Natalie Orslene is a student at The Ohio State University. She is an ISA Featured Blogger and studied abroad with ISA in Valencia, Spain.
Valencia is the third largest city is Spain and one of the biggest spots for European travel. But because of the size, walking around the city is a workout. The best way to make sure you can travel with ease between classes, your homestay, the beach, or just around the beautiful city itself, is to make use of the Valencian public transportation. With both buses and a metro system, there are a lot of ways to get around the city. Here are my tips and tricks to navigating the city by yourself.
The first thing you need is a Mobilis Card. Sold in stores called “Tobacos” that you can find all over the city, you can load you card with prepaid trips on the bus and metro – simply go in, ask the cashiers for a card, and tell them how many trips you want to begin. I started with 10 bus trips and 10 metro trips, so I could figure out which was best for me. You can reload the cards at those same Tobacos stores. While you can pay for bus and metro trips individually at your stop, it is much easier to have one card for your entire time here.
The next thing you need is a way to figure out which routes you need to take. I am a personal fan of the trusty Google Maps – it tells you which lines you need to travel, how many stops you will pass before you need to get off, and how often your bus or metro comes. Specific to Valencia, there is the EMT Valencia app, which gives you info on the bus lines and a way to reload your bus passes, and the MetroValencia app, which can even be used offline with no WiFi or service.
Once you find your stop, tap your pass on the bus or metro station’s pass reader, and get ready to travel. The most important thing once you are on the bus is to be aware of your surroundings. Valencia’s size means the public transport is frequently crowded, and it’s easy to get a bit lost. Keep aware of your bags as pickpockets are always around, and make sure you pay attention to which spot you want to get off on – getting lost in the city is only fun when you have the time to explore!
When you are ready to exit, make sure you press the button to request the stop, and when exiting the Metro, press the button on the door to make sure your door opens too! Then you are ready to make your way off to classes, a great meal, or a cool spot to explore, all with ease now that you have mastered the public transport! Bienvenido a Valencia, and safe travels!
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