Hello, we are traveling to Portugal via Madrid. Has anyone used the Trenhotel? Do you recommend it? Can you actually get a good night's sleep? What alternative do you recommend?
TIA!
Laura
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
I did this about 10 years ago. It was fine as far as night trains go (which are a fast disappearing thing). Unless you have lots of time to kill, I would not recommend the daytime trains as it is an all day journey.
Part of me loves overnight trains - the romance and meeting people and waking up in a new city. And I love trains. But I'm done doing overnight trains as it really is hard for many people to sleep and even if you do sleep ok, you still aren't fully rested and need a shower the next day long before you can check into your hotel. But I've never had a "bad" experience, in which something truly bad happens.
Unless you do want the experience, I would recommend flying. Its quick and you'll be in Lisbon in time for dinner.