Whether you’re an expat living in Spain or just visiting, having access to reliable transportation opens up a lot of possibilities. Spain has an excellent public transport network in major cities, but once you want to explore the countryside, visit smaller towns, or simply enjoy the freedom of having your own wheels, you’ll need to look into car rental and car sharing options.
After years of living in Spain, here are the best platforms I’ve come across for renting cars, sharing rides, and getting around affordably.
Ride Sharing
BlaBlaCar
BlaBlaCar is a great way to travel cheaply around Spain by sharing rides with other drivers. As a passenger, you benefit from paying lower fares, and as a driver, you can make money by taking on board passengers.
It’s particularly useful for intercity trips where the train or bus might be expensive or inconvenient. A Barcelona to Madrid trip, for example, can cost as little as 25-30 Euro compared to 60+ Euro on the AVE high-speed train. The platform also has a rating system so you can vet drivers and passengers before committing to a trip.
Peer-to-Peer Car Rental
Getaround
Getaround (formerly Drivy) lets you rent cars directly from other people, bypassing traditional rental companies entirely. This gives you a wider choice of vehicles and typically better prices. You’ll find everything from small city cars to larger family vehicles. Insurance is included in the rental, and the whole process is handled through the app.
I’ve used Getaround several times and the experience has been consistently smooth. You agree on a pickup location with the owner, inspect the car together, and you’re on your way. It’s ideal when you need a car for a day or weekend trip.
Yescapa
Yescapa is available in several countries and is a great platform if you want to hire motorhomes and campervans from other people. Spain has some incredible road trip routes — the Costa Brava coastline, the Pyrenees, Andalusia — and a campervan is one of the best ways to experience them. Prices are significantly cheaper than going through a traditional motorhome rental agency, and you often get better-maintained vehicles because the owners take pride in them.
Car Rental Aggregators
If you’re looking for a traditional rental from companies like Europcar, SIXT, or Enterprise, using an aggregator will almost always get you a better price than going direct.
DiscoverCars
DiscoverCars compares prices across all major and local rental companies in Spain. I like that they clearly show what’s included in each quote — insurance, mileage limits, fuel policy — so you can make a fair comparison. They also offer their own supplementary insurance which is often cheaper than what the rental desk will try to sell you at pickup.
Rentalcars.com
Rentalcars.com is another solid aggregator, part of the Booking.com family. Similar concept to DiscoverCars — compare prices across multiple providers, book online, pick up at the airport or city office. Their customer support is decent if anything goes wrong, which is worth considering.
Scooter and Bike Sharing
In Barcelona and other major Spanish cities, you’ll find various micro-mobility options that are useful for short trips:
- Cooltra — Electric scooter rental by the minute, available in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, and other cities. Great for zipping around the city without dealing with parking.
- Bicing — Barcelona’s public bike-sharing system. You need to be a resident to sign up, but at around 50 Euro per year, it’s excellent value.
- Tier / Lime — Electric kick scooters available on-demand through their apps.
Tips for Renting a Car in Spain
A few things worth knowing before you rent:
- Fuel policy: Most rentals in Spain operate on a “full-to-full” policy. Pick up the car with a full tank, return it full. Avoid “full-to-empty” deals — they’re overpriced.
- Insurance: The basic CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) included in most rentals has a high excess (often 800-1,500 Euro). Either buy the rental company’s excess reduction or get a standalone annual policy from a provider like iCarhireinsurance for about 50 Euro per year.
- Toll roads (Autopistas): Many highways in Catalonia and the north have tolls. Budget around 10-20 Euro for a typical day trip. There are usually free alternatives (nacional roads) but they take longer.
- Driving license: EU licenses work fine. Non-EU visitors should carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside their home license.
- Manual vs automatic: Manual transmission is the default in Spain. Automatics are available but cost more and have less availability — book early if you need one.
- Parking: Blue lines mean paid parking. Green lines are for residents (you’ll get a ticket). White lines are free. Underground parking in cities typically costs 2-3 Euro per hour.
If you have any other car rental or sharing recommendations in Spain, let me know in the comments.
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many thanks! very useful information 🙂
Hello!
I’m from Spain and recently I used myCarflix (https://www.mycarflix.com/) for my private car rental.
it’s a long-term rental, just paying a fee you can use a fully equipped car with insurance, maintenance and repairs included in the fee.
Does any of this services operates in both Spain and Andorra, so that you could take a ride from Barcelona to Andorra and back? Or even take a car for a day in Andorra? Trying to find a solution to avoid regular renting services.
Thanks!
Spain is really awesome country. Roam the Spain is really beautiful and hire the car on rent is very beneficial for traveling. Thanks you share the helpful info on this blog. Good work!
I understand that this companies are local from Spain? Or we can find them in other countries as well?
Yes these are all operating in Spain but some can be found in other countries too.
Which have you used Jean? Im trying to pick one of these services to try out Tomorrow.