Getting around · Valencia · Spain
Getting around Valencia
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Felivet, Public domain
Quick answer
Valencia is flat and easy to explore on foot and by bike, with the Turia Gardens acting as a traffic-free route across the city. Metrovalencia's metro and tram lines and EMT buses cover everything else, including the airport and the beaches. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- VLC
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Valencia Tourist Card
Ways to get around
Metro
Metrovalencia lines 3 and 5 run from the airport to the centre (Xàtiva and Colón stations); other lines link the centre with Benimaclet, the port and the suburbs.
Buy a rechargeable travel card at a machine rather than single paper tickets if you will make several journeys.
Tram
Tram line 4 runs through Benimaclet to the Malvarrosa beach; other tram lines serve the port and the Marina.
Bus
EMT buses cover the whole city, including the City of Arts and Sciences and the beaches, and line 25 runs south to the Albufera and El Palmar.
Cycling
Valenbisi bike-share stations are everywhere, and a large network of bike lanes plus the Turia Gardens make cycling the most efficient way around.
Valenbisi requires a short-term subscription; bike-rental shops in the centre are simpler for a single day.
Walking
The old town is compact; the walk from the cathedral to the City of Arts and Sciences through the Turia Gardens takes about 40 minutes.
Train
Joaquín Sorolla station has high-speed trains to Madrid in under two hours, and Estación del Norte has Cercanías commuter trains to Sagunto, Xàtiva and Gandia.
Tickets and passes
Valencia Tourist Card
Valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours, it covers public transport including the metro to and from the airport, with free or discounted entry to many museums and sights.
From the airport
Valencia Airport is about 8 km west of the centre. Metro lines 3 and 5 reach Xàtiva and Colón stations in the centre in about 20–25 minutes, and a taxi takes about 20 minutes outside rush hour.
Do you need a car?
No. Public transport, bikes and walking cover the city and the beaches; a car only helps for inland day trips such as Chulilla or Peñíscola.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Albufera and El Palmar | About 30–40 minutes by bus | EMT bus 25 from the city centre |
| Sagunto | About 30 minutes by train | Cercanías line C6 from Valencia to Sagunt |
| Xàtiva | About 1 hour by train | Regional or Cercanías train from Valencia to Xàtiva |
| Peñíscola | About 1.5 hours by car | Car, or train to Benicarló-Peñíscola then bus |
| Chulilla | About 1 hour by car | Car or organised hiking trip |
| Requena | About 1 hour by car or train | Car or regional train from Valencia |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Valencia?
No. Public transport, bikes and walking cover the city and the beaches; a car only helps for inland day trips such as Chulilla or Peñíscola.
+How do you get from the airport to Valencia?
Valencia Airport is about 8 km west of the centre. Metro lines 3 and 5 reach Xàtiva and Colón stations in the centre in about 20–25 minutes, and a taxi takes about 20 minutes outside rush hour.
+What is the best way to get around Valencia?
Metro: Metrovalencia lines 3 and 5 run from the airport to the centre (Xàtiva and Colón stations); other lines link the centre with Benimaclet, the port and the suburbs.