Going by taxi from the airport to city centre.

Going by taxi from the airport to city centre.

How much is it going a taxi journey cost?

Taxi fares

There are several fares in Zaragoza for taxis.
Fare 1 is for weekly days. Fare 2 is for night and weekend services (22:00 to 6:00).
Fare 3 and 4 are the same ones but used for not inner city. This is... if you go from city centre to anywhere out of inner city they will apply fare 1 (or 2) until one specific point (there are signals in the street/road) and later fare 3 (or 4) which is more expensive.
If you go out of Zaragoza municipality territory, fare will be calculated based in kilometres (but there is not many difference, indeed, with the fare numbers price).
The total cost will depend even of the time that they have been waiting (or going under 20 km/h), even of kilometres.
This is, you can consider the number of kilometres as an estimation but in a traffic light in red the price will increase a little because "waiting time". And it will be more expensive if the taxi is in a traffic congestion and running slowly than if it goes faster (if it drives fast you will notice that taximetre will run fast too... but you will arrive to destination fast too also).
Furthermore, there is a specific extra fare if the taxi departs from the airport.

so... how is it going to cost me?

It is not easy to calculate, but taxi drivers have set this pannel in the airport where you will take a taxi, in English and Spanish and you will be able to check fares. They are just approximate. Final fare to pay is which would be indicated in the taximetre in any case. But it is written for weekends and for weekly days. So you can decide if taking a taxi or not.
As an example, "city centre" will cost 19 or 26 euro depending of weekly days or weekend.
Railway and bus station (Estacion Delicias) will cost 17 to 22.
Hospital Miguel Servet and Hospital Clinico are 18/19 to 23/24 euro (they are quite near).
The rest of destinations are for other towns in the nearby, exhibition centre or industrial areas.
As said... it is not official but you can know, more or less, how much will it cost to you.

Is there any other option for mobility?

Yes. Every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday and 60 minutes in Sunday there is a bus that takes you from the airport to Delicias railway and bus Station and to city centre.
A single ticket costs 1,70 euro so you can decide if it wonders to take a taxi or not.
Time for a bus to city centre is about 30 minutes. Final stop is in P. Maria Agustin, corner with Cesar Augusto.
should you have a bus card or so, inside Zaragoza, connecting with another bus or tramway is free.

Visiting other cities from Zaragoza (or conversely)

Visiting other cities from Zaragoza (or conversely)

Are you staying at Zaragoza and want to visit other cities?
Are you staying in other Spanish cities and you want to come some days and visit Zaragoza?
Are you coming from any other airport and travelling by train later?
Take a look to this information. It will be useful

Renfe Travel Plan

It is a forfait pass available within one month. You can choose Tourist or Business class and minimum four tickets to use in one month.

It is mandatory to be a foreing citizen. At any time your ticket will be asked for, they will ask your passport too. You may demostrate you are not a Spanish citizen. It is, indeed, a promotion planned for foreing tourists, not for Spanish people who travel a lot (despite if you are living for a while in Spain you can ask it too...)

You will have to choose between 4 and 12 journeys per month. You can buy it by internet (or at any ticket office in stations) six months before, and you will just have to use it while that month.

For an adult 4 ticket pass, price is 163 EUR (40,75 EUR/journey).
For an adult 12 ticket pass, price is 392 EUR (32,66 EUR/journey).

How can you buy it?

You will buy by internet and later you will have to use the pass number for any ticket you will buy. These tickets (the only document available for travelling) can be bought at station ticket offices or by internet. If you buy by internet you can print or even you can save the document in your mobile phone (for railway control it is enough to be able to scan a bar code).

Where can I travel?

You can make any journey within the Spanish high speed network. But just take care that one ticket = one journey and it doesn't matter distance. This is, you can use to go from Zaragoza to Calatayud or you can use to go from Zaragoza with a direct train to Malaga. It is one ticket in both cases. Obviously in the first case it will doesn't worth but in the second case, think that you are crossing all Spain with only one ticket.

If you want to go to Valencia you will need two ones because there is no direct train (and in 2013 summer Alicante will be available too). If you want to go to Toledo it will worth to use a ticket pass to Madrid and later paying in cash a ticket to Toledo (it is a short journey and very cheap... but another ticket).

In summary, you can use it for going to:
- Figueres Vilafant (think in this chance if you are going to come by train. You can reach there with a French TGV and use your first pass ticket to Zaragoza)
- Gerona (think in low cost companies. It has a lot of Ryanair flights)
- Barcelona (think in visiting the city but also link to the airport)
- Tarragona (and shuttle to any beach)
- Madrid (similar to Barcelona, think in the city but also in a link with airport)
- Ciudad Real, Puertollano (do you want to see a different countryside?, go there and rent a car..., absolutely different)
- Cordoba, Malaga, Sevilla, etc... (yeah... Zaragoza-Seville is less than four hours by train and will require only ONE TICKET)

It doesn't worth for Lerida, Calatayud, Huesca, etc... because short distances. If you go to Toledo, Valladolid or Segovia you could use it for Madrid but really... use it only if you are sure you will not use all the tickets (it is a very cheap ticket but if you are going to lose it, it will be free).

