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Malaga car hire tips and general advice

The only tram that Malaga has ever had in its history (which was working until December 31, 1961) is being restored by a group of workers of the EMT (the main transport company in Malaga).

Yestarday morning the old tram was picked up from Malaga’s promenade by a huge crane.

This is the last tram left in Malaga and it is the unique silent witness to the history of this kind of transportation which operated in Malaga until the early 1960s. It has been for over 40 years one of the most representative symbols of the capital, parked during 57 years at Pablo Picasso’s promenade. But yesterday, the old tram began a new journey in order to recover its original state after the damage caused by the passage of years and some irresponsible people.

After a long negotiation between the residents of the area and the Malaga City Hall they finally decided to train a group of employees of the municipal transport company (EMT) to recover the history of public transport in the city.

But it won’t be an easy task because of the current damages: wind has curved the wooden sides, the floor was fired by vandals recently, some regulators were lost and other important pieces are broken. Fortunately, the main engine is almost in perfect conditions.

A huge crane was needed to avoid any damage while moving the tram. It’s already inside the EMT’s garage, where it will be repaired. The repair works will last for at least one year or year and half and its final destination remains a mystery.

The relocation of the historic tram has changed the current landscape of this area of Malaga city. That’s why some people is already thinking about repacling the old tram by another typical monument of the city, perhaps a jabeque (a small fishing boat) is the best option.

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If you’re looking to get a Spanish driving licence, validate or trade in your U.K. licence, or other vehicle-related proceedings, at some point you’ll end up at the Tráfico offices. As of recently, the offices for Malaga have moved to a new spot near the university neighbourhood Teatinos and next-door to the large convention hall, the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos. (Address: Max Estrella, 12. You can catch a bus up there from the centre – look for the number 4 line on the Paseo del Parque, the tree-lined street. Trafico will be the last stop on the line. Visit our Connections page to find other bus routes on the EMT website.) The old Trafico offices were on Calle Mauricio Moro Pareto, right next to the Larios shopping centre, which is also called Eroski because of the supermarket on the bottom floor.

The other major news of note is they announced their change to reduced summer hours, 8:30 am – 1:30 pm, Monday-Friday. Summer? They normally don’t change these hours until June! Regardless, these hours will be in effect until halfway through September, so those who have morning work hours will have to plan carefully. One more thing about September — many changes will be taking place. Spain will be transforming their licence exam process, making it tougher and modernizing it (from a written to computer version), as well as splitting the motorbike licences into 3 classes, as opposed to the two current ones.

Get ready to experience a bit of local culture, and best of all: FREE!!! If you haven’t yet heard the buzz, Malaga is one of several cities vying for the position of Cultural Capital of Europe 2016. (Organizers have already put up a flood of blue posters advertising for this campaign.) So, this event is one more in the list of steps the city is taking to impress the judges who will review all the relevant factors starting in 2012. On 10 May, Malaga will host its first-ever "Noche en Blanco," a night of concerts, theatre and other special exhibitions and events. This same tradition is celebrated in Paris, Madrid, Brussels and Rome on various nights during the year.

One headliner event is the enactment of Shakespeare’s King Lear in the Teatro Cervantes, and they’re giving away 100 free invites to this performance starting this morning at 09:00, in the City Archives (Archivo Municipal). Don’t worry if you don’t get into this, as there is plenty else: guided visits of Picasso’s birthplace and the Alcazaba fortress, concerts at the Gibralfaro castle and downtown squares, and much more, a total of 30 events. Did I mention this is all free? Go ahead, enjoy it! You can find more specific details at the info point at the head of Calle Larios (Malaga city centre).

If you’re expecting to hire a car in Malaga or anywhere else in Spain really, consider yourself forewarned. First, the hard facts: recently reformed penal codes require an offence charge for drivers caught passing the speed limits by 60 km/h within city limits or by 80 km/h on the highway. This kind of charge can carry from 3 to 6 months jail time, no laughing matter to say the least. And even if you’re only speeding marginally, according to the Spanish points system, they’ll also drain your licence of between 2 and 6 points as well. (Drivers with a clean record generally start out with 12 points.)

Thought that was it? Wait, there’s more! Beginning yesterday, the government has implemented a two-week bout of radar checkpoints across the country. They’re setting them up on secondary highways, along with safety reminders on electronic panels and radio messages. In Malaga alone, they’re planning to control about 50,000 vehicles, an average of about 3,000 a day.

The Spanish authorities are doing a notable job of cracking down on irresponsible behaviour on the road, with the intention of reducing the number of accidents. So before you get into speed-demon mode behind the wheel of your car hire, think twice. Or even three times… cause it will certainly be worth your while!

This weekend, follow the signs to "La Feria de los Pueblos y las Ciudades de Málaga," your ticket to see and even try out some local flavours. Venue: the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos, the large exhibition building right off the highway in Malaga, near the intersection of the A-7 ring road and the Cartama highway. Entrance is free, and you’ll get a glimpse of the small-town life from around the Malaga province, including booths about bullfighting, flamenco and plenty of food samples. From the 180+ exhibitors, you’ll see typical olive oils, wines, cheeses, sausages and even more unique malagueño items like sweet wine, almond cakes, fig bread, raisins, olives and lard-cooked pork… and most of these you can try out! The fair opened on Thursday and continues until Sunday – open from 11am-8:30pm – and of course you can also use this chance to purchase these items and more. Besides the cultural, they’ve also made an effort to bring in a wider audience with offerings for youngin’s: a stand for playing Wii, a comic strip/book workshop, and a number of theatre and juggling acts. Nothing to lose, come check it out! Oh and if you need a ride, skip the uncertainty of Malaga’s taxis and call our partner MalagaTaxis.co.uk – a courteous, multilingual driver will get you there in a flash.