Getting To Reus

Reus lies just inland from the Costa Daurada in the northeastern corner of Spain. About an hour south of Barcelona, this town is easily accessible by land and air. Once in the town of Reus itself, it is easy to get around on foot and tour the architectural sites. The city also has an excellent bus system if you need to get somewhere farther afield.

By car

Driving to Reus is easy, since it is located close to the Autopista del Mediterraneo, the major motorway running north to south along the eastern coast of Spain. From the Autopisto, you can take the T-315, which leads directly into Reus. If you are arriving from the western parts of the country, you will probably want to take the major E-90 motorway, from which you can join the N-420 towards Baden.

Driving around Reus itself is fairly easy. Its not a particularly hectic town and parking is not as big a problem as in other Spanish cities, such as Barcelona.

By rail

Catalonia has an excellent network of railway lines, with hundreds of trains travelling between the main cities each day. The Spanish State Railways (RENFE) operates all trains in the country and their website offers easy-to-read information concerning schedules and fares (website: www.renfe.es). Most travellers to Reus who arrive by train will first get to either Barcelona or Tarragona and then take a connecting train to the railway station at Reus. Trains leave from Barcelona every hour or so and take about 55 minutes. There is no train service within the city due to its relatively compact size.

By bus

Several buses a day arrive in Reus from points all over Spain. The biggest national bus company is Alsa Enatcar (tel: +34 90 242 22 42). Reus itself is a direct destination from other regional cities in Catalonia, but if you are coming from farther away, you should go to Barcelona first then catch a connecting bus to Reus. Buses depart several times a day and take about an hour to reach Reus.

There is an excellent public bus service in Reus, which can get you to nearly every place you may want to go within the city. The main bus station is also the place to catch a bus to the regional towns along the coast or farther inland.

By air

Reus Airport is just a few kilometers from the city and about 80kms south of Barcelona. Its a small airport, designed to service Tarragona and the coast, and thus handles only a few flights each day throughout the year. It is also used by budget airlines such as Ryanair, offering an alternative way to get to Barcelona.

Most of the flights into Reus Airport come from inside Spain or from the UK. During the busy summer months, the number of charter flights from the UK increase. Ryanair offers regular flights into Reus from a number of European destinations such as Frankfurt, Dublin, Glasgow and London (Stansted).

There are two terminals at Reus Airport, one for arrivals and one for departures. In the Departures Terminal you can find a restaurant and duty-free shop with all the usual items. As with most provincial airports in Spain, the cafs serve very basic fare, but usually have great coffee. The facilities at Reus Airport are limited but they offer all the necessities such as ATMs, a bank for currency exchange, restaurants and shopping.

There are three different airport buses which run to various destinations, leaving from outside the Arrivals Hall. The first bus goes directly to the city centre of Reus. The second bus runs regularly between the airport and La Pineda, Salou and Cambrils and the third bus travels all the way to Barcelona. If you dont want to take public transportation, you can hire a private airport transfer and the driver will meet you in the Arrivals Hall.

Taxis are readily available from outside the Arrivals Hall and cost about the same as booking a private airport transfer, so it may be preferable to arrange a personal driver ahead of time, which can be done in the Arrivals lounge.

Some people take advantage of cheap airfares into Reus, with the plan of travelling from here to Barcelona. Although completely feasible, it may not be worth the extra hassle just to save a few euros. The bus to Barcelona Sants Station takes about 1 hour 30 minutes and is fairly cheap. From Reus, you can also take a train to Barcelona, which also takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, and is even cheaper than the bus. Taking a taxi, however, will cost you more than the money you saved by flying into Reus.

Taxis

Taxis operate regularly within Reus and offer an easy and convenient way to get around. You can call for a taxi by phone or they can be hailed along the street, although sometimes it takes a long time to find one if you are in an out-of-the-way location. In general, the taxi drivers in Reus are honest and friendly. They can also be hired to take you outside the city or on local tours.