How much time needed to check in for trains

What trains are you talking about? I see this post is on the Spain forum. I don't think most trains in Europe generally require "baggage screening". I think I heard of it being done for the Eurostar between the UK and France, but I've never experience baggage screening in my times to Europe (but I haven't been there in the last 5 years, and never in Spain).

There is no checking in for trains. Just go to the correct platform about 10 minutes early. In Spain they have a min screening of yourself at the entry to the platform. No luggage screening. Takes all of ten seconds.

Wrong boys. All luggage goes through screening as do all carryon, etc. In some stations, passengers walk under metal detectors. You will stop, show your photo ID that corresponds with the name on your ticket. In large cities, be there minimum 20, maybe 30 minutes early to get through screening and down to the platform as the lines can get long. In smaller stations, fifteen minutes should be safe.
I took trains from Barcelona and Girona last weekend.

This is the after affects of the terrible terrorist bombing a few years ago.

In 2019 at Madrid’s Chamartín station, the bags did go through a machine at the beginning of the platform, but It certainly wasn’t the kind of screening bags get at an airport. There was no check in, just went to the platform when it opened for boarding. The process took only a few minutes and was pretty useless, but Renfe could say that bags were checked. Nobody checked identification, but tickets were looked at.

What was interesting is that when we went from Lugo to Sarria, the bags were not sent through a machine; no bag check at all. So if a somebody wanted to do something bad they would just need to board a train in a small town.

Earlier this year, we took trains from:
Granada
Sevilla
Cadiz
Cordoba

In most places, we had our bags screened through the X-ray machines and had our passports checked. One station we did not, can’t remember which one.

We arrived about 30 min early and spent time waiting. 15/20 is prob fine, since this is about when they open up the check in process (in our experience).

Another traveler with recent experience on a few Spanish trains. I shoot for 30 minutes prior to departure from the major stations. The smaller station can cut it a little closer, as usually the security there is for the specific train. (Vs the big stations, where there’s a central security point to access the departure hall.)

@camille
As mentioned earlier... what sort of trains are you going to be travelling in? Except for a few ones (certain type of high-speed ones), the rest don't require screening or presenting any document, so you just turn up a few minutes before it's due to arrive and hop on when it does.

For attention of Frank
This is not the first time you have been caught giving out misinformation
Can you please stick to replies of which you have knowledge

In Spain Now, can add a little...

Yes, for long and medium distance trains, the faster Renfe products, you will either have your bags screened first, then ticket scanned, or vice versa, and on to your platform. So far, on 5 trains, IDs were not checked. It could be if the train is crossing into France or Portugal, then maybe. At one smaller station, no bags were checked, but that train started as a bus, then switched to a train at another town.

Also note that departing platforms are not noted until 10-15 minutes before departure in most cases, just watch the monitors. being at the station 20 to 30 minutes early is prudent.

I did notice some regional trains where no security check was required.

I took 5 train rides in Spain, earlier this year in March 2022. You should arrive about 50 minutes in advance. Give yourself time to find and use the baños publicos. Find where the line to go through security is. 30 minutes might be enough time to navagate the train station and get through the line but give yourself 40 minutes for a comfortable cushion of time. After 7pm in Toledo the train station was not crowded compared to the other stations I was at. At all stations, I had to put my bags through a luggage scanning machine, the staff had to look at my passport and ticket, I had to walk through a metal detector shaped like a door frame, and in Toledo and possibly somewhere else too, an employee waved a metal detecting wand over me. In Madrid and possibly Seville and/or another station, the line was long but moving quickly enough. Before or after you get past security, you have to find which track your train will arrive next to. The track number is shown on big digital screens, but not until 10 to 30 minutes in advance. Seating is assigned. Your ticket shows the number of your train car and the seat number. You only step from the platform onto the train about 5 to 10 minutes in advance but you should be on the platform before your train arrives, not rushing through the station or at security.

Thank you everyone!

At Madrid Atocha, you go through screening, then you pass into the waiting area (with comfortable seating, some refreshments for sale) to wait for your train. Because this area is for a lot of platforms, there can be a longish line. Barcelona Sants may be similar. All bags go through the machine, including shopping bags and purses. You usually have to take off coats and jackets too. It's pretty quick, nothing at all like airport security. When I visited, there was screening for Toledo trains as well.

Doors close 2 minutes before departure. If you and/or your luggage aren't on the train, you've missed it. If you don't have enough time to get to your designated car, just get on the train. You can make your way through to your car after the train departs.

Atocha is big so you may need time just to get through the station, depending on where you enter it. It's my recollection that the metro exit is close to the high speed trains, but the Toledo trains are farther away. Some people say they had trouble finding their way around. Barcelona Sants is much smaller than Atocha but to my mind, more confusing - but not enough to delay you more than a few minutes.