Spanish in Spain | Language Schools in Spain
| Money | Transport to Seville | |
| Tipping | Medical Care | Transport in Seville |
| Weather | Pharmacies | Phone Numbers |
| Phone Calls | Courtesy Rules | More Information |
Money
The actual currency in Spain, as in most European countries, is the Euro. For currency exchange information click here.
Most businesses accept all major credit cards (maybe American Express and Diners Club are less common than Visa and Mastercard). But, small restaurants and bars normaly only accept cash.
Bank cheques are not used very often for shopping in Spain.
Traveller's Cheques can be changed at the banks and the Bureaux de Change. They are not commonly accepted in shops.
Cash Machines will accept a range of international cards. There are two different systems in Spain, 4B also called 'Telebanco' and Servired. Most spanish banks are affiliated to one of them. If you are having problems getting cash from a machine is may be worth looking nearby for a machine from the other system.
Tipping
Unlike in the USA, tipping is not part of the waiters' wages and it is not an obligation either. However in restaurants is customary to leave the spare change, or up to 10% of the total in smarter restaurants. It is less common to tip bartenders or taxi drivers.
Weather
Summers are hot and you will need no more than a t-shirt most of the time.
Autum and Springs are a little cooler and you may need thin layers of clothes you can peel off when necessary.
Winters are short (around november to february) but the weather can be cold and you will need a jacket or a coat. Anyway, it rarelly drops less than 8 degrees centigrade.
Phone Calls
The international direct dial access code is 00. To call abroad from Spain you must dial:
00 + the country code + the area code + phone number.
Fixed line numbers in Spain begin with a 9. Almost all numbers in Seville are 954 plus six digits.
Some special numbers:
· Numbers beginning in 900 are freephone numbers.
· Numbers beginning in 901 are local call rate numbers.
· Numbers beginning in 902 are national call rate numbers.
· Numbers beginning in 906 are premium rate numbers (chat lines etc).
Mobile phone numbers begin with a 6.
Telefone cards can be purchased at the tobacconist and the post office (6, 10 and 20 euros). These are inserted into the slot in public phones and they don't offer cost saving.
Other companies sell discount telephone cards, both for local or international calls. You call a free phone number and enter your card number, so you can use them from any phone. You can buy your discount phone card at Lenguaviva school.
Spanish mail boxes are yellow. You can also post letters at the post offices. They are generally open from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., although some offices are also open in the afternoons and Saturday mornings.
Estancos (tobacconists) sell stamps and many will also have the facility to weigh packages. Basic letters and postcards up to 20 g stamps cost 0.28 euros for Spain, 0.53 euro for EU and 0.78 euro for the rest of the World.
For more information you can call the Customer Service at 902 197 197 or visit www.correo.es, where you will find all the fares and post offices location.
Medical Care
We advise you to arrange your travelling abroad medical insurance before you leave your country. Your country medical insurance may offer a travelling abroad insurance.
Lenguaviva can also arrange for you a medical insurance with ASTES. The cost is 15 euros a month. Send as an email for more information.
For medical emergency once in Seville you may go to:
Virgen Macarena Hospital
Avda. Doctor Fedriani, 3
Phone: 954557400
or call 061.
Dental Care
Medical insurances don't include dental care. You will have to pay the visit (you can do it with cash or credit card). We suggest you
Dr. Carlos Gómez Lebrón
Avda. Kansas City, 32-B
(Edif. Aniversario) Port. 3-1º Planta A
Phone: 954980048
Dr. Carlos Gómez Lebrón speaks German, English, French and Spanish.
Pharmacies
Pharmacies are open from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 4:30-8:00 p.m., althought some remain open the whole day or even 24 hours/day.
A listing is posted outside the pharmacies and on the daily press indicating which ones are open on nights and weekends. There is also a phone number for this information: 098.
Courtesy rules
The customary Spanish way of greeting is shaking hands for boys and two kisses for girls (or a girl and a boy)
Transport to Seville
Flights
Seville airport has scheduled international and national flights. There are regular International flights to Amsterdam, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, London, Milan, Munich, Paris and Rome.
Close international airpots are Málaga (one of the most important airports in Spain) and Jerez. Madrid and Barcelona are the two main Spanish airports.
If you can't get a direct flight to Spain, you may fly by London where there are cheap daily flights to Spanish airports.
From the airport to the center of Seville:
Sevilla airport is 10 kilometres north east of the city. How do you get the center of the city?:
· By bus: there is a regular bus service to and from the airport and the main railway station (Santa Justa).
· By taxi: there are fixed rates for all rides to and from the airport. Weekday fare is 18 euros. Nighttime, weekend and holidays are 21 euros.
· Lenguaviva transfer: Lenguaviva offers an airport transfer service. The prices are: 33 euros for the arrival, 28 euros for the departure and 61 euros for arrival+departure.
Seville Airport (SVQ) Information:
Phone number: (+34) 954 449 000 / 954 672 981
Tickets: 954 675 210
Cargo transport: 954 675 210
Central office: 954 228 901
The Spanish state owned national airline is Iberia.
Flight arrival and departure information in the AENA website.
Trains
The Spanish railway network is run by the state owned company RENFE.
If you are flying to Madrid or Barcelona, you can catch a train to Seville.
From Madrid, you can catch the AVE (high speed train) which spends about 2 and a half hours to Seville; or the Talgo, which spends little more than 3 hours.
From Barcelona there are scheduled long distance trains to Seville everyday.
Bus
There are day and overnight services from Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga to Seville. The coach services are operated by different private bus companies:
· Socibus runs the Madrid-Seville route.
· Alsa runs the Barcelona-Seville route.
· Alsina Graells runs the Málaga-Seville route.
For timetable information you may visit the companies website. Or, if you prefer, you can send us an email to Lenguaviva and we will send you this information.
The Seville main coach station is located in the center of town at the Plaza de Armas. It is a modern well organised station with shopping facilities.
Transport in Seville
City Buses
Seville city buses are run by TUSSAM. There are day buses from 6:00 to 23:30 and night buses from Plaza Nueva at 0:00, 1:00 and 2:00.
The ticket is 1 euro one journey. But you can buy a bonobus for 10 journeys (5 euros).
For more information on fares, lines and timetables you may visit TUSSAM website.
Taxis
Day fares: the minimum fare is 2,66 euros. 0,66 euros a kilometre and 0,97 the flag fall.
Night fares: the minimum fare is 3,34 euros. 0,81 euros a kilometre and 1,19 the flag fall.
There are several taxi companies:
Radio Taxi Giralda: 954 675 555
Tele Taxi Sevilla: 954 622 222
Radio Taxi: 954 580 000
Usefull Phone Numbers
Emergencies:
Police: 091
Fire Emergencies: 080
Medical Emergencies: 061
Loss/Theft:
To cancel credit cards:
Visa: 900.991.124
Mastercard: 900.971.231
To get your Travel Checks reimbursed:
American Express: 900.994.426
Visa: 900.974.414
More Information
If you still have more questions or need some more information, please send us an email.
Calle Viriato 24, 41003 Sevilla
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