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Spain Renfe AVE Trains With Large Amounts of Luggage

Heading to Spain May 2025 with family (3 of us). We travel heavy and this will not change. Normally we fly and travel by rental car. But for Spain, teenager in family wants to experience train ride. Looking at Renfe AVE train from Barcelona to Granada and then late trip, same, Renfe AVE, from Seville to Madrid. We will be traveling in the premium class with more room between seats.

For the 3 of us will have 4 large (checked) bags (one 29", three 26") plus large "carryon" bags (backpack size) and ladies each a purse. Given the number and size of bags, will we experience problems at Barcelona or Seville train stations getting on to train AND then being able to find storage?

Is it correct that they will not closely inspect bag dimensions, weights, etc and easy to get on board AVE? Also, once on board, how likely we will find space at end of car? And if not, have I read correctly we can wheel some of the large bags into our seating area and store there, in front of legs?

If this will not work out, will likely just fly but then we will certainly need to deal with excess baggage weights. Alternatively, as fall back will just rent a car and drive. For Granada to Seville, planning to take bus, since it's a short journey and I understand very easy with large/excess baggage.

Posted by
8200 posts

Your biggest issue is being able to move that amount of bags (7 plus purses?) between the three of you between any point a and b. Basically, it does not work to make multiple trips to shuttle luggage. This applies everywhere, even just getting to your hotel.

If you can not carry it all at one time, then you need to seriously re-examine what you need to bring.

To your original point though, yes, you should be fine on the train.

Posted by
2 posts

thanks. we can manage to handle and move the bags all at the same time. We've been doing the same routine across many other countries every year now for past 12 years. Just in past we have always stuck to planes and car rentals.

Posted by
8227 posts

No problem but make sure to not put you passport or your wallet in any kind of bag and to carry valuables on you. There are professional thieves on public transportation.

Posted by
1342 posts

Your biggest issues will likely be 1) finding a place to put those huge bags where they won't block foot traffic and 2) dealing with the stink-eye you'll get from Spaniards and others who travel lighter and hate having to tiptoe around other people's large baggage, and who hate to see one family using up all the baggage space.

Big bags and lots of them are IME regarded as bad form by most train travelers in Europe.