Country guide
How to Call Spain from the US
Whether you are checking in with family in Madrid, confirming a reservation in Barcelona, or coordinating with a supplier in Valencia, calling Spain from the United States is simple once you know the format. This guide covers the +34 country code, the 9-digit number, the six-hour time gap, and the cheapest reliable way to reach a Spanish landline or mobile straight from your browser.
Spain's country code and dialing format
Spain's country calling code is +34. From a US phone you dial the international format as 011 + 34 + the 9-digit Spanish number. From a browser-based service like Phonecall you simply enter +34 and the number, the 011 exit code is added for you, so the same entry works whether you are at home, traveling, or abroad.
Every Spanish number is exactly 9 digits, and you dial all 9 of them. Spain has no trunk prefix and no separate area code to drop. This trips up callers used to the UK or Germany, where you remove a leading 0 after the country code. In Spain there is nothing to remove: the 9-digit number you see written on a card or website is the complete number, and it is the same whether you dial it from inside Spain or from the US.
The first digit tells you what kind of line it is. Landlines historically begin with 8 or 9, and the city is built into those digits, Madrid numbers start with 91, Barcelona with 93, Valencia with 96, and Seville with 95. Mobile numbers begin with 6 or 7. There is no extra step to reach a mobile versus a landline: the +34 prefix and the 9 digits are all you ever enter.
- Madrid landline: +34 91 XXX XX XX
- Barcelona landline: +34 93 XXX XX XX
- Any Spanish mobile: +34 6XX XXX XXX or +34 7XX XXX XXX
Why there is no 0 to drop
Many European countries use a domestic trunk prefix, a leading 0 you dial within the country and remove when calling internationally. Spain abolished that system years ago when it merged area codes into the subscriber number. The result is a flat 9-digit plan with no prefix at all.
Practically, that means you should never add or strip a 0 when calling Spain. If a Spanish business writes its number as 912 345 678, you dial precisely those 9 digits after +34. Adding a 0 will fail the call; dropping a digit will fail it too. Copy the number exactly as printed and prefix it with +34.
Time difference between the US and Spain
Mainland Spain runs on Central European Time, UTC+1 in winter and UTC+2 (Central European Summer Time) from late March to late October. That puts Spain about 6 hours ahead of US Eastern time and 9 hours ahead of US Pacific time for most of the year. If it is 10 AM in New York, it is around 4 PM in Madrid.
Because both the US and the EU shift their clocks, the 6-hour gap to the Eastern time zone holds steady through most of the year, with only short mismatched weeks in spring and fall. A comfortable window for reaching family or an office in Spain is roughly 9 AM to 9 PM local time, keep in mind that Spanish business hours often pause for a long midday break, and many offices reopen until 8 PM.
The cheapest way to call Spain from the US
US carriers treat Spain as an international destination, and without an add-on the per-minute charges to Spanish mobiles climb quickly. Roaming while you travel is worse still. A browser-based VoIP call routes over the internet directly to the Spanish carrier, so you pay only the destination rate, a few cents a minute, shown on screen before you dial.
Phonecall bills per second instead of rounding up to the next minute, has no monthly fee, and no minimum top-up, and your credit never expires. Your first 60-second call is free, so you can confirm a number connects before spending anything. App-to-app calling like WhatsApp or FaceTime is also free, but it only reaches someone running the same app on a smartphone, it will not connect to a Spanish landline, a hotel front desk, a bank, or a government office.
See live per-minute rates
How to call Spain from your browser, step by step
1. Open Phonecall
Go to phonecall.app in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge on any laptop, desktop, or phone. There is nothing to download and no SIM involved.
2. Sign in and allow your microphone
Create an account with email or Google, then allow microphone access when the browser asks so the other side can hear you.
3. Enter the number as +34
Type +34 followed by all 9 digits exactly as written. Do not add or remove a 0. Spaces are fine, they are stripped automatically.
4. Check the rate and press call
The per-minute rate to that Spanish number appears before the call connects. Press call; the person you are calling answers on their normal phone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the country code for Spain?
Spain's country code is 34. From the US you dial 011 + 34 + the 9-digit number on a regular phone, or simply +34 and the number from a browser-based service like Phonecall.
Do I need to drop a 0 when calling Spain?
No. Spain has no trunk prefix, unlike the UK or Germany. Spanish numbers are a flat 9 digits with nothing to remove. Dial +34 and all 9 digits exactly as the number is printed.
What is the time difference between the US and Spain?
Mainland Spain is on Central European Time, about 6 hours ahead of US Eastern and 9 hours ahead of US Pacific. Both regions observe daylight saving, so the gap stays roughly stable year round.
How can I tell a Spanish mobile from a landline?
Spanish landlines begin with 8 or 9 (Madrid 91, Barcelona 93), while mobiles begin with 6 or 7. You dial both the same way: +34 followed by the 9-digit number.
Calling Spanish landlines vs mobiles
Rates to Spanish landlines and mobiles differ slightly, and Phonecall shows the exact figure for the number you typed before you connect. Whichever you are calling, the dialing format is identical, +34 and 9 digits, no 0, and the call runs over carrier-grade HD voice infrastructure so it sounds clear on the other end.
Spain is home to a large business and tourism economy and millions of Spanish-speaking contacts, so reliable, low-cost calling matters. With per-second billing and a free first call, you can reach Madrid, Barcelona, or any town in between without a contract.