Europe > Spain > Reus (REU)
The Car or no Car advice for Reus can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Reus ; is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Reus ?
These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.
💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Reus?
These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.
📍 Getting Around Reus — the Reality
Reus is compact and manageable.
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The city centre is walkable
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Major sights are close together
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Local buses cover the urban area
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Parking in the centre is possible but not always convenient
For a city-only stay, a car is not necessary.
🚆 Rail Is a Strong Alternative
Reus is well served by rail for its size.
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Frequent trains to Tarragona
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Easy onward connections along the coast
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Access to Barcelona via Tarragona or regional services
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Stations are close enough to the centre to avoid driving
For visitors moving between cities, rail works better than a car.
✈️ Reus Airport and the Costa Daurada
Reus Airport mainly serves seasonal and leisure traffic, particularly for the Costa Daurada.
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The airport is not in the city centre
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Transfers to beach resorts often assume road transport
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Public transport from the airport is limited
This is where car hire starts to become more relevant.
🏖️ Where a Car Adds Real Value
A car is genuinely useful if you want to:
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Visit Salou, Cambrils, and coastal resorts
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Explore rural Tarragona province
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Travel flexibly between beaches and inland towns
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Avoid juggling multiple train and bus connections
These trips are possible without a car, but much slower and less flexible.
⚠️ When You Can Skip a Car
You can comfortably avoid renting if:
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you’re staying in Reus itself
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your plans are urban and cultural
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you’re travelling onward by train
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beaches are not your priority
In these cases, a car may sit unused.
✈️ Reus as an Alternative Gateway to Barcelona
Reus has long been used as an alternative gateway to Barcelona, particularly by leisure travellers. Although it sits well south of the Catalan capital, the combination of airport access, road links, and rail connections has made it a practical entry point for visitors who don’t mind a short onward journey. For years, this was especially attractive when flights into Barcelona itself were limited or expensive.
🛫 Changing Airline Patterns — But Reus Still Matters
That role has evolved as airlines — Ryanair in particular — have expanded their direct services into Barcelona’s main airport, reducing the need to route passengers via Reus. Even so, Reus continues to see a reasonable range of flights, notably from TUI Airways, Jet2, EasyJet, and Ryanair itself. For travellers heading to the Costa Daurada, southern Catalonia, or even Barcelona with a car, Reus remains a useful option — often quieter, easier to navigate, and well suited to onward travel by road.
Conclusion: should you rent a car in Reus?
No for the city — often yes for the Costa Daurada.
Reus works well on foot and by train, but the surrounding beaches and countryside are far easier by road. Renting a car makes sense if Reus is your gateway rather than your final destination.
💡 Rule of thumb:
Stay car-free in Reus, rent one if you’re heading for the coast. 🚆🚗