Albacete, Cuenca, Valencia... will require a train link at Madrid and... another ticket. Take care if it worths to use two tickets in spite of buying and paying in cash.



AND REMEMBER RETURN TICKET. This is... are you coming by plane to Zaragoza or by plane or train to other airport or Figueres Station?. If this is the case... remember you will use there your first two tickets with this fare!!!.

Are you staying anywhere in Spain linked with Zaragoza?

If you are, think in travelling for a while and visiting Zaragoza. The same pass will be available at any case... Remember: up to 350 km/h, less than four hours for a Seville-Zaragoza, just 1:20 for a Madrid-Zaragoza...

Do you have any other questions?

You can visit this webpage. It is in English and with the link to buy your Pass.

You can also make a comment in this blog and I will try to answer you


http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/viajes_internacionales/spainpass/index.html

Arriving Zaragoza by train - International transfer

Arriving Zaragoza by train - International transfer

Today in Zaragoza a new international transfer starts with high speed railway.
Eight daily trains will join Madrid and Figueres-Vilafant close to the French border. All of them will have a call at Zaragoza and two of them will have a transfer (in less than 20 minutes) to a French TGV with origin/destination Paris-Gare de Lyon.

After a lot of years under construction, when first strech Madrid-Zaragoza-Lerida high speed lane was opened in october 2003, line arrives to Figueres-Vilafant (and international strech until Perpignan is on service but still only operated by SNCF).
It will take about eight hours to arrive Zaragoza, supossing you are departing from Paris. The two daily trains will have some calls incluiding Valence-TGV and Nimes where you can get a transfer to other destinations.
In spring it is estimated to have more services Madrid-Barcelona-Lyon-Paris with a transfer at Figueres-Vilafant and more services to other southern France destinations as well as to Switzerland.
Of course it is a long journey (even if there is a three days per week RYR flight Zaragoza - Paris Beauvois) but let's remember several interesting points:
* There is no limit with baggage. Forget those limits about 10 kg in the plane and baggage sizes. You can take two or three luggages providing you will be able to carry them only. Transfer at Figueres-Vilafant is in the same platform (two tracks in the same platform, one for Renfe train, another for SNCF trains. So you just get off one train, walk several steps and... you are inside the other train. You look for your seat and wait until destination).
* Forget carrying baggage from city centre to airport, later to bus transfer, later to... just city centre to city centre and as many baggage as you want
* You can use your mobile, computer, etc... inside trains with no limits... and have a walk while journey in the train aisle.
* If your origin/destination is not Paris, you will not have direct flight. Be sure that, even if a long journey, it will be the faster destination.
TGV SNCF and AVE Renfe trains are too comfortable for a long journey. You can plan to have meals inside, or buy something at the cafeteria. There are different classes inside the train with comforts and facilities.
Furthermore, should you have an Interrail pass or something like it, journey could be free, or will require only paying a supplement.

There are other possibilities to arrive to Zaragoza by train (transfer from any other airport, such as Madrid or Barcelona) but this is one way to arrive from any southern Europe site to Zaragoza by train, with a new high speed line and easy transfers.
In other posts we will talk about buying tickets and other advices for trains.
Today you can reach for timetables at Renfe and SNCF timetables selecting anywhere to Figueres-Vilafant (hint: not "Figueres" which is a regional train station located 500 m. away) and from Figueres-Vilafant to Zaragoza

Hint: At Zaragoza station you will have a free commuter train with your ticket from other station if you take an AVE train or someone else. In the ticket it will appear the word "Combinado cercanías" (commuter shuttle) and a five-letter password.
Look for any commuter ticket machine. English will be available there. Take the option of "Combinado cercanías" and just enter the password.
You will have a ticket to travel to any station within Zaragoza commuter network. It is a really small network but if your hotel or destination is not far away from Zaragoza-Portillo, Zaragoza-Goya or Zaragoza-Miraflores stations, shifting will be free

Moving by bike in Zaragoza

Moving by bike in Zaragoza

Car, taxi, commuter train, tramway, bus... too many possibilities to move within Zaragoza.

Why not to use a bike?

In spite of almost all tourist will not carry their bike with them, a public bike hiring is available in Zaragoza.
This system is used often by citizens but a 3 days forfait is available to any one who wants to move by bike in the city.

System works in this way:

- You will have to ask for a code to operate (see below how to reach it)
- There are 130 "bike stations" where you can get and leave your bike
- It is enough to go any bike station, enter your code and get your bike. You drive it and leave again in another station.

