Barcelona Car Hire

Barcelona Car Hire

Let's face it, few cities are well suited to getting around with a car these days and Barcelona is no exception. However, if you're thinking of getting out of town for a day or two while staying in there, Barcelona car hire is well worth the added expense, even for journeys a short distance outside the city.

Like all major cities, Barcelona suffers from a shortage of parking and with rush hours in the morning, lunchtime and evening, driving can be unbearable, not to mention the trauma suffered from crossing the ten lanes of traffic of Avinguda Diagonal.

In addition, many areas of the city are really clamping down on parking, making it even less attractive to use the car and with a relatively good public transport system thin the city, including the metro running all night at the weekend plus night buses throughout the week, car hire for use within the city just isn't worth it in most cases.

Car hire can be arranged on arrival at the airport, but it is often better to book in advance to ensure you are able to obtain a hire car for your preferred dates. Ebookers offer rental options from a variety of car rental companies and include pickup from the airport, while easyCar offers good prices, although their sites are located a bus ride away from the terminals.

Always remember to carry your driving licence and valid insurance documents with you at all times in case you are stopped by the police and you should be aware that you are required to carry in the car a reflective vest, two warning triangles, a set of spare bulbs and a spare wheel, so make sure your car is equipped with these when you pick it up.

Spain has a higher accident rate than the UK, probably a least partly due to a combination of poor road signage, narrow lanes in cities and roads converging and diverging from all sides. Many of the roads around Barcelona are now equipped with cameras, so you should watch your speed in these areas to avoid being fined.

Other points to watch include Avinguda Diagonal, which has a tram line running its length - if you find yourself crossing Diagonal be extremely careful, it is one point in the city I avoid if at all possible and that was before the cases of trams running into cars while waiting for the traffic lights to change.