A friend is trying to buy the above ticket and is having trouble. I claimed I could help him -easily! - but, of course now that I look around, I can’t sort out the issue.
I can buy this ticket up until September 3rd and then it disappears. I’ve tried Renfe, Trainline and Rail Europe.
Normally it is a 2 hour direct train.
Thanks!
I got curious and looked. I plugged the message by the ticket times into Google Translate.
Sale cut off due to infrastructure maintenance work. Pending alternative transportation plan.
Thanks! I was thinking it was going to be an issue like that. I did some searching around for further info but can’t find any.
I don't want to queer your speech, but RENFE is possibly one of the worst rail companies when it comes to Customer Service. Leaving passengers in the dark is familiar with this previously state-owned company, which drags the old civilservant-isnotmyproblem mentality to this day. Despite the multimillion advertisement campaigns portraying a rosy service, thousands of travellers and commuters suffer their chaotic management, lack of planning and disregard for passengers day in and day out.
This is to say that you might (or might not) find out when/what this 'alternative service' is. Supposedly it's likely to be an end-to-end bus service... Still, one would think that TWO weeks before your travelling date someone should know whether these "construction works" are going to be finished by then or not, and if not, what exactly is one going to put in place to serve the passengers in this stretch... right? Think again.
Sadly this is RENFE, and I can imagine the anxiety of someone 5000 miles away and planning a trip... but that's the way it is with this company.
You might want to check ALSA's (bus company) website instead... I believe that tickets for this stretch are very inexpensive anyway.
Valerie,
According to Renfe, the renovations affecting the railway in Andalucía are scheduled to be completed on September 5, however, I doubt this will happen.
Back in 2015, while planning a trip to Andalucía with my elderly mother, there was railway construction/ renovation going on, and Renfe did supply alternative transportation.
However, I opted to travel by ALSA BUS, instead of having to deal with transferring from train to bus during the journey.
ALSA buses are air conditioned and comfortable. Your friends will have to place their luggage in the hold below before boarding the bus.
The bus station is on the outskirts of Granada so they can take a city bus, or a taxi, into the historic center. We took a taxi and it was fairly inexpensive.
Make sure your friends have booked their Alhambra tickets already.
Wishing them a wonderful trip!
