Travel and Transport in Spain
Everyday Spanish expressions for planning a trip, catching trains and dealing with traffic.
Spain is big, and distances are often given in hours by car. Long weekends, or puentes, empty the cities onto the motorways, so many people take the train instead, booking Renfe tickets online, or share a car through BlaBlaCar. The cards follow two friends getting from Madrid to Granada for a puente, from planning the trip to nearly missing the train.
- 1
¿A cuánto está Granada de aquí?
How far is Granada from here?
- 2
Está a unas cuatro horas en coche.
It's about four hours by car.
- 3
Eso está en el quinto pino.
That's in the middle of nowhere.
- 4
Cogemos el tren, que es más rápido.
Let's take the train, it's quicker.
- 5
Saco los billetes por internet.
I'll book the tickets online.
- 6
Un billete de ida y vuelta, por favor.
A return ticket, please.
- 7
Hemos llegado por los pelos.
We made it by the skin of our teeth.
- 8
Vamos muy justos de tiempo.
We're cutting it really fine.
- 9
Hay un atasco tremendo.
There's a massive traffic jam.
- 10
En el puente sale todo Madrid.
On a long weekend everyone leaves Madrid.
- 11
El tren va hasta arriba.
The train is packed.
- 12
¿Y si compartimos coche por BlaBlaCar?
How about sharing a car on BlaBlaCar?
- 13
Me mareo en el coche.
I get carsick.
- 14
Paramos a mitad de camino a tomar un café.
We'll stop for a coffee halfway.
- 15
¡Hemos perdido el tren!
We've missed the train!
- 16
El siguiente sale dentro de una hora.
The next one leaves in an hour.
- 17
¿De qué vía sale?
Which platform does it leave from?
- 18
Es una paliza de viaje.
The journey is exhausting.
- 19
¡Que tengáis buen viaje!
Have a good trip!
- 20
Avísame cuando llegues.
Let me know when you get there.