Granada to Cordoba by train/bus

Take the bus. You would have to switch trains and it takes much longer. The bus is direct.
You can easily buy tickets at the Cordoba bus station. It's about 3 hours and a pleasant trip-just know there is no toilet on the bus, so visit the WC beforehand.
For the trip between Madrid and Toledo, taking the AVE is your best bet and you can buy tickets online on the RENFE website. The return from Toledo frequently sells out. The RENFE website is known for its non-user friendly status, but I really didn't have too many problems. Be sure to pay for your ticket with your PayPal account as the site doesn't take non-Spanish credit cards.

Thanks Emily. This really helps in my planning.

Whoops! I meant you can by bus tickets at the Granada station! Buses run frequently-I think hourly or every other hour. Glad I could help!

Thanks again Emily.
We're planning an overnight stay in Cordoba. Any good reliable hotel recommendation?
From Cordoba to Madrid our next destination-do you recommend taking the train vs bus?
BTW, we're not youngsters anymore. My husband and I are in our 60's but travel is our passion and we'd like to continue until.......
Truly appreciate your insight.

Ethelynne

The train from Cordoba to Madrid is direct and takes about 2 hours. Again, you can book this on the Renfe site.

I stayed at Hotel Conde Cardenas, a fairly no-frills place easy walking distance to modern Cordoba, and about 10-15 minutes walk to the Mezquita. I don't like staying near sites-I prefer staying around restaurants and bars where I can return easily after an evening out. This place is extremely close to all kinds of restaurants, taverns, shopping, and public squares where you can be entertained until the wee hours of the morning! Neither the bus nor the train station is within walking distance of the city center, but cabs are plentiful and reasonable.

You can save money by buying your Cordoba-Madrid train tickets in advance. But you may save as much by getting the Tarjeta Dorada (Gold Card) for seniors. You need one each, costs about €6 and you can only buy it in person at a train station. Once you have it, you can buy train tickets at a discount of 25% or 40% (the discount is higher on the mid-week low travel days). I have bought tickets on-line using the discount with the help of my hotel for printing. For some trains, the tickets need to be purchased at least 24 hours in advance. This will save you time and hassle at the station.

The tickets between Madrid and Toledo should be bought a day or two in advance just because they sell out - there are lots of locals commuting and day tripping tourists.

On both my visits to Cordoba, I stayed at Don Paula. It's family-run, clean, comfortable and not expensive. It's in the Old City, a short walk to all the sights. As Emily said, taxis are the best way to get to/from the train station and they aren't expensive. There's a fine selection of restaurants and cafes.