Last thing to book, transportation for our upcoming 1st time travel to Spain June 12 to June 30th of 2019. Time is valuable as well as funds, so using the fast trains. I am not 100% sure what to do. I have considered buying the pass for the both of us, but worried getting reservations we need and preordering looks confusing on the Renfe site. I understand she qualifies for the Tarjeta Dorado (discount for senoirs), but if I understand corrently you can only buy once there. So should I purchased train tickets when I get there to get discount? Like the discounts, but concerned that we won't be able to get a ticket for the desired dates and times of travel. All hotel stays and outings prebooked as per R. S. recommendations. Any suggestions or insights as to the best way to handle transportation. Traveling by train from Barcelona (5 nights) to Madrid (4 nights), than to Cordoba (1 night), next Sevilla (3 nights), return to Madrid. Than to Toledo for 3 nights, returning to Madrid spend the night near airport with my 79 year old Mom. Thanks in advance. -Gabriella
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
4656 posts
Hi. Have you reviewed seat61 website? This is a great site about train travel, particularly for European travel. That being said, there are limitations with the Tarjeta Dorado TD) such as whether it can be used during peak travel hours, etc. Often pre purchase saves the most. It migjt be a little late to make the most savings now, but you could book ahead your longer distances and most likely ssve. The train to Toledo never reduces fares for pre purchased tickets, so the TD might improve those tickets but perhaps not the cost of the TD ticket itself.
I had success booking via Renfe website, but some don't in which case there are alternate english sites to consider.
Posted by
Washington DC
28105 posts
You cannot buy Tarjeta Dorada-discount tickets out of the otherwise very handy (if your credit card works) vending machines at Madrid's Atocha Station. I spent 3 hours in line there in April. You should definitely buy the long-distance tickets in advance if only to avoid the dreadful situation at Atocha should your credit card happen not to work in the vending machines. Three years ago the lines to buy tickets to Toledo (in a different part of the station) were not too bad.
A year or so ago someone reported here on a nightmarish experience trying to use his Spain pass to get actual tickets. I think that pass is a very, very bad idea.
The Renfe website sometimes switches from English to Spanish midway through purchase transactions, so it may be better to buy from loco2.com. Do not use RailEurope, which is likely to be a lot more expensive.
Posted by
Massachusetts, USA
1700 posts
I used Loco2 to purchase all of our train tickets in Spain in 2017. I highly recommend them. I had no problems with them, and when I had questions, they always responded promptly. I also purchased our tickets online as soon as they went on sale. I, personally, would find it stressful trying to buy them the day of at the train station.
Posted by
Sevilla
1297 posts
Out of interest I checked.
As of today you can get a Barcelona to Madrid Promo fair for 17th June on an AVE for about €80. But if you wait and have a TD card then you can buy one on Flexible fair with a discount for about €65. But - importantly - if you wait then your Mum will buy it cheaper, but you might have to buy the Flexible ticket at the full price of around €105.
And, of course, that is just one route. You'd need to plan for each long-distance journey.
I realise that doesn't really help, and I'm just adding to the confusion. But, I think, what I'm suggesting is that even if you don't save every penny it might be more relaxing, and not much more expensive, to buy the long-distance Bar-Mad-Cor and Sev-Mad AVE tickets now so it's all dealt with. For the shorter routes, you don't need AVE speed (for Toledo it's not available).
Sorry if that's confusing. Ignore me or ask again!
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thanks everyone for your time again. I have my train tickets. Renfe was VERY tempermental, but I was able to get most of my train tickets. Buying from them directly was less expensive than the ones from the Eurorail.
Posted by
Paris
7304 posts
Great! For future reference, I find www.loco2.com is a less temperamental, more user-friendly way to get Spanish train tickets than Renfe, at no extra cost.