Spain: Transportation

In terms of transportation, the first thing to note is Spain’s location—it is in Western Europe, and borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. When considering major ocean ports, Spain has a plethora of Atlantic Ocean ports. On the Atlantic Ocean, there are numerous ports of similar sizes. Among the notable ports include the Port of Vigo, which is the biggest fishing port in the world with close to 800,000 tons of fish and shellfish in the latest data (2008). Other important ports include the Port of Coruña and Málaga. The largest port in the country is in Barcelona, which is on the Mediterranean Sea, and is one of the largest in Europe, especially for its commercial significance.

            Spain has a number of railways of both freight and passenger trains. It operates on four gauges, and some gauges are shared with the adjacent countries of Spain, Portugal, and Andorra. There are numerous companies that operate on the rails in Spain, but two really dominate the market. RENFE controls most of the railways, while others are operated by FEVE. You can also get around Europe using a Eurail pass, which is the most efficient way to travel around Europe cheaply (more likely than not, I will be using this service while abroad). There is a high-speed rail between Madrid and Lisbon, Portugal.

            As far as air travel is concerned, Barajas International Airport in Madrid is the largest airport in Spain. Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and Málaga are three other large airports in Spain. Ryan Air offers some of the cheapest transportation through the air around Europe.