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Renfe AVE with connections can't select seat? Not a fan of riding backwards.

I get nauseous if I travel backward and I'm trying to buy tickets from Barcelona to Malaga. There's a direct line from Barcelona but that one leaves too late (arrives around 22:00) we want to be in Malaga by mid afternoon.

So, there's one option with a connection at Antequera-Santa Ana with a 30 minute wait there. However, buying those tickets together doesn't give me the premium option where I can select my seat. And even with elige there's no option to select the seats (it's disabled). So I have a couple of questions:

Am I even able to select a seat that's going forward anyway with the premium option when it's available? I've heard conflicting information about it.

Posted by
2267 posts

Your last concern is the reality. While you can select the seat in a wagon, there is no way of knowing which way the wagon will go.

If your travel companion is willing to ride backwards you could reserve a set of seats facing each other, guaranteeing one facing each way.

Edit to add: This is a train journey against which flying would be an attractive, more pratical alternative.

Posted by
93 posts

Yeah, we know about the flight. We always take a train when we visit places so we thought that'd be it. Is the trip interesting? Otherwise, the flight may be a better alternative.

Posted by
6386 posts

Maybe you’ll get lucky and the train won’t be full so you could move to a seat facing forward.

Posted by
2267 posts

I get it—I'm a big fan of rail travel. But this ride is not particularly picturesque—mostly arid flatlands with olive (I think they were olives) groves.

Posted by
26840 posts

Spain's a country with approximately a gazillion worthwhile towns and cities, but it has a lot of dull scenery in the middle.

Posted by
10120 posts

I usually have no problem and rode a SNCF train backwards to my home in the south of France from CDG as recently as two weeks ago. In fact, I've taken a real rocky transatlantic with no problem. But as I write this, I'm in a Renfe, riding backwards and find myself having to take action to stay well. This train rides lower, has larger windows than French TGVs, and it's difficult to fix on distant horizons without the closer scenery throwing off my balance. It's easier to fix your eyes on distant mountains; flatlands are difficult.
Both 2 weeks ago and today we're in first, seats were assigned, no choice. Anyway, my choices always end up backwards no matter. I have never had a problem.

The NYTimes had an article on causes and avoiding motion sickness this past week. Keep your eyes fixed on something stable, or close your eyes and rest. I often watch movies on an iPad. Bon voyage and Adios.

Posted by
888 posts

I used trainline.com to buy our tickets from Madrid to Barcelona. It did have the ability to select facing direction of travel and quiet car. Renfe's site I found very confusing though it was useful in narrowing down which train departure time was cheapest.

Posted by
93 posts

Thanks for the replies.

I got a bit sick riding Portugal's Alfa Pendular and I was facing forwards. I think because of the tilting they have to go faster. In fact, I just read about it in the wiki page that I just visited to remember its name: 'the jostle and sway compensating for track irregularities may cause "travel sickness" in those susceptible.'