which the residence is to be or at the relevant provincial police station.
Citizens of EU states, Norway, Switzerland and Iceland do not require visas. Holders of passports issued by Canada, Australia, Japan and the USA do not require visas for stays of up to 90 days. For longer stays check with the nearest consulate. Other citizens should check visa requirements.
For emergency services ring 112: this is an EU-wide number that accesses emergency services with the operator speaking your language. The national number for the police is 091. Visitors from EU states receive free medical care from the Spanish Health Service. A European Health Insurance Card is required before travelling. Make applications in the UK at www.ehic.org.uk, tel: 0845 606 2030, or via a form from the post office. If you have a medical condition consider carrying a letter from your doctor, giving details and translated into Spanish. Pharmacies can be a great help if you fall ill and can usually find someone who can speak English fluently. They will also have up-to-date knowledge of local doctors.
Although health care may be free for some there can be considerable incidental expenses, and it is always advisable to get adequate holiday insurance. Prices vary considerably and buying it from your travel agent is rarely the cheapest way; try your bank or insurance broker. Depending on how often you travel annual insurance can be very good value. Family cover is often available to those who share the same address and substantial discounts if you opt out of luggage and possessions cover providing these are covered under household policy; it is far easier to claim on household than travel insurance. Check the cover and exclusions before signing up.
Campo de Zafarraya, a fertile plain surrounded by limestone hills (Route 3)
Mobile Phones
There is excellent mobile phone coverage of the whole of Spain, including the Balearic Islands and the Canaries, using the GSM standard (GSM900 and 1800, 3G 2100). It is advisable to check the roaming abilities of your phone with your service provider. Some prepay phones will not permit talk but will allow text messaging. Most service providers have reciprocal arrangements with Spanish-based providers that can significantly reduce call charges. This will usually entail a small service charge covering the period of use and will have to be set up in advance.
Use of your mobile phone in Spain replicates use at home. To call a land line the number starts with the area code; all area codes start with 9. All Spanish mobile numbers start with 6. For international numbers ring 00 or + followed by the country code, area code then telephone number.
Money and Banks
Spain is an excellent good-value destination, with very reasonable costs of living and accommodation. Expect to get by comfortably on around 50 Euros/£40/US$60 (if sharing rooms) to 65 Euros/£50/US$80 per person per day. Add more for wild partying and upmarket quality hotels!
The road between Ansó and Hecho climbs through the Sierra de Vedao (Route 7)
Ochagavía and the Río Anduña (Route 7)
The currency of Spain is the Euro, which fully replaced the peseta on 28 February 2002 (there were 166.386 pesetas to the Euro). One Euro = 100 cents; coins come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 cents and 1 and 2 Euros; notes come in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euro denominations. Euros are also used in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia and Slovenia. The exchange rate against sterling, the dollar and other currencies