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Train details

Posted by on

Hello,

My wife and I need to take a train from Madrid to Seville the day we arrive on March 27th. Our flight gets in at 11:30 AM. I am thinking a 3:00 train might be safe in terms of a potential flight delay, time getting off the plane, going through customs/immigration, and then taking transportation to the train station.

Questions:

1) Do you think this timeframe is appropriate or would you schedule the train earlier or later? Trains for March 27th have posted to Renfre's website.

2) Can I confirm that the best station option leaving from Madrid is the Puerta De Atocha? And arriving in Seville, is it Santa Justa? We are staying in the city center.

3) The trip durations differ somewhat. For example, there is 3:00 train that is for 2 hours, 21 minutes. The 2:00 train is for 2 hours, 40 minutes. Is there a reason for this difference? Will we have to change trains for the Madrid-Seville trip?

4) In researching options for Seville-Granada, train descriptions vary from "AVANT-AVE" to "AVE-AVE" to "LD-AVE." I presume this means we will need to switch trains. What do these different options mean?

5) For Granada, I'm wondering if it will be easier for us to take a bus. I prefer the train as we can get up and walk around, relatively comfortable restrooms. But I don't like that we may need to transfer. It looks like about a 3 hour trip by bus from Seville-Granada while the trains vary quite a bit--the shortest one is 2 hours, 25 minutes (looking at January 21).

Thank you

Posted by
7834 posts

  1. I think that time is appropriate low risk. Hopefully you get a good price and your flight arrives on time.

  2. Correct,

  3. No, you will not have to change trains. The time difference may have to do with other train traffic on the tracks at the Madrid or Seville train station.

  4. Those are high speed rail services versus MD which is slower train service. It has nothing to do with switching trains. None of the trains from Seville to Granada on January 21 require a change of trains

  5. The bus is an excellent option and a lot cheaper. I used ALSA for the Seville to Granada route last year. But if you think you will need to use the toilet during a 3 hour ride go with the train.

Posted by
1296 posts

2) Those are the stations for the fast trains between the cities, so they are the ones to choose. Be aware the Seville SJ is some distance from the centre, more than most would walk - a taxi might make sense since you've already been travelling a lot that day.

3) I think that's just different timetabling, you wouldn't need to change unless it says you need to. One train might, for exampke, stop at an additional station.

4) The x-y means you have to change. If you click on the train service it will tell you where. I suspect it will be Cordoba - any beginning AVE certainly will be. To avoid changing you can take thw whole route by coach ( "bus"). Try the Alsa website for details. The different AVE, LD, etc letters refer to the type of train used.

PS "None of the trains from Seville to Granada on January 21 require a change of trains". Actually some do and all the faster services do. The direct services are all MD - fine, but a bit slower.

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