Getting around Seville: transport guide for visitors
What is the best way to get around Seville?
Walking. The historic centre — from the Alcázar to Triana — is comfortably covered on foot in 30 minutes. For longer distances, the Tussam bus network covers the whole city for €1.40 per journey. The MetroCentro tram links the railway station area to the centre. Sevici bikes are a good option for exploring at speed.
Seville is one of the most manageable cities in Spain for a visitor without a car. The historic core is compact and flat, public transport is cheap and well-organised, and the Sevici bike-share network is excellent. This guide explains each option with real costs.
Walking — the default mode of transport
The first thing to understand about Seville: if you’re staying in or near the historic centre, you will spend most of your time on foot. The distances are genuinely small.
- Alcázar to Cathedral: 5 minutes’ walk
- Cathedral to Plaza de España: 20 minutes’ walk (through the Jardines de Murillo)
- Cathedral to Triana (via Puente de Isabel II): 15 minutes’ walk
- Cathedral to Metropol Parasol (Las Setas): 15 minutes’ walk
- Triana to La Macarena: 30 minutes’ walk
The city centre is largely flat. The only significant slope is the Giralda bell tower (35 ramps, no stairs — accessible for most people). Santa Cruz has narrow cobblestone streets, but they are short rather than steep.
In summer (June–September), walking long distances between 11:00 and 17:00 is genuinely uncomfortable at 38–42°C. Adapt your sightseeing to morning and evening blocks. See the seville-in-summer-heat-guide for specific strategies.
Tussam buses — city-wide coverage for €1.40
Tussam is Seville’s municipal bus network with over 40 lines covering the whole city. For visitors, the most useful lines include those connecting the outlying areas (Nervión, San Bernardo, Heliópolis) with the centre.
Cost: €1.40 per journey paying with cash on the bus.
Tarjeta Multiviaje: A rechargeable card that reduces the cost per journey significantly. Available at bus kiosks and some tobacconists. Costs around €1.35 to activate; each loaded journey costs approximately €0.69. Worth getting if you plan to use buses more than 4–5 times.
How to pay: On boarding, tap your card at the reader or pay the driver. Keep your ticket — inspectors do check.
Key lines for visitors:
- C4 circular: Connects Santa Justa station, Prado de San Sebastián, and the centre
- 03: Runs from Triana across the centre to Nervión
- Routes to Plaza de Armas: Useful for the bus station connections
Google Maps works reliably for Tussam route planning. The Tussam app is also functional.
MetroCentro tram — the central link
The MetroCentro is a single tram line running from San Bernardo (near Santa Justa AVE station) through the city centre to the Puerta de Jerez and on to Prado de San Sebastián bus station. It is short (1.4 km) but useful for the specific journey between the train station area and the historic centre.
Cost: €1.40, same as the bus. A single ticket covers both bus and tram for up to 30 minutes of transfers.
Useful for: Arriving at Santa Justa by AVE and getting to the Alcázar/Cathedral area without a taxi. The tram stop at Puerta de Jerez is a 5-minute walk from the Alcázar.
Not useful for: Getting around the wider city. The tram covers one axis only.
Seville Metro — Line 1
Metro Line 1 runs from Olivar de Quintos in the south to Mairena del Aljarafe in the northwest, passing under the city. For visitors in the historic centre, it is rarely the right transport choice.
Where the Metro is useful for visitors:
- Getting to the Parque Alcosa or Nervión areas
- Reaching the feria grounds (Los Remedios area) during Feria de Abril
- Going to shopping centres on the southern outskirts
Where the Metro does not go: The historic centre (Alcázar, Cathedral, Triana, Plaza de España). The Metro stations closest to the centre are Puerta Jerez and San Bernardo — both useful for specific journeys but not the main tourist circuit.
Cost: €1.40 base fare, same tariff structure as Tussam. The multi-journey card works across bus, tram, and metro.
Sevici bike share — the fastest way around the old town
Sevici is Seville’s well-run bike-share system, with approximately 260 docking stations and 2,500 bicycles across the city. Seville has extensive dedicated cycling infrastructure — around 175 km of bike lanes — and is genuinely bike-friendly compared to most Spanish cities.
Tourist subscription: A 3-day pass costs €13.40 and includes unlimited 30-minute journeys. Journeys over 30 minutes incur small additional charges (€1.03 per extra 30 minutes). For typical tourist use — moving between sights, crossing the Guadalquivir to Triana, cycling along the river — 30-minute slots are usually sufficient.
7-day pass: €27.17
How to sign up: At any Sevici docking station via the terminal (English language available), or at the city’s main tourist offices, or via the Sevici app.
