What is the best and most economical way to get around Spain with two small children (2 and 4 years old) and 3 adults? We will arrive in Madrid (for 3 days) and will spend 6 weeks in Salamanca. Additionally, we will travel to Valencia, Mallorca, Barcelona, and back to Madrid (for the flight back home) within a two week time span and two side trips to Toledo and Segovia. We would like to pack light, but aren't sure how realistic that will be with two toddlers. We also aren't sure about taking car seats since that would add extra bulk to what we are already taking for two months. Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23240 posts
IMO whether it is two small children or two big children the train is always a very good option. Kids not pinned in car seats for long period of times and a bathroom is always handy. And the buses are very good in Spain and would work nearly as well.
Posted by
Washington DC
27062 posts
I don't know your exact routing, but there is AVE service between Madrid and Valencia as well as between Madrid and Barcelona. Those trains are much, much faster than either a car or a bus. For other potential travel segments (such as Salamanca to Madrid and Valencia to Barcelona) the train still has an advantage, but not to the same degree. I did a quick check and Salamanca-Madrid seemed to be about 1:35 by train and 2:20 by bus; Valencia to Barcelona was about 3:15 by train and 4:00 by bus. Of course, a bus is more likely to be delayed because it is subject to traffic congestion, which would widen the gap.
In terms of cost, a bus will usually be cheaper, and probably substantially so if you buy your tickets late, after all the promotional rail tickets have been snapped up by others.
Although trains are nice in that they let children move around more, I really appreciate the ease of luggage handling on those occasions when I end up on a bus. You just roll your wheeled bag to the side of bus and lift it up about one foot. There's no need to wrestle the bag up 3 or 4 narrow steps onto the train and hope there will be space on the luggage rack if the bag is too large or heavy to be stowed overhead.
How are you getting to Mallorca? If by ferry, I think traveling Valencia-Mallorca-Barcelona is best, because it at least allows you to avoid the bus or train from Valencia to Barcelona. If you're flying, the fares from Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona as well as the schedules would factor into the decision.
I don't see any reason for you to rent a car on this trip unless you want to use one for some of the time you're in Salamanca to make multi-destination trips to places not well-linked by public transportation.
For rail schedules and fares, use Renfe.com
For buses, I'm finding it easier these days just to Google bus Salamanca to Madrid, but using Rome2Rio.com is an option. It is essential not to trust Rome2Rio's travel times, frequencies, or fares, because they are often works of fiction (I'm sure it's inadvertent, but it's dangerous to depend on that information all the same). If you keep drilling down on Rome2Rio, you'll usually uncover the name of the bus company operating the route you're investigating, and most likely there will be a link to the company's website as well.