World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Santiago de Compostela  - Road
Road

Motorways (Autopista) are prefixed by the letter 'A'; highways (Autovía) and other major roads (Carretera Nacional) are indicated by either two Roman numerals or, more commonly, three digits. Many motorways have tolls. Rates are shown at tollbooths and payment must be made in Pesetas; cash is preferred, although major credit cards may also be accepted.

Traffic drives on the right. No person under 18 years may hire or drive a vehicle over 75cc. Seat belts are compulsory for front-seat passengers, and for back-seat passengers if belts are fitted. Crash helmets must be worn on motorcycles and dipped headlights used during the day. After sunset, sidelights must be used at all times; spare bulbs and red hazard triangles must be kept in all vehicles. The speed limit for cars and motorcycles is 120kph (75mph) on motorways; 100kph (62mph) on dual carriageways; 90kph (56mph) on roads outside built-up areas; 50kph (31mph) within towns; and 20kph (12mph) in residential areas. Fines for traffic offences are strictly enforced. On the spot speeding fines range from Pta50-100,000. The legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.05%. Drivers who fail an alcohol test are subject to fines of up to Pta100,000.

Foreign visitors require a valid driving licence to drive in Spain. National licences from EU countries are accepted; nationals of other countries, including the USA, Canada and Australia, are advised to obtain an International Driving Permit. Third-party insurance is required and documents should be carried at all times. A Green Card is strongly recommended for all visitors and is compulsory for those from outside the EU.

Breakdown services and motoring information can be obtained from the Real Automobile Club d'Espana (RACE) (tel: (tel: (91) 594 7400), which has reciprocal agreements with the AA or RAC in Britain and AAA in America.

Emergency breakdown service:
RACE (902) 12044 (24 hours)

Alternatively, contact the Ayuda en Carretera via the roadside SOS telephones, located on both sides of the carriageway at two kilometre intervals, who will contact the breakdown services.

Routes to the city: Santiago de Compostela can be reached by road from major cities in Spain and Portugal, but a common alternative route is along the Pilgrim's Way via Santander, paralleling Spain's north coast.

Driving times to Santiago de Compostela: from Lyon - 4 hours; from Valladolid - 6 hours 40 minutes; from Madrid - 6 hours.

Coach services: Estación de Autobuses, San Caetano (tel: (981) 587 700), to the northeast of the city centre, is the main terminus for international coach services. The coach operator Castromil (tel: (981) 555 760; fax: (981) 572 033); website: www.castromil.com), runs coach services from Madrid and other major Spanish cities, as well as from Portugal and other foreign destinations. The other major coach operator is Intercar/Alsa (tel: (902) 422 242 or (981) 586 133; website: www.alsa.es).



Copyright © 2001 Columbus Publishing
    
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