The most popular car hire companies at Santander Train Station are:
- Sixt: Calle Aeropuerto, s/n, 39600 Maliaño, Cantabria, Spain (Tel: +34 871 18 01 92)
- Enterprise: Estacion De Tren, Plaza Estaciones, S/N, 39002 Santander, Cantabria, Spain (Tel: +34 942 22 29 26)
- Europcar: Feve - Estacion De Tren, Plaza Estaciones, S/N, 39002 Santander, Cantabria, Spain (Tel: +34 942 21 78 17)
Santander Train Station Mini Guide
Why Might I be in Santander?
There’s a good chance that you’ll have arrived here by ferry from
Portsmouth or
Plymouth. There is an airport but it’s mostly for internal flights plus the occasional flight from
London. The ferry takes twenty four hours from the
UK but is very comfortable and many people prefer this method even though it crosses the stormy Bay of Biscay.
Should I Stay in Santander?
Even though it’s not one of Spain’s most popular resorts it has the summer residence of the Spanish Royal Family in the twenties - the Palace of Magdalena. They must have loved the place to spend the entire summer here and it wasn’t just because it’s cooler here than in the capital
Madrid. There are dozens of stunning and mainly quiet beaches, pretty churches, interesting museums and other important buildings. We’d recommend a few days here if you can, perhaps at the beginning and end of your holiday, just so you can see the sights of a different part of Spain.
I’ve Heard the Train is a Great way to Move on from Here?
Santander station is only 150 metres from the ferry port so you can travel as a foot passenger from the UK then hire a car at the station for a few days stay in the city. The car hire offices are at the end of the platform near the booking office and are easy to spot. You can then book your ticket online and collect it at the station for your onward journey.
What Can I do Whilst Waiting for my Train?
There’s a nice cafeteria here that does great hot chocolate and churros plus a range of tapas and pizzas. It’s worth turning up a little earlier to try their fare or perhaps pick up a take away pack for your journey. There’s also a post office for the first (or last) of your post cards home plus a bookshop for some reading material for your journey, especially if you’re heading much further south. You can also pick up newspapers and magazines here.
Finally, for information about your next stop or onward accommodation booking, the tourist information office at the station is ready and willing to help. If you want a greater variety of shops, there’s a small shopping street within walking distance of the ferry port. Here too you’ll find a wider range of places to eat. For those with reduced mobility, the station is disabled friendly and all staff are trained and willing to help with any difficulties you may have in accessing the trains, with luggage or with purchasing tickets or finding train information.
Where Can I go to Next?
The north coast of Spain is very dramatic in each direction with historic cities such as Santiago and A Coruna in the west and Bilbao and the Pyrenees in the east. With a short journey to Valladolid you can access the high speed trains and be in Madrid in five hours and southern Spain in less than nine hours. The trains are comfortable and rarely crowded.