Helmets: Not provided with Sevici. Helmet rental is available from some bike hire shops near the river if you want one.
Best routes for visitors:
- The Guadalquivir riverside cycle path (both banks) is flat, pleasant, and runs for several kilometres
- Seville’s central cycle network connects the historic monuments without fighting traffic
- Cycling from the centre to María Luisa Park and Plaza de España is particularly easy
The seville-by-bike-guide has detailed cycling itineraries and tips on the best bike routes around the city.
Taxis and rideshare
Official taxis in Seville are white with a yellow stripe. They operate on metered fare for city journeys. Approximate benchmarks: city centre journey within the historic core €5–8. Santa Justa to Alcázar area: €8–10.
Taxis are plentiful in the city. Main ranks are outside Santa Justa station, at Puerta de Jerez, near Plaza Nueva, and outside the main hotels. You can also hail them on the street if their green light is illuminated.
Cabify has a strong presence in Seville and is the most-used rideshare app. Uber operates but with more limited driver availability than in Madrid or Barcelona. Both apps work for booking from your phone.
Fixed fares: The airport has a fixed fare to the city (see getting-to-seville-from-airport). Other journeys use the meter.
Horse-drawn carriages (coches de caballos)
You will see horse-drawn carriages throughout the historic centre, particularly around the Cathedral and Plaza de España. These are a legitimate tourist activity — a 45-minute circuit costs approximately €40–50 per carriage (not per person). They are pleasant but not a practical means of getting around. See the horse-carriage-rides-seville guide if this appeals.
Day trips: getting out of Seville
For day trips to Córdoba, Cádiz, or Granada, the relevant transport hubs are:
Santa Justa AVE station: High-speed trains to Córdoba (45 min), Madrid (2h40), Málaga (~2h), Cádiz (1h40). The AVANT regional service also serves Jerez (1h) and Utrera. Book at renfe.com.
Plaza de Armas bus station: Long-distance buses run by ALSA (Granada, 2.5–3h) and Damas (Italica, Aracena, Huelva). Casal buses serve Carmona.
Prado de San Sebastián bus station: Some regional services depart from here. Check which operator serves your destination when booking.
See the best-day-trips-from-seville guide for a full comparison of day trip options and transport methods.
Accessibility notes
Seville’s historic centre has some accessibility challenges — cobblestone streets in Santa Cruz, the Alcázar’s uneven garden paths. The Tussam buses are modern and wheelchair accessible. The Metro is fully accessible. The MetroCentro tram is accessible. For specific accessibility information at monuments, check the official Alcázar and Cathedral websites directly.
Summary: which transport for which journey
| Journey | Best option |
|---|---|
| Between historic sights | Walk |
| Airport to centre | EA bus (€4) or taxi (€23–25 fixed) |
| Santa Justa to Alcázar area | MetroCentro tram (€1.40) |
| City centre to Triana | Walk (15 min) or bike |
| Wide city exploration | Sevici bike or Tussam bus |
| Late night or with luggage | Taxi or Cabify |
| Day trips | AVE (Córdoba/Cádiz/Málaga) or bus (Granada/Italica/Carmona) |
For a full breakdown of the public transport network, passes, and money-saving tips, see the dedicated seville-public-transport-guide.
Frequently asked questions about Getting around Seville
Is Seville easy to walk around?
Yes — the historic core is extremely walkable. Most major sights (Alcázar, Cathedral, Plaza de España, Triana) are within a 20–30 minute walk of each other. The city centre is largely flat, though cobblestone streets in Santa Cruz can be uneven.Does Seville have a metro?
Yes, Metro Line 1, but it does not serve the historic centre. The Metro is useful for getting to outlying areas (shopping centres, hospital, suburbs) but not for tourist sightseeing in the old city.How much does the Seville bus cost?
A single Tussam bus journey costs €1.40 with cash. With a rechargeable Tarjeta Multiviaje (multi-journey card), the cost drops to around €0.69 per journey. Cards are available at kiosks, some tobacconists, and online.Are Sevici bikes worth renting?
Yes, for the right use case. Sevici is Seville's bike-share network with around 260 docking stations. A 3-day tourist pass costs €13.40 and includes unlimited 30-minute journeys. Seville is notably flat and has extensive cycling infrastructure. Ideal for exploring beyond the historic centre.Can I drive in Seville historic centre?
Effectively no — the historic centre has restricted traffic zones (Zona de Bajas Emisiones). Rental cars are not practical for sightseeing. Most visitors arrive by train or plane and manage entirely without a car inside the city.
