I am struggling to find and book a train to travel to Ponferrada from Madrid to commence our pre booked Camino walk, May 22. We are a party of 2 people.
All the train sites are telling me there are no trains available for this trip??? Would appreciate any advice, we do have 3 days in Madrid can I organize once there in Spain or would this be too late? Do not mind if we travel to Ponferrada by bus as another option
Many thanks if any help,
Sally
Posted by
Citizen of the World
2512 posts
It appears that Renfe is late, once again, in loading its train tickets into its online ticketing system. If Renfe was an employee, it would have been fired by now. I checked the Trainline for train tix from Madrid Chamartin-Clara Campoamor train station to both Ponferrada and Leon for several dates around May 22. Both destinations from Madrid show train tickets are “Not Available” even though they should have gone on sale a week or two ago.
Renfe— Spain’s national train company—is notorious for these frustrating delays which don’t comply with Renfe’s own stated policy of selling high-speed train tix 90 days in advance of the train’s departure date.
I had a similar experience trying to buy train tix from Madrid Chamartin to San Sebastian. They did not go on sale until about 35 days before the date of the train’s departure. All I can suggest is keep checking every morning and check sites such as www.TheTrainline.com and www.Omio.com which are contracted with Renfe to sell its train tickets.
Posted by
Wengen
2806 posts
I would not check tickets every morning, but yes, RENFE is is a law upon its own. I have train travel in Spain planned in May as well. I plan on getting my reservations (I am using a Pass for this trip) later this month.
If booking is not open yet nobody can buy tickets, and thus the train cannot sell out. Once it opens the tickets will not be immediately gone. This is not a Taylor Swift concert :-)
For example: Looking at departures for today, I still see tickets. Price around 36,- euro...
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Renfe now have a train scheduled May 21, Madrid to Ponferrada, leaving 5.30pm, arriving 9.45pm. This seems to be the only direct/no transfer service with nothing leaving in the morning! We start our Camino walk the next day so would like to be in Ponferrada sometime in the afternoon.
Is traveling to Ponferrada by bus /ALSA, a good and reasonable option? There appears to be bus services available through out the day.
Thanks for any help
Sally
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9344 posts
I hope this works out for you as having some time to sight see in Ponferrada is worth it.
The Alsa bus takes almost the same amount of time as the train. I like the buses in Spain, comfy, and with wifi.
https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/home
Posted by
Lake District, England
9034 posts
Next week there should be a morning train at around 0956 opens up with a 29 minute change in Leon.
The train from Leon is a regional service, which opens two months ahead of time. The Madrid to Leon trains that day at 0915 and 0956 are already open as they are high speed services.
We know there is a morning connection by looking at dates closer in (including today and up to early May).
As WengenK says the high speed trains are not a Taylor Swift Concert- they are not going to sell out two months ahead of time, in the intervening week.