Automatic cars are not common here and are much more expensive, so most people tend to drive stick shift.
To travel between cities, it is common for people (even those who have cars) to take the train or the bus. It is cheaper generally than paying for gas, which is also more expensive here. Spain has an amazing train system that can get you to pretty much anywhere in Spain you might need to go. The system is called Renfe.
In big cities like Madrid, it is less common for people to have cars because these cities have extensive bus systems, and in Madrid there is also the metro system. It is said that Madrid has most user-friendly metro system in the world. Having used the metro here, I would definitely say that this is true.
At first, I was nervous about using the bus system, here, because I didn't want to get lost. However, like with so many things these days, there is an app. to help you! The transport app. in Spain is called MoveIt. The app. lets me type in a destination and my current location, and it then shows me step-by-step instructions about how to get to the best bus stop and which bus to take. Now that I have been using the bus for a few months, I have come to enjoy the ride to and from work. Since I don't have to drive, I get to just sit, relax, and listen to music until I arrive at my destination.
