Train from Seville to Granada

There's some construction on the Granada train line - I haven't been since it started but I understand that it is preventing direct trains on a lot of routes. I'm sure someone who has been in the last year or so (it's been 2 years for me) can answer in more detail.

I will recommend looking at the ALSA bus line. I've taken it on a similar route (Cordoba to Granada) as well as a couple other routes. In my experience it was cheaper than the train, had more departures at better times, and since Granada isn't on a high speed line...the time was similar. Comfortable, etc. You can buy tickets on the website (use paypal, I had difficulty with a US credit card) or at the station.

Kozey244,

Presently, there is a Bus-AVE combination from Granada to Sevilla (& vice-versa) due to railroad renovations (since April 2015)
If you choose to go this route, you will travel by bus from Granada => Antequera Santa Ana, then transfer to an AVE train =>Sevilla
(or vice-versa)

We visited Andalucía in October & we chose to travel by bus (ALSA) because I didn't want the hassle of transferring from train to bus, etc...

We purchased our bus tickets at the bus station, (when we were in Córdoba), then traveled to Granada (2 hours travel time) then we traveled by bus from Granada => Sevilla (travel time 3 hours).

The ALSA buses are very comfortable & they have A/C.

Here is ALSA's website to check schedules: https://www.alsa.es/en

Make sure you book your tickets for the Alhambra in advance.

Enjoy your trip!

The downside to the direct bus journey is the bus station in Granada is on the edge of the city, requiring extra in a taxi or probably one or two buses to or from. The present RENFE train/bus journey starts or arrives at the train station, near central.

While I continually read about the train track work it seems to be an urban myth that is perpetuated. I was worried about this myself. but did a round trip to Granada from Seville in october and the train goes right into the station in downtown Granada. No Bus etc that get talked about.

Steve,

I'm very intrigued... When you traveled from Sevilla to Granada in October, did you change trains in Antequera?

Prescilla,

I seem to recall the train went through that city (wasn't paying much attention), but there was no change of train. A easy and simple 3 hour train ride to/from Seville. I just looked on the Renfe site again, and I see the same 3 trains per day from Seville to Granada. I can't find any notes on RENFE related to detours etc. If there was an issue with that particular route I would assume I wouldn't be seeing the availability to book that route on line.

I was there in late October, but I can only presume that earlier in the year there was some other construction and there is some perception that those conditions still exist. I just know there was no issue for me and I would think it a shame for people to do some convoluted work around with buses and whatnot when it is a rather simple trip from Seville.

Steve,

I was there in late October, but I can only presume that earlier in the year there was some other construction and there is some perception that those conditions still exist. I just know there was no issue for me and I would think it a shame for people to do some convoluted work around with buses and whatnot when it is a rather simple trip from Seville.

I understand... So... after researching the Renfe website, I found the notice that was revised on October 27, 2015, where they explain about the existing renovations I alluded to on my first post above:
http://www.renfe.com/empresa/comunicacion/incidencias.html (click on Andalucia-- Media Distancia)

The downside of Renfe's website is that the "avisos" (notices/news) are in Spanish, & sometimes google translate is not very
accurate.

After reading your response, I was very intrigued, so I decided to call Renfe directly.

The Renfe representative explained that the renovations are still in progress (should have been completed sometime in December),
& that there may have been some trains that traveled from Sevilla to Granada, however, presently the trains cannot continue past Antequera, due to railroad tracks still missing (work in progress) from Antequera to Loja {a city between Antequera & Granada}, & travelers will transfer to a bus to continue on to Granada.

This work in progress affects any trains traveling from Córdoba to Granada, or any train in route to/from Granada that passes through Antequera.

The good news: Once Renfe completes all the renovations, there will be AVE trains (high speed) directly to/from Madrid to/from Granada, (also from/to Córdoba to/from Granada) and AVE trains to/from Granada to/from Barcelona!

Having said this, according to the latest news ("dated January 30, 2016") given to Renfe representatives, they still don't know when the renovations will be completed.

Thanks for that research, Priscilla. Current schedules with connections or bus replacements at Atequera Santa Ana are published through April 7. Later schedules may not be published much in advance, since they'll be waiting to see how far they get on the construction. I have not seen any recent source that announces a completion date, and those are rarely accurate, anyway. For instance, the high speed train opening between Madrid and Barcelona was pushed back several times.

While schedules currently show some Sevilla-Granada departures as direct trains, I believe they simply are not reflecting the fact that a portion is or could be by replacement bus. For trains coming from the north, a connection at Antequera is clearly shown in timetables, but again expect the Antequera-Granada leg to be by bus, not by the train indicated.

Laura and Priscilla,

Interesting but I can't seem to locate any notices to the effect of any renfe disruptions in that area. The Renfe link earlier in the thread shows the 3 announcements affecting the general region but nothing specific on that particular line. Maybe it was there but is gone now?

I'm not sure about the reference to through April 7th other than I found some older references but that applied to 2015 not 2016.

In any case I had no issues on my trip in late October. Maybe I was lucky, but it would be interesting to find an actual first person account from someone traveling that route since last last fall who actually had issues.

I'm traveling the same route again later this month.. So I suppose I'll find out myself.

Steve,
It sure sounds like you were lucky!

There was a post here on the forum back in April 2015, when the notice first appeared on the Renfe website.

If you're interested in reading it, you can search it by using the search bar above. I think the title was something like; 'Summer train disruptions to Granada'.

Anyway, since I was planning our trip to Spain, I continued to follow all the 'avisos' on the Renfe site.

After reading your post a few minutes ago, I researched the Renfe site again, and didn't find the notice I mentioned on my post last week, as it has been replaced by newer notices.

So Steve, enjoy your trip!

EDIT: Here is the link to the post from April 2015:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/spain/summer-train-disruptions-on-granada-bobadilla-line-granada-madrid-granada-sevilla

I have a direct train from Granada to Seville February 20. I could only book it about 3 weeks out and I believe it was only available on limited days. The cost was 30 Euros.

While it is 3 hours, it is direct.

If you look at the Renfe schedule when you choose a train, ALL the trains from Sevilla to Granada have a little red exclamation point inside a little red circle to the left of the departure time. If you hold your mouse over it, a message magically appears that explains in Spanish, and then in Google translation English (not to be confused with English as written by people) that the portion of the journey between Antequera and Granada is by bus.

I don't see any reason to doubt that you'll be entering Granada on a bus.

Chani, you're correct!

These renovations are taking way longer than expected.
But once the renovations are completed, it will be nice to take an AVE directly from Madrid to Granada;
Córdoba to Granada, & Sevilla to Granada (& vice -versa on all of these routes)

Steve,
What's the update (since you're there)?

The Renfe website is still showing that the renovations are still in progress.