Hi,
I will be traveling preferably via train in Spain in April.
Thanks!
While there are different stations, any given intercity train will only stop at one. If you select the ‘all stations’, ex: “Madrid (Todas)” it’ll just display the appropriate choices.
Long distance trains get more expensive closer to departure, and frequently sell out. Best to buy as soon as your plans are firm.
Train travel in Spain is great- fast, efficient, comfortable.
We took the train to each of your cities with tickets purchased on Renfe. We purchased the tickets as soon as we had our hotels and flights booked knowing the dates wouldn’t change.
A tip, book first class tickets if you can. They weren’t much more € and worth the extra expense. Like most travelers with the unfamiliar, we always get to the station early. With a first class ticket we were able to sit in the lounge, (yes, there are lounges in every station) enjoy a coffee/tea, some snacks, and a clean bathroom. They have a board with the departure info so we could keep track of our train.
When arriving at each city, it is very civilized, not chaotic like at JFK. A line for taxis with plenty of taxis waiting. Larger cars for 4+ people.
I believe that Rick mentions stations at the end of the city chapter under Connections.
Buses are for the most part clean and efficient as well, and are a good
option for shorter legs of a trip, or if you want a low-cost option. Trains
will of course be faster on the longer routes since they are usually
high-speed trains.
As Scudder points out, you won't have a choice of stops if you're on
an inter-city train, but you do want to know what station it is to know
how to get to your final dest after the train. Madrid has two main
train stations (Atocha and Chamartin). Granada and Sevilla have one
main station. Your intercity train ticket may give you access to the
commuter lines (not necessarily the subway) for a few hours so you
can get closer to where you're going.
To get to the point of your question, for the three cities you mention, in Madrid, Atocha station (Puerta de Atocha) serves the South and is the main station in Madrid for the two towns you mention.
Seville and Granada being a bit smaller, you may or may not need to specify a station, but if needed:
For Seville: Seville Santa-Justa has the high speed trains. The station is not centrally located, so you will need to take a bus or taxi closer to the city center.
For Granada, well, I do not recall it being called anything but Granada station. It too is more than walking distance from the center area of interest, again handy buses or taxi to the old quarter.
How soon to buy tickets? You can get cheaper tickets by buying earlier, but really no more than a month or two ahead. The deepest discount is 50% if bought 30 days ahead. Tickets have a "full" price, so they do not go up astronomically near the date, though on peak/off peak pricing is used.
Trains, the high speed ones, are fast, clean, and comfortable. Buses vary a bit by company, but generally are good as well, and needed if you get off the good, but sparse, high speed rail network.
On trains, you will need to go through security, not quite like TSA, but you do need to stand in line, put your bag through an x-ray, and move on. Your Passport number is required to buy tickets. Some report problems purchasing on Renfre, but I do not recall problems using the app.
For Buses, you can buy tickets before getting on at a counter or machine. I found the counter better because in many stations there are a multitude of different windows (and machines) with different companies, but if you make the best guess, if wrong they will point you to the best option for the time of day.
Thanks everyone! This is so helpful!
I looked up Renfe and other websites and unfortunately it seems all tickets are sold out except 6am and 3pm tickets on the day I am traveling in April. In reviewing the itinerary, it appears all the available routes have transfer at Cordoba (25-50 minutes) and is 20-30 euros more expensive. Though I would prefer train over bus, taking the luggage in and out seems like a hassle. Do you recall having to transfer when going from Granada to Seville?
Also anyone who booked through Omio app and used Iryo train? I booked using the app for the route from Seville and Madrid and wondered why it didn’t show availability like Renfe does for Granada to Seville.
Thanks in advance!
In March, I traveled from Granada to Madrid with a transfer in Cordoba (with tickets from Renfe). We simply moved across the platform. So yes, it was an additional off the train and on the train but no movement within the station. There was an employee (or 2) making sure everyone was in the right place. Like you, I usually prefer train over bus and chose this one for the departure and arrival times.
I think you are trying to buy too early. It might help to post the routes and dates you are traveling, others may have some insight. But in general, likely not all routes have been posted for April, and I have often heard people comment about trains on Renfre being "sold out" long in advance, when in reality the seats have just not been released.
As for Omio, it is a third party booking site. Usually they do not show all routes, only the pricier, popular routes are shown, likely the high speed options, regional trains many times are not shown.
I’m seeing full availability on Renfe from Madrid to Sevilla up until April 17th. Tickets beyond that not yet released for sale.
I’ve traveled on Iryo a number of times, always booked directly. The service is perfectly fine, and usually a significant discount below Renfe’s pricing.
Thanks everyone! So helpful always.
It looks like Iryo seems cheaper but doesn’t have a route that goes from Granada to Seville’s
For Renfe, I see a new availability pops up as the day goes by likely due to checking availability maybe too early.
I love train but in this case given the wait time for the transfer (about 50 minutes) and price, I may have to opt for Alsa bus.
Not sure how to choose the type - comfort etc with a bathroom on their website and if it’s worth getting the travel insurance they offer. If anyone has any thought on this, let me know. Otherwise, thanks again!!
I have already booked our train from Madrid to Granada on 23-April, 7:25 am. While I understand the train stops in Cordoba on the way to Granada, there is no indication on my ticket that we need to actually change trains in Cordoba. It is the same train number (AVE02076) all the way through. I will be sure to ask when we board in Madrid, but I am guessing that the need to change trains in Cordoba may be dependent on the train route? Perhaps some trains go from Madrid through Cordoba and onto Granda and some go from Madrid to Cordoba to another destination. This will be our first experience with the Spanish rail system and will be using it heavily for our six week visit. For what it's worth, we have had very positive experiences on the Italian rail system.
there is no indication on my ticket that we need to actually change trains in Cordoba. It is the same train number (AVE02076) all the way through.
It will be the same train, you just stay put in your seat. If there were a change, they would list the station, then a new train number.
This has been very informative for me, also a bit troubling, as I'm planning to visit Spain in April and travel by train. It might just be me, but I've had some trouble navigating the RENFE site. I've been selecting some days in April and often get a message that says, "no train selected yet" or something similar. I wonder how far in advance I can purchase tickets, and how far in advance do I need to, before they get sold out. I'm also interested in a pass, but they've taken down the portal for 2023 (obviously), but the 2024 was not up, as of yesterday. Can anyone tell me if a pass is worth it, as opposed to individual tickets? The other thing the puzzles me is that some trains say there is no premium available. Does that means they've already sold out, or just don't have it on those particular trains?
This is a bit frustrating, as I'd like to have some freedom to change my mind while I'm in Spain. Last time I was in Spain, eons ago, you just showed up with your Eurail Pass and hopped on, and off. Times have changed!
