Getting around Santiago de Compostela

Public transport

Buses in Santiago de Compostela are provided by Tralusa (tel: +34 901 120 054; www.urbanoscompostela.com). Services are reliable and operate regularly between 0700 and 2300. You can buy standard tickets and bonobus tickets (a book for 10 trips) on the bus.

Taxis

Municipal taxis in Santiago are white with a green light and can be safely hailed in the street. There are also many taxi ranks around the city.

Radio Taxi Compostela (tel: +34 981 569 292) operates 24 hours a day, and Taxi Santiago (tel: +34 619 492 393) also has provides cars with drivers. Tips are not expected but it’s fairly common to round the fare up.

Driving

The Old Quarter of Santiago de Compostela is small and compact - it's best for visitors to walk, as it can be hard to find a place to park in the narrow streets, and much of the quarter is pedestrianised. There are car parks at Praza de Galicia, Rúa de Ramon Pineiro (near the Galician parliament building), and near the police station on Avenida Rodrigo de Padron. Metered parking is also available.

Car hire

A valid driving licence is required - national licences from EU countries or an International Driving Permit for non-EU nationals are accepted. The minimum age is usually 21 years. Third-party insurance is mandatory in Spain and should be included in the hire price at no extra charge.

If you want to explore further afield, there are several car-hire agencies based both in town and at the airport. These include Avis (tel: +34 981 590 409; www.avis.com), Europcar (tel: +34 981 597 476; www.europcar.com) and Hertz (tel: +34 981 598 893; www.hertz.com).

Bicycle hire

Cycle lanes around Santiago are gradually appearing. You can hire bikes from Tour ‘n’ Ride, Rúa Laverde Ruiz 5 (tel: +34 981 936 616; www.tournride.com). Cyclists can also count as genuine pilgrims on the Way of St James, if they cycle at least 200km (124 miles) along the historic route.