Choosing Transportation in Spain

This won't answer all your questions, but may help with some of them. On our most recent visit (in Fall 2013), we visited Toledo as a day trip from Madrid by train, and El Escorial and Segovia as a 2-day trip from Madrid, spending the night in Segovia. We took trains to El Escorial and then on to Segovia, but took the bus back to Segovia the next day. We got our return tickets at the Segovia bus station, but that was a bit frustrating, as the attendant window wasn't staffed the whole time, and the machines that sold tickets didn't all take credit cards. The cash-only machines, used by the locals, only took them a few seconds to get their tickets and had no lines. The one machine that took credit cards (and was challenging for us non-locals to figure out) had a long line, and I believe we even missed the first bus, not having gotten our tickets yet, and not identifying the correct bus along the platform for Madrid. We eventually got our tickets, and, after reconfirming which bus was going to Madrid, got back in the late afternoon.

On a previous trip (way back in 2002, when the dollar was worth more than the Euro, and Alhambra tickets were a lot less complicated), we were on-foot in Granada, but had a car for visiting Ronda and surrounding Andalucian places, which worked great. Sevilla, however, is not a place for a tourist with a car. We stayed in the Old Town, so we parked the car for 3 days in a parking lot (not cheap, but we needed the car after we headed out from Sevilla). Just getting to the parking lot in the first place, getting buzzed by about a million motor scooters, was harrowing.

By the way, the 3 of us each saw the Alhambra at our own separate paces, without an organized tour. The self-guided tour descriptions in Rick Steves' guidebook served us very well.

We had to scan our bags thru X-Ray machines before getting on the trains, but it's not nearly as much of an ordeal as airport security. Some Spanish train stations have luggage lockers, where you can stow bags. Check out this link from The Man in Seat 61 Website: https://www.seat61.com/luggage-lockers-at-stations.htm

It sounds as if you don't have a guidebook. You'll find answers to a lot of your questions in a good one. From memory, I think Rick's "Spain" covers all of your planned destinations.

I think you might just manage to get to El Escorial, Avila and Segovia by the end of Day 4 via public transportation, but I believe you'd have a late arrival in Segovia and would want a good bit of time there the next day. It's quite an interesting place. I am not much of a fan of Avila and consider it imminently skippable unless you asolutely must walk on the wall. Can't comment on El Escorial since I've never been there.

This feels like a lot of moving around, but the distances may not be too bad. You can get rough driving-time estimates from viamichelin.com, but understand that they do not include the impact of traffic, stops, looking for parking, or getting lost. The consensus here is that VM is over-optimistic. In addition, four adults plus four adults' luggage in a rental car may make for tight quarters, and you'll need to be able to stash absolutely all the luggage in the trunk when you stop to sightsee en route to a new hotel (unless you find another option).

You can save a bit of money on longer train trips by buying well in advance. Trains don't often sell out, but I think I've seen the occasional Madrid-Cordoba-Seville train marked "Full". Bus sell-outs are a lot less common, but Rick warns readers not to wait until the evening to buy return tickets from Toledo to Madrid since Toledo is such a popular day-trip destination. It's accessible by either train or bus.

Edited to add: Discounted advance-purchase train tickets are usually non-changeable and non-refundable.

Granada, Ronda and arriving in Seville are manageable by car. Search for lodging with Parking. Ibis appx 1.6 km from the center of Granada is an option. Easy to get to Alhambra. Parking available. Tickets can be purchased at site with window or machine. Granada center was easy to enter and exit by car. We stayed outside Ronda and had no problem with parking within Ronda in late spring. We came from the NW into Seville. Explored the roman ruins north of the city before heading slightly SW to stay at GIT Mirena. It is located on the Metro just outside the zone 1. Both of these lodgings are fair to moderate. GIT did place us on the 13th floor with a view of Seville. A beauty at night. The area has several options for dinner after 2030. Remember to have snacks cuz in Spain they eat very late. Many have suggested parking in the metro parking just toward the end of zone 1. Seville freeway ramps to enter and exit appeared to be crazy but while traveling it went well. It was a bit weird, the local traffic seemed to slow although the locals did know where they were going. We have driven in and out of Madrid too. We stayed at a B&B that turned out to be right next to the walking bridge to the airport. I do have a story for another time. I suggest if you are flying out of Madrid return car the day or night before. The car rental entrance was a bit confusing to us. There is an IBIS near Madrid airport.

I don't believe sl.wolf means that you can walk right up to the Alhambra and buy same-day tickets. It is regularly mentioned on this forum that they frequently sell out. Advance purchase is highly recommended, possibly essential if you don't want to be stuck buying a tour that costs a great deal more than the (no longer available) Alhambra ticket.

As acraven says, you should get Rick Steves Spain, right away. He has detailed directions on how to get between these places, both with and without a car. He also will tell you where you can store luggage, how to buy Alhambra tickets, and much more, including questions you didn't even think to ask.

If you do want to drive, you would wait until leaving Madrid to rent the car. You can then go direct from Segovia to Toledo (no need to backtrack through Madrid or to ditch the car). Again, driving in cities like Granada or Cordoba is challenging, but Rick has directions on where to park to avoid the worst problems.

If you don't want to drive, much of your trip would work by train and bus. Buses go everywhere; if there are high speed trains on a route (eg, Madrid to Cordoba and Seville back to Madrid), they are over twice as fast as driving. Buses in Spain are fine - not at all like Greyhound in the US.

The only possible hitch I see without a car is Gibraltar - it's time consuming to get to by bus from almost anywhere else of interest, quite far from Granada, and no train goes there. If you aren't renting a car, you may have to skip it.

Trains will be cheapest bought in advance as non-refundable and non-exchangeable tickets, and more expensive bought at the last minute. Buses are much cheaper, and can usually be bought on the day of travel or a few days before.

Thank you for all the posts with very helpful information. We have bought a Rick Steves book! We have just booked all our Airbnb places and will study up on car, train, and bus options. Now we know where we will be and when, tickets can be booked for the Alhambra and other sites. Thanks!

One thing to consider on a multiple stop trip (like your proposed Madrid-Segovia) is that you will have your luggage with you. If you decide on public transportation, make sure that you will be able to store your luggage conveniently at each stop. If you choose to rent a car, make sure that there will be enough space in the trunk to store all your belongings safely out of sight. Even larger rental cars often have little luggage capacity.

Because I always drive when in Spain, consider renting a car for the area around Madrid. Pick up the rental at the airport then visit El Escorial - Segovia - Avila - Toledo and then over to Consuegra before returning the car to the airport. Rather than returning to Madrid after a day trip, you could stay in Segovia perhaps. Escorial and Avila are good for a few hours each while Toledo and Segovia are worth at least a full day or longer, if you have the time. Consuegra (castle and windmills) is worth a couple hours if you toured the castle. In Toledo we always stay at the Maria Cristina hotel. It's only a few minutes walk to the old Town and it has a parking garage.