Travel comparison
United Kingdom vs Spain
A side-by-side look at the practical travel essentials for United Kingdom and Spain — power, safety, money and getting around — so you can plan or choose between them quickly.
Quick answer
Traveling between United Kingdom and Spain, you will need a plug adapter, and a voltage converter is generally not needed for dual-voltage chargers.
| Detail | United Kingdom | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Power plug | Type G | Type C/F |
| Voltage | 230V | 230V |
| Frequency | 50Hz | 50Hz |
| Emergency (general) | 999 / 112 | 112 |
| Police | 999 / 112 | 112 / 091 |
| Ambulance | 999 / 112 | 112 / 061 |
| Tap water | Generally safe | Generally safe |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Currency | Pound Sterling (GBP, £) | Euro (EUR, €) |
| Dialing code | +44 | +34 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) / UTC+1 (BST) | UTC+1 (CET) / UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Best season | Late spring through early autumn offers the longest daylight and the best chance of mild weather. May, June and September are especially good for city breaks because they avoid the busiest school-holiday weeks. | April to June and September to October work well for Madrid, Barcelona and Andalusia. Summer is excellent for beach regions but can be very hot inland, especially in July and August. |
Full brief
United Kingdom travel essentials
Plugs, emergency numbers, tap water, tipping and more for United Kingdom.
Full brief
Spain travel essentials
Plugs, emergency numbers, tap water, tipping and more for Spain.