Seville is the largest city in Andalusia and the fourth-largest in the whole of Spain, but despite this, it’s very walkable – you can cross the city center from one end to the other in approximately 45 minutes. For those that don't want to walk, the city has a wealth of transport options, including a metro system, trams, buses, and a public bike-sharing scheme.
Just south of Seville, the Guadalquivir River splits into two, creating a kind of island in the center called the Isla de la Cartuja – home to the more traditional neighborhoods of Triana and Los Remedios. The most popular attractions lie to the east of the Rio Guadalquivir and are centered around the Old Town and the more modern areas surrounding it.
Here’s how to get around in Seville.
Take the metro from one side of the city to the other
Seville has just one metro line, which makes it extremely easy to navigate. The metro line doesn’t actually pass through the historic center, but it’s still a very convenient way to quickly get across the city after a day of exploring on foot. The line is split into three different sections and the fare depends on how many sections you pass through.
It runs from 6:30am to 11pm Monday to Thursday, 6:30am to 2am on Fridays, from 7:30am to 2am on Saturdays, and from 7:30am to 11pm on Sundays and holidays.
Use the trams for convenience
Seville’s sleek and modern tram network is called MetroCentro, even though it’s completely different from the metro system and comprises just five stops. It runs from Plaza Nueva, on the edge of the Casco Antiguo and San Bernardo neighborhoods, just a ten-minute walk northwest of the Real Alcázar palace, and can be useful for visiting the major sights such as the Cathedral along the way. However, as the same journey would take you just 20 minutes to walk, passing through some of the most atmospheric parts of the city, you may choose a leisurely stroll instead. For those with mobility issues or small children who may be tired after a day of walking around, the tram is an ideal way to cover major sites without having to battle busy footpaths.
Hop on the bus to explore further
Seville has an extensive bus network – TUSSAM – running throughout the center, as well as all the surrounding urban areas. It’s useful if you’re staying in some of the outlying neighborhoods and are traveling in and out of the center daily. Lines number 1 and 3 pass either side of Casco Antiguo and are useful if you want to travel north to south, while lines number 5 and 6 are handy if you want to explore the neighborhoods of Triana and Los Remedios across the river.
If you’re arriving at Seville’s main train station – Santa Justa – bus numbers 21 and 32 will take you into the center. Another popular sight on a bus route is Seville’s large amusement park, Isla Mágica, situated on Isla de la Cartuja. To get here, you can take bus numbers C2 and C3.
Buses operate from 6am to 11:30pm, then there are several different night bus routes that run from midnight to 3am on weekdays and until 5:30am or 6am on weekends.
Jump on a bike and make the most of the cycle lanes
Cycling is popular with Sevillanos, and with around 112 miles (180km) of bike lanes, Seville is one of Spain’s best cities for cycling.
Sevici is Seville’s urban bike-sharing scheme with 263 pick-up stations located throughout the city. If you’re staying in Seville for a week or more, you can sign up for the short-term subscription plan which costs €13.33 for unlimited journeys over seven days. The first 30 minutes of each journey is free, with a charge for each additional minute (prices vary). You can also choose to add on insurance for an extra €1.
Be aware that some streets in Seville’s historic center are so narrow that there is really no space for cyclists, and pedestrians have right of way. Make sure to stick to the streets with cycle paths to avoid being a nuisance.
Choose the right transportation tickets or passes for your journey
Transportation in Seville is very affordable. Here's how the ticketing systems work.
Buy bus tickets on board and tram tickets at the stop
A ticket for a single journey on the bus or tram costs €1.40 and can be bought on the bus or at the ticket machines at the tram stops. You can also buy a rechargeable Tarjeta Multiviaje for €1.50 (refundable deposit). With this, each journey costs €0.69 if you use just one line and €0.76 if you use more than one line.
If you’re in Seville for a short time, you can buy a Tarjeta Turista or Tourist Card for one or three days. This allows you unlimited travel for €5 or €10 respectively. These tickets can be bought at the TUSSAM Information points and require a deposit of €1.50.
Buy metro tickets at the stations
Metro tickets can be bought from the machines inside the metro stations. A single metro ticket costs €1.35 for one section and €2.70 for a return. Prices go up if you’re traveling through more than one section. For those staying a while, the Bonometro ticket is a rechargeable ticket option, where you can put on up to €10 at a time. With this ticket, a journey costs €0.82 for one section, €1.17 for two sections and €1.37 for all three sections. Those who need to travel a lot over just one day may benefit from the Bono 1 Día ticket, allowing for unlimited travel for €4.50.
Public transportation in Seville is accessible
A lot of work has been done in Seville to make it a navigable space for travelers with mobility issues – it also has the natural benefit of being quite flat, making it easier for wheelchair users to get around. All transport networks including buses, metros, and trams are wheelchair accessible. Buses have electric ramps and designated spaces inside for wheelchairs and all metro stations have lifts down to the platforms.
Many of the major attractions are also mostly wheelchair accessible such as the Moorish palace of the Real Alcázar and Seville Cathedral.
How to travel to and from Seville airport and train station
Seville’s San Pablo Airport is situated approximately 9 miles (15km) northeast of the city center. Other than taking a taxi, the best way to reach the city is by bus. Bus line EA connects to the center and takes approximately 35 minutes.
The same line also stops at Seville’s main train station – Santa Justa. The station provides AVE (fast long-distance trains) and RENFE services to nearby cities such as Córdoba, Cádiz, Jerez de la Frontera, and Málaga, and further afield to Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona.
Why I love to explore Seville on foot
Despite there being a wealth of different transport options available, my favorite way of exploring is still on foot. I love meandering down the compact maze of alleyways in the Old Town neighborhoods of the Barrio Santa Cruz and Alfalfa, which are often too small for any other types of public transport. If you stick to only using buses and trams, you’ll miss out on much of what makes Seville, Seville.
You can’t beat a leisurely walk from the Old Town down to the wide Guadalquivir River as the sun begins to set. I enjoy watching the locals spill out of tapas bars onto the cobbled streets and smelling the sweet aroma of the azahar or orange blossom all around me.
A good map or GPS is recommended to navigate the tangle of tiny alleyways which make up most of the Casco Antiguo, but getting lost is also half the fun in Seville.
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