I am planning to go by bus from Madrid to Granada. I want to reach by 1 pm so that I can get half a day in Granada more.
I was planning to stay in Toledo and take the first train to Madrid, then take a taxi to ALSA Bus station for Granada. Is this feasible?
Alternately, will it be better to come back to Madrid in the evening and stay and take the bus from Madrid.
You can certainly do it from either Toledo or Madrid, but it depends on how long you want to be in Toledo. Going back in the evening from Toledo to start fresh in the morning would appeal to me. You could also train Madrid to Cordoba and bus from Cordoba to Granada in about the same time as the bus Madrid to Granada. We drove from Cordoba to Granada and it was quite easy.
https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/our-destinations
https://www.spainrailtravel.com/renfe-spanish-train-stations/
Thanks a lot Nick
It looks like there's a 9.00 bus that gets to Granada at 1.30, or one at 8.00 arriving at 1.00. (I looked at weekdays in early June). The train from Toledo takes about 1/2 hour. On weekdays the first ones to arrive in Madrid get in at 6.58, then 7.23, which leaves you time to get to the 8.00 bus. The next train arrives at 7.58 - good for the 9.00 bus. There's no later train that would work.
Note that this is NOT possible on weekends, since the first train doesn't leave Toledo until 9.25. The early trains are mostly for commuters.
If you are only spending one day in Toledo, it will be simpler to make it a day trip rather than schlepping your luggage plus the packing/unpacking, checking in/out hassle of changing hotels. And you aren't rushing in the morning. BTW if you are taking a morning train from Toledo, best to book in advance (they sell out) and be at the train station about 15 minutes beforehand to go through security.
Thanks Chani that was comprehensive
