Hi,
I will be arriving at the Madrid airport with my family at 11:00 am. We are planning on taking the train to Cordoba the same day. Should I buy train tickets now and if so, how much time do I allot for passing customs and getting to the train station? Or should I just wait until we arrive to buy tickets? Should we take the bus to the train station? I believe we arrive in Terminal 1.
Thanks in advance for all your help!
Take a look at the schedule
Since there are several variables you cannot predict or control buy the tickets when you get there. There is a train ticket office in the airport at the same location as the bus pick up point to the train station. Buy you tickets there. Most likely no line.
We never buy train ticket or any othe entrance tickets for the same day of arrival you can't trust the airlines to be on time all the time . We have been delayed one hour to up to four hours, we will buy our tickets upon arrival at the train station prices may be higher most of the times but is better than not making it and losing the ticket fare . The extra amount I call it insurance ?
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/index.html
I count 33 trains scheduled on a random September Monday from Madrid Puerta De Atocha to Cordoba (you didn't say when you would be traveling). 43 to 73 Euros per person depending on the time of day and whether the trip takes 2 hours or 2.5 hours. It seems pretty safe to plan to buy tickets on the day when you need them.
Heather & Mark,
Due to unforeseen delays (flight, passport control, etc...) it’s best to wait to buy your day of arrival train tickets at the airport.
This is exactly what we did the last time we traveled to Córdoba on our day of arrival. We bought our tickets at the Renfe ticket office (Terminal 4).
Your AVE ticket will include a “Combinado Cercanías” (a combined ticket) that will allow you to take the commuter train from the airport to Madrid for free. You can get these tickets from the Cercanías ticket machine(s) right across the ticket office.
You’ll then take the C1 or C10 Cercanías train to Puerta de Atocha train station.
You’ll arrive to Puerta de Atocha on the lower level. The AVE train platforms are on the upper levels.
Puerta de Atocha is a huge train station and I found it a bit confusing especially since I was suffering from sleep deprivation and jet lag. There are Renfe employees in uniform (purple vest) whom you can ask for assistance if necessary.
Wishing you a wonderful trip!
Edited to add...
Here’s a Map of Puerta de Atocha Station.
The Cercanías train will arrive on the lower level (The Cercanías icon is a red circle with a white “C” facing backwards)
Hope this helps!
