Spain
City-specific transit, optional licensed rides, direct rail booking and practical safety tools
Spain is easy to navigate with cards and public transport, but there is no nationwide urban fare app and no taxi app that every traveler needs.
The essentials
What to know before you go to Spain
Freenow books licensed taxis in supported cities, while Cabify and Uber provide useful local alternatives where the app confirms service. Urban tickets, airport supplements, contactless rules and mobile fare cards remain city-specific. Renfe is the main official app for Renfe trains, not a complete search of every Spanish rail operator; compare iryo and OUIGO directly on competitive high-speed corridors. Alsa is the most broadly useful national coach app.
Bizum is not a tourist wallet: it works through participating bank accounts and currently requires a Spanish or Andorran IBAN. Cards are widely accepted, but carry a physical backup card and some euros for small businesses, machines and acceptance failures. The Entry/Exit System has been fully operational at applicable European external borders since 10 April 2026. ETIAS is scheduled for the last quarter of 2026 but is not yet required as of 4 August 2026, so do not pay a site claiming to issue it early.
Pickpocketing is a practical risk in crowded transport and attractions. AlertCops can provide multilingual police chat, location sharing and incident reporting in Spain, but foreign-number verification and app reliability can fail. Call 112 for an emergency and never delay a call while trying to make an app work.
Ride Hailing
Cabify
A strong visitor ride choice in supported Spanish cities, with upfront booking details and licensed vehicles.
Freenow
A practical app for booking licensed taxis in the Spanish cities where Freenow currently operates.
Uber
A familiar optional ride app with service in selected Spanish cities and differing local vehicle types.
Food Delivery
Glovo
A multi-category delivery app for restaurants, groceries and everyday items in its listed Spanish markets.
Just Eat
A broad restaurant-delivery comparison with useful coverage in Spanish cities and towns.
Uber Eats
A familiar optional food-delivery account in the Spanish areas where Uber Eats has local coverage.
Messaging
WhatsAppEssential
Spain's most useful messaging channel for accommodation, restaurants, tours, drivers and local contacts.
Navigation
Google MapsEssential
The best general map for Spanish places, walking, driving, saved pins and basic public-transport planning.
Citymapper
A useful multimodal planner in the Spanish cities it supports, but not a nationwide transport app.
Language
Google Translate
An optional language aid for Spanish and regional-language signs, menus and simple conversations.
Intercity Transport
Renfe
The official app for searching, booking and managing Renfe trains, but not every rail operator in Spain.
Alsa
The official app for Alsa coach schedules, booking, digital tickets and live journey information.
BlaBlaCar
An optional ridesharing and bus comparison for routes or times poorly served by direct rail.
Restaurants
TheFork
A practical Spain restaurant finder and reservation app with live tables and conditional promotions at participating venues.
Utilities
AlertCops
Spain's official multilingual channel for police chat, incident reporting, safety alerts and location sharing.
Also covered
Internet in Spain
Mobile internet eSIM Best option when traveling
Guac
RecommendedReliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
Airalo
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Holafly
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
Buying a local SIM card ID registration required
- Bring your passport; the seller registers the prepaid SIM during activation.
- Typical prepaid offers include around 60GB, while starter prices begin near $12.
- Buy at an official carrier counter at the airport or at an official city store, and test the SIM before leaving.
- Airport pricing varies by seller, so compare the exact bundle before paying.
- Local eSIM is available and follows the same identity rules as a physical SIM.
The domestic data allowance may be much larger than the EU roaming allowance; check the roaming cap.
Local carriers
Movistar
Best choice for broad coverage, including rural areas.
Vodafone
Strong in major cities, with weaker rural coverage.
Orange
Strong in major cities, with weaker rural coverage.
Yoigo
Strong in major cities, with weaker rural coverage.
Digi
A solid alternative; compare current prepaid offers before buying.
Frequently asked questions
What are the must-have apps for traveling in Spain?
The essential apps for Spain are WhatsApp, Google Maps.
How many travel apps does Spain have?
We've curated 15 apps across 10 categories for traveling in Spain, including 2 essential apps.
What is the best ride hailing app in Spain?
Cabify. A strong visitor ride choice in supported Spanish cities, with upfront booking details and licensed vehicles.
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