Remarks:

- There is a 5 euro fee for 72 hours forfait. You can use all bikes you want within those 72 hours, but every time you use it, maximum time is 30 minutes. After using it you can get a new bike (new services and included in your forfait) after 10 minutes. 72 hours forfait will start when you use as first time.
- In other words: suppossing you get your bike at 10:00 and you leave it at 10:20 you will be able to ask a new bike after 10:30. Providing you will use the bikes always less than 30 minutes, you will have all free services you want with the only limit that 10 minutes between every service
- Every time you use this service you have 30 minutes free. If you are going to make a longer journey (it is very, very difficult to have a more than 30 minutes bike trip in city centre and around), cost is 0,5 eur every 30 minutes extra.
- But... do not worry, just try to use the bike for less than 30 minutes. If time is  near to finish, leave it in the nearest station (within 30 minutes) and wait for a new one 10 minutes later... or just walk. Be sure that you will be near your destination
- There is no need to have a return journey. This is, you can get a bike at city centre to any destination and decide to return by bus, tramway, walking. Another user will get "that" bike. They just "flow".
- Nobody will damage or steal it after you have used and left in the station. Once you left it (and checked it is correctly locked), your responsibility ends there. The bike (all of them are numbered) is set as available for a new user in that station.
Nevertheless, after several years of service there have been few, few cases of damaging public bikes.

This user has a year pass and uses a touchless card. For a three-day pass you have to dial code in the machine. As it can be seen (small but can be seen), in the screen message appears in Spanish and English.

How to buy a forfait?

Just enter in this webpage: https://www.bizizaragoza.com/servicio/registro/short/registro.php

It is the official service English version.

You have to choose for a four digits code (even if in the web they say four characters... consider it is a wrong translation... four digits, no four characters).
You may enter your phone number (with the international code) and your credit card number (VISA and Mastercard are accepted).

72 hours forfait fee costs 5 euros
A 200 euro could be charged as bike caution and given back after that period.

Where can you find those bikes?

This is current map for bike stations based on Google maps
https://www.bizizaragoza.com/localizaciones/station_map.php?TU5fTE9DQUxJWkFDSU9ORVM%3D&MQ%3D%3D

Here you have, with a spot, all bike stations, and with green lines, almost all bike lanes (some one could be created later).


You will find information about location of every station and real time bikes in each of them.
You will find real time information about:
- Stations available
- Stations without bikes (it is available to leave any bike but you will not find any one there... in that instant!)
- Stations full (it is available to get a bike there but providing you want to leave a bike there you will have to go to the nearest or waiting for 10 minutes)
- Stations out of order.

If you had gone to a station without bycicles and you enter your code, you would find information about nearby available stations
If you wanted to leave a bike in a full station and you enter your code, you would have got 10 extra minutes (this is 40 minutes to leave your bike without penalty instead of 30). You will receive information about nearby stations where you can leave your bike.

In this webpage map you can zoom in detail and look for EXACT location for each station. I would encourage you to have a look to it because sometimes you can be just near there but not finding it. Had you known the exact location, you will leave or find it faster.

How to get your bike

Simple!. Quite simple!. Go to a bike station. Look at the screen at choose the option of temporary pass. Enter your code and system will indicate the number of bike you have to get. They can be 20-30 bikes, every one with a number. They are locked and the bike given to you will be inmediately unlocked.
Take your bike, adjust the heigh for the bike seat and... start driving the bike.
When you are going to leave it, find the nearest station, put it in a free site in the station and be sure it is locked (the LED will flash and after it you can try to take it. It will be impossible).
After 10 minutes you can reach another bike.

Some pictures could explain it better

Bike stations are like this one:

FAQ

Q- Is it possible to hire for more than 72 hours?
A- Yeah, of course. After your forfait expired, just ask for another 72 hours forfait pass. Pass time start counting when you take your first use. If your pass is expired, it is enough to repeat boogking and paying 5 euro again.
But... there are no pass for periods shorter than 72 hours

Q- Where can I use the bike?
A- Have a look to this map (even if today it is out of date but... a bit longer than in the map)
http://www.zaragoza.es/contenidos/bici/PLANO_GENERAL.pdf
It is the map with all bike lanes in the city and bike stations.
If you have a bike lane (have a look... some of them arrive to the centre), you will be able to drive there peacefully.
If there is a pedestrian street (very common in the centre) you can use it too, even with parks and green areas
If there is no bike lane or similar, the general rule is: with a pedestrian pavement greater than 4m wide you are able to drive there. In other cases, you will have to drive in the road/street... but there are a lot of them with only one lane (being in the middle of it no cars will overpass you).

Q- Does it worths costing 5 euro?
A- Current transport fares are 0,74 euro suppossing you got a touchless card (with a caution and a minimum charge recommended only for a long use). So, in this case, it is enough to use it SEVEN times (even if less than 3 days) to save money