How to get around Murcia
Although some years ago it was not a particularly well‑connected city with good public transport, that is now just a memory. For those who have never been, it is a very easy city to navigate. Like all Spanish cities, it has an old town that is pedestrian‑only, and, as the name suggests, you access it on foot. Then we have the north and south areas. The northern area, which is more modern, has a tram that runs from early morning until 11 p.m., offering a wide time window. Outside those hours you can use taxis, Bolt or the bus service. In addition, the tram connects directly to shopping centres, sports centres and, most importantly, to the Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM) and the University of Murcia (UMU).
I know that many of you will be students and this may be one of the doubts that could make you hesitate about a city: transport. As a former student I will tell you that it is one of the most important aspects of university life. No one wants to spend half the day waiting at the bus stop. That’s why I can assure you that Murcia is easy and quick, far removed from the cumbersome transport in many other cities. The southern area, across the Segura river, is older but also has good bus services, and from that area you have the best connections to the outlying villages.
Another important aspect is whether the city is well connected to other destinations. I assume that if not one hundred per cent, then ninety‑nine per cent of those interested will be from outside the city. Let me tell you that Murcia is very well connected. It has train services to Andalusia, Valencia and Madrid, including high‑speed trains (AVE). It is similarly connected by bus, and the Bilman Bus service even offers direct connections to northern Spanish cities such as La Rioja, Navarra and the Basque Country. It has a small airport with few flights, but there is a reasonably priced direct bus to Alicante airport, which takes 50 minutes. That airport, El Altet, does have flights throughout Spain and internationally.
In conclusion, if transport is a concern when choosing where to live, allow me to remove that concern: thanks to the many services that keep this vibrant city connected both internally and externally, transport will not be a problem.
