Casa del Horno - House of the Kiln
boutique townhouse in alhama de granada, andalucia, spain

Getting to Alhama de Granada

Options - plane, train, car and bus.

No car? Click here to see one of our guest's recommendations for getting from Granada to Alhama on public transport.

Plane

Plane to Malaga Airport

There are many budget airlines that fly to Malaga from the UK and Europe. Once at Malaga airport there are a number of car hire companies in the airport. They are well signposted from the luggage carousels. Car hire at Malaga is plentiful and cheap, we tend to use www.carhire3000.com which usually throws up local companies such as Auriga Crown and Record - both of which we have used regularly without a hitch. The motorway drive is easy and takes approximately 1hour 15 minutes, the distance is approx 75kms. The 'scenic' drive via Velez Malaga and over the mountain pass at Ventas de Zafarraya takes about ninety minutes. There is also a bus service into the centre of Malaga and from there regular buses and trains to Granada. There are around 4 buses a day to Alhama from Granada.

Plane to Granada Airport

Granada is the closest airport, the house is around a 35 minute drive from here. Ryanair fly to Granada from Liverpool, East Midlands, London Stanstead, Frankfurt and Milan. Spanair, Vueling, Air Europa and Iberia also operate national flights, mostly Milan and Barcelona.
Out of the airport to the autovia A92 follow signs for Malaga (over autovia and turn left onto it). After about 10 kms take Moraleda de Zafayona turning - it is also sign posted Alhama de Granada. When you exit you cross the motorway and run parallel for a few hundred metres on the other side, take left turn to Alhama de Granada (go through Moraleda de Zafayona) Follow the A 402 all the way to Alhama. 10 mins past Santa Cruz del Comercio) About 35 mins / 25kms from the airport.
I once asked a taxi driver the price from the airport to Alhama - he reckoned about 70 euros. There are plenty of taxis on the rank outside arrivals. Tel: Radiotaxi: (0034) 958 280 654

Plane to Madrid Airport - train to Malaga

Fly to Madrid, have a day or two in the capital, then take the AVE high speed train to Malaga - around 2.5 hours and 60 euros return I believe. The AVE is the high-speed train service in Spain. AVE trains are luxurious and efficient way to get around the country.

Train

By Rail from the UK via Paris and Madrid or Barcelona

This is a good web site with links, options, pictures booking http://www.seat61.com/Spain.htm#Barcelona.

Last time I looked I believe the most cost effective and flexible rail option was to use Inter-rail passes, but please do your own price and timetable checks. There are many possible variations, but here are two options that break the journey in two of Spain's cosmopolitan cities - Barcelona and Madrid.

Stage 1: Depart London at 15.30hrs. Arrive Paris Gare du Nord at 18.56hrs cross to Gare de Austerlitz using the metro (line 5 - no changes). If you have a large amount of luggage (or kids running in every direction) a taxi may be a better option - it costs around 16 euros - can be pre-booked on English speaking line (add 5 euros) up to an hour before, beware there can be quite big queues at the taxi rank.

Trenhotel barStage 2: Travel overnight from Paris to Madrid on the trenhotel leaving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz every night at 19:45 and arriving next morning in Madrid at 06:22hrs (Chamartin station).


AVE seatsStage 3: Travel from Madrid to Malaga by 186mph AVE train, leaving Madrid Atocha station at 07:35hrs and arriving Malaga at 10:14hrs. The trains run pretty much every hour check times here http://www.renfe.es. The final section of new high-speed line from Cordoba to Malaga has just opened, cutting Madrid-Malaga journey time to just 2 hours 30 minutes using the same AVE trains as used between Madrid and Seville. From Madrid there is also a direct train to Granada, but it takes longer.


Alternatively: Depart Paris on night-train at 20.32hrs. Arrive Barcelona at 08.24hrs. Have day in Barcelona, depart on night-train at 21.30hrs. Arrive Granada 08.40hrs - Bus to Alhama at midday.

Things to note

Trenhotel cabinTrenhotel grand classWhen traveling overnight there are a number of choices, 2nd class (reclining seat), 1st class / club class (double = bunk beds), Grand Class (bunk beds, plus en suite, tiny bathroom and some meals included), if you can afford it we'd strongly recommend 'Grand' class, the difference in price is around 55 euros pp one way but I believe it includes 2 meals, dinner and breakfast. We have only traveled 1st class - was adequate & didn't include food, having your own little bathroom would have made all the difference.
http://www.spanish-rail.co.uk/trains/trenhotel.html.


Public transport

Click here to see one of our guest's recommendations for getting from Malaga to Alhama on public transport.

Local bus connections
Please double check - correct when I last looked summer 2008 bus web site http://www.alsa.es.

Granada Bus Station - Alhama de Granada
dep 12.00 arr 13:30 (Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri)
dep 15.30 arr 16:35 (Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun)
dep 18.30 arr 20:00 (Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat)

Granada - Alhama bus timetable

Alhama de Granada - Granada
Catch the bus on Carretera de Loja in front of the shops there are usually a small group of people waiting.
dep 07:35 arr 09:00 (Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat)
dep 10:00 arr 11:10 (Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun)
dep 15:20 arr 16:45 (Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri)
dep 19:35 arr 20:45 (Sun)

NOTE: All the buses between Granada and Alhama stop in Santa Fe which is a very short taxi ride to Granada airport. If you need to get to or from the airport this is a good option. Just allow time to find a taxi in Santa Fe!

Malaga - Alhama de Granada
There is also one bus a day to Malaga via Torre Del Mar.

Taxis

There is a taxi rank opposite the petrol station - I have only ever seen one taxi - but you never know there could be more.

Travel Links

http://www.seat61.com/Spain.htm - great European train travel web site.

http://www.spanish-rail.co.uk - buy tickets in English for Spanish rail journeys.

http://www.renfe.com - the national Spainish rail official site.

http://www.eurail.com - discounted European multi country rail passes.

http://www.raileurope.com/us/index.htm - buy tickets for European rail travel.

http://www.eurostar.com - official eurostar web site.

http://www.interrailnet.com - buy European rail pass

http://www.spanish-rail.co.uk/service/info/trenhotel - the train hotel information.

http://www.alsa.es - the bus web site.

http://www.aurigacrown.com - we use this car hire company all the time, they have always been good for us, cost effective and efficient. Ask to take it full and bring it back full.

http://www.spanish-airport-guide.com/granada-airport.html good simple information on Spanish Airports – this link is to Granada.