Help with train/bus info Madrid to Granada then Granada to Malaga

I'd take the bus from Malaga to Granada.
There are direct trains from Madrid to Granada depending on what time.

There are definitely direct trains from Madrid to Granada. I’m also seeing lots of direct trains between Granada and Malaga. What sites are you looking at for train info and what dates? Maybe they have not released the schedule yet for your dates.

There are supposed to be 3 trains a day that are direct from Granada to Malaga (not transferring at Antequera), travel time 1 hr 18 mins. The direct line opened Spring 2022, so you might not see it mentioned in Rick Steves book depending on when it was updated. I have a trip planned in February and I haven't seen these direct trains show up yet on the schedule for that month. I've been watching this one and another one that is for Malage to El Chorro. What I'm not sure about is if Renfe is just late loading their complete schedule or if this is due to construction happening in the region that is impacting the route and causing the schedule to be released late.

We have already purchased our tickets from Madrid directly to Granada for late April on the Renfe site. I cannot speak to the Granada to Malaga route.

The fastest high-speed trains from Granada to Malaga Maria-Zambrano station take 1:18 and do not require a change of trains in Antiquera. It looks like there is one of these in the mornings departing Granada about 7:35am with more in the afternoon. However, I do not see tickets for that train on Renfe’s website. It is possible that when Renfe ran a 5-day sale in November for all 2024 tickets on several high-speed routes that the fastest trains on the Granada to Malaga line sold out. The fastest high-speed trains from Madrid Atocha to Granada take 3:31. You can try Renfe’s 😂 website which says it sells high-speed train tickets online 90 days in advance of the train’s departure. Often www.TheTrainline.com is selling them weeks before Renfe does. In fact you can buy train tix NOW on The Trainline because they are selling tickets for your two routes for trains through May. Renfe, for whatever reason, is currently not selling any Granada to Malaga tickets for any dates beyond January.

The Madrid to Granada tix start at $21. The Granada to Malaga train tix are very expensive, ranging from $41- $91, likely because Renfe is the sole operator of high-speed trains on this route and therefore has no competition.
That makes an Alsa bus taking 1:45 for only $15 a consideration. www.BusBud.com sells bus tickets worldwide and sells them for the Granada to Malaga route as does The Trainline.
The fact that one can snap up train tix online at the lowest prices when they first go for sale is the primary reason I think travelers need to know about The Trainline. The early bird gets the worm and those relying on Renfe to buy their train tix may find the best tix are gone already because the early birds have snagged them all.
The Alhambra is well-worth the return trip to Granada.

Have a great trip!

Why on earth would anyone buy Alsa bus tickets other than through Alsa's own website?
Book direct and if there are any issues you are always far more likely to find things easier than through yet another third party consolidator like Bus Bud, who can't possibly be cheaper than Alsa.

When a public transit website is not user-friendly, uses terms the customer is not familiar with, requires an excessive amount of time to complete a ticket purchase, will not reliably process credit card payments, when your personal data ( passport number, credit card information etc.) is already loaded onto the App of another company you’re familiar with and trust— these are a few reasons some earthlings might prefer an alternative.
Alsa gets it because Alsa contracts with Busbud to sell its tickets.

Another option is to fly into Granada from home or Madrid. Both Iberia and Vueling.com have nonstop flights from Madrid to Granada saving the hassle of taking trains from Madrid’s airport to Granada.

Thank you all for your replies!! Which I haven't fully read yet. But that last one confused me. I thought the train from Madrid to Granada left from Atocha, isn't that the case? I don't think it leaves from Madrid's airport.

I was checking arbitrary dates, not the dates we are travelling because it's not time for that yet since we're going in May. I know that some seats are available up to 90 days in advance and others aren't.

Hubby loves train travel and while I'd love to fly from Madrid to Granada, he'd rather take the train.

I appreciate all perspectives, thanks!

I thought the train from Madrid to Granada left from Atocha

There’s a train from Madrid’s Barajas airport T4 to the Estación de Atocha station that requires a transfer to Granada. Since you are flying out of Madrid sleep there at the end of your stay.

Oh now I see what you're saying MaryPat. And yep, we'll be staying in Madrid our last 3 nights. My "travel agent" (are they called that any more?) got us a package deal that includes at least 3 nights in a hotel on their list. And she picked a nice one, the ME Madrid Reina Victoria where I guess Hemingway stayed. Looks nice!

Thank you Kenko for the train information. For our last trip 5 years ago I booked tickets on loco2.com, trainline is new to me but I see it's similar to loco2. I will definitely check them out for our train tickets! So their tickets are available roughly 90 days plus 2-3 weeks before departure date then?