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Train Booking question.......Paris ---> Barcelona ----> Madrid

I'm trying to book to passages on the train first leg being Paris to Barcelona with a 2-3 day stop in Barcelona and then off to Madrid for the second leg. It appears I cannot book the Barcelona to Madrid portion just yet. Should I wait a month to book the whole thing as a package or book the Paris to Barcelona leg now? I do not want the fares to go up too much.

FYI.....Passes are not an option as those are the only two train rides we will be taking as we will be heading to Santiago de Compostela after Madrid and then back to Spain. We plan on flying out of Asturias and doing a one-way car rental from Madrid.

Thanks for the help!

Miguel

Posted by
10203 posts

If you can buy the Paris-Barcelona part now, why not buy it? Then buy Barcelona-Madrid when it becomes available.

Posted by
16 posts

That is what I was wondering. I had read a few posts that there may be a bit of savings if booking one travel with a "outbound stopover" for a few days. Not sure if the savings was substantial enough or just book one leg now and the other later.

Posted by
3990 posts

I thought the concept of an outbound stopover discount is for air travel not train travel and even then only on certain airlines trying to drum up tourism business in their home country. So for example, you would not be likely to see one on a flight on an outbound US airline.

Posted by
16 posts

It is an option on loco2. You can also determine the number of days. Problem is that TGV booking is open while Renfe's is not.

Posted by
11294 posts

There is no advantage to waiting, and as you say, the prices will only go up. So book each leg as soon as it becomes available.