Due mainly to the mountainous nature of Andorra, there is only one road entering Andorra from France, and only one widely-used road entering Andorra from Spain. Almost all entry into the country happens at one of these two points.
Visitors from outside the EU should note that Andorra is not a Schengen member, and exiting France or Spain into Andorra will theoretically terminate a single-entry visa. In practice, though, immigration does not enforce this.
By train
There are no train lines or stations in Andorra, and none close to the Spanish border. The nearest rail stations are:
L'Hospitalet France 3 km 1.8 mi from the Andorran border. With SNCF to LâHospitalet. From LâHospitalet to Andorra by bus regular service
Puigcerdà Spain 80 km 50 mi from Andorra.
That said, the French railway company, SNCF, operates a daily bus service TER Midi-Pyrénées line 22 Toulouse/Foix/Latour-de-Carol connecting the train station of L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre also called Andorre-L'Hospitalet-SNCF or simply L'Hospitalet to the first town after the Andorran border, the supposedly shoppers paradise Pas de la Casa, from where it's possible to take frequent buses to Andorra-la-Vella â every 30min with Cooperativa Interurbana +376 806 556, line 4 or cia Hispano-Andorrana +376 807 000, (http://www.andorrabus.com/index.php?accion=contingut&idmenu=2&id=11124).
From L'Hopitalet to Pas de la Casa, the journey with the SNCF bus costs â¬2.90 full fare, and all the regular SNCF discounts apply. For the scenic journey between Pas de la Casa and Andorra-la-Vella, the price is â¬5.60.
Alternatively, Hispano-Andorrana bus company runs services twice a day from the L'Hospitalet train station directly to Andorra-la-Vella, also calling at some other stops, for ±8â¬.
As of October 2010, reaching Andorra by train is only cost-effective for holders of SNCF discount cards such as Carte 12-25 or those coming with the sleeper train from Paris; other travelers would be better off taking a direct bus service from nearby cities like Toulouse. In any case, everybody under 26 years-old traveling off-peak hours with SNCF is entitled to the "Découvert 12-25" discount.
Caution: one should bear in mind that the L'Hospitalet train station is located in a deserted area, is often unmanned, and its rooms have restricted open hours, so it's important to match connections well. If you need assistance, you may want to call the Toulouse train station at +33 8 91 67 76 77.
By car
Roads in Andorra are generally of a good quality. Entering from the Spanish side is a relatively straightforward drive; however entering from France is a more stressful affair involving many hairpin bends. Border control officers at both sides are generally fine. Entering Andorra, you generally do not need to even stop, but you must slow down and be prepared to stop if requested. When leaving Andorra, you must stop and be prepared for delays during busy times . Be sure your car is in good condition, since Andorra is very high.
Also beware of black ice and snow drifts as the temperature in Andorra can be much colder than at sea level.
The approach from the French side passes through the 2.9 km-long Tunel d'Envalira which requires a credit or debit card for payment of the fee. The amounts are: winter remainder of year
Cars â¬5.60 â¬4.80
Others â¬16.70 â¬10.70
Winter is from 1 Dec-31 Mar.
Car rental The usual car hire companies operate from locations such as 'down town'; the desks are sometimes quiet and unmanned so it may be a good idea to book in advance online, your rates should still be good value.
From November to April, it is necessary to have winter tyres and/or snow chains to hand in the car. In snowy road conditions, cars without winter tyres or snow chains fitted are not allowed to drive. This is often enforced by police checkpoints on access roads to the ski resorts and on mountain passes such as the CS-311 and the road above Pas de la Casa.
Drivers considered to be at fault in fatal accidents are always prosecuted and usually imprisoned.
Taxi Taxi Josep provides a Mercedes Benz car and speaks many languages Tel: 376 323111; Taxi Domènec Segura provides a van but does not speak English or French tel: 34 636 490 685. Taxi Josep can arrange the ride with Taxi Domènec Segura if you absolutely need a van. Payment must be in cash.
Taxi Barras 376 323743 provides local service.