Getting to madrid from France and the UK by car is not only timeconsuming (two to three days of steady driving), but it is also expensive. Motorways charge expensive tolls in France and Spain and ferry fares can be high in peak season. Anyway, motor approaches to Spain are across France via expressways. The most popular border crossing is east of Biarritz. If you're driving from Britain, make sure you have a cross-Channel reservation, as traffic tends to be very heavy, especially in summer.

The best way to come to the UK is taking the "Chunnel," the underwater Channel Tunnel linking Britain (Folkestone) and France (Calais) by road and rail. Travel time between the English and French highway systems is about 1 hour. If you are in Spain and want to arrive to Madrid, just take the E-70 west of Bilbao; then cut south on the E-804 to the junction with the E-05, which heads southwest to Burgos. Bypass Burgos and continue south on the route to Madrid, which is also known as the N-I. Now, arriving to the Autonomous Community of Madrid, you'll find four motorways around the capital. Those motorways are easily accessible from all the main roads. These ringroads facilitate quick, effective communication with the suburbs in the metropolitan area.

In Spain are valid all EU driver licences. However, non-EU drivers may be allowed to drive in Spain for the first year after arrival. After that, the persons need to pass a Spanish driving test, that can be pretty expensive. Spain has four rush hours (Spaniards call them "horas puntas"): 08.00-09.30, 12.30-14.30, 15.30-16.00 and 18.30-20.00; the quietest period is usually between 15.00 and 17.00. Traffic jams are particularly bad in Madrid, where the rush "hour" lasts all day. For further information on traffic visit: www.dgt.es

Arriving to Madrid by Air

Arriving to Madrid by Train

Arriving to Madrid by Bus

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