Lessons in bus etiquette: What I learned about Spanish bus culture

Updated September 2026

Travelling by bus can be one of the easiest ways to experience a new destination, but bus etiquette isn’t always obvious when you’re unfamiliar with the local customs. Which I soon discovered, quite embarrassingly, after moving to Spain. Here’s what I learnt from my experiences, and what I’d now advise anyone else travelling by bus in Spain.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a car in Spain and have no intentions of driving here. (It’s scary enough as a pedestrian, let alone being a driver amongst scary traffic and also having to be mindful of pedestrians!!). So, my new (and just generally getting out and about) job requires me to go back to my student days and catch the bus! And tram! Me catching a bus in England is unheard of! The minute I passed my test, my bus days were over! And frankly, if I didn’t have a car I’d rather walk! But here it is too far and too dangerous! And as I’ve arrived a few days early before my new job starts, I want to do a little exploring and familiarise myself with my new surroundings. And it would seem that I have a few lessons to learn in bus etiquette!

Here the buses are around 1.50€ for a single ticket. But there is a travel card (as one of my language exchange partners explained to me) tarjeta transporte pass, that you can buy from most places such as newsagents, shopping centres or tobacos shops. The card can be topped up at most stops.

I asked one of my colleagues if they wouldn’t mind accompanying work me after work to purchase one of these travel cards. Mainly on account that I didn’t have a clue what I was asking for, or how to ask for it!

Travel card purchased and I was ready to catch the bus, even if it was only two stops back to where I was staying! My colleague needed to get a different bus but kindly walked to my stop with me first. As the bus approached we were engrossed in conversation. The stop was packed – just one of my many dislikes of buses!

We quickly say our goodbyes as I knew I had to be quick if I was going to get on this bus! I manage to squeeze on through the crowd, but already wish I’d decided to walk! There was nowhere to sit, so I had to stand holding onto the metal pole for dear life and brace myself for going round corners and roundabouts.

I couldn’t help feeling like the other passengers were staring at me as the bus pulled out of the stop. I looked up and opposite me, there were two girls. One with short hair and glasses, the other with short bobbed hair. Maybe I was being being paranoid, but they appeared to be glaring at me! Then next to me was an elderly man looking at me over his glasses. Why do people do that? I don’t see the point in even wearing glasses! That and his trousers were up to his chest, he had nothing on Simon Cowell!

Why do they keep looking at me? I thought to myself it must be because I’m a foreigner! I must have looked confused and a bit out of place. There were also two ladies standing side by side muttering loudly in Spanish who kept glancing over at me. ‘What!’ I think to myself!! The bus stops at the next stop and a teenage girl steps on.

I suddenly realise that I haven’t swiped my bus card! My colleague had told me there are big fines for not doing so and inspectors step on to check regularly.

So that’s why everyone been looking at me in a peculiar way! Did they think I was trying to dodge my fare? Maybe they were all waiting for an inspector to pounce on me at the next stop. In Spain, Travel cards are obviously taken quite seriously! Lessons in bus etiquette duly noted!

I just looked out of the window. Too embarrassed to swipe it by that point. I was only making 2 stops, so not too much harm done surely? At least I knew what I needed to do next time to prevent all those disapproving glances and stares, and somehow I don’t think I was going to forget! Thankfully when I got to my stop there was no Spanish version of Inspector Blakey from On The Buses waving his clipboard at me!

Ok, so not having a car nor wanting to drive in Spain I need to get used to catching the bus and tram, and how to use them correctly. Catching the bus isn’t quite how I remember it. Getting a ticket from the driver and rooting through your change. I guess I’m just starting to get old and things have moved on a lot!

First things first, you need to purchase a pubic travel card, or Tarjeta de Transporte. You can get these from vending machines in metro and train stations or newsagents and tobacco shops (estancos). It costs 4 € for a personal card that you can load monthly fares onto. It costs roughly 30-40 € depending on which zone you’re travelling in. I opted for a non-personal anonymous card for 2.50 €. This one seemed more suitable for my needs as I didn’t need it for everyday use given that I got the school bus to and from work. You can top them up at the same places you bought the card. This costs 7.30 € for 10 trips. But, you can also use your debit or credit card on the EMT and intercity green buses.

NB: If you are travelling to other Spanish cities, you will need to buy a travel card to use the pubic transport. As does being able to use your debit or credit card varies on which bus and types of transport in different cities.

So, (note to self) once the bus arrives at the stop, enter from the front, swipe card, and exit from the middle or back once at your stop with no need to swipe when getting off.

After that, I think I’ve certainly learned some lessons in Spanish bus etiquette. And I don’t think I’ll be forgetting to swipe my card next time somehow! I’d like to say that that was the only unfortunate embarrassing incident I encountered when moving to Spain, but there were only more and worse embarrassing moments to come.

If you enjoyed reading this, then you may also enjoy my unfortunate predicament at the Spanish bank! Or the time I attempted to add credit to my pay as you go phone.