We are scheduled to arrive in Madrid at 5:30 am and need to take a train to Valencia. How much time will we need to transfer, buy tickets, and catch a train? Do trains sell out? Do we need to buy tickets in advance?
Thank you for your suggestions l!
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
7308 posts
When I did it, I took the metro that opens at 6am. The metro ride takes an hour +/- and then there’s the time needed to walk to the metro at the airport. A wild card is the time it will take to get through immigration. Sometimes it takes 20 minutes while the longest it took for me was 1.5 hours.
Someone else will know more about trains.
Posted by
OP
Augusta, GA, USA
3 posts
We have only carry on luggage.and will take a taxi.
Posted by
TX, USA
4989 posts
When I did this, I was tired when I arrived in Madrid. So I called an audible and took a taxi (fixed rate). After I arrived at Chamartin, I decided I had been a little silly - I don’t think the public transportation is hard.
For train times, you might make your best guess but buy a flex ticket that will allow a change if it looks like you are going to be caught up in immigration.
Posted by
Chicago
710 posts
If you are flying on Iberia or Oneworld, you will most likely come into T4/T4S.
You can take the Cercanias (commuter) train from there to Chamartin. If you
have or purchase the ticket to Valencia before you leave the airport, the
commuter train is included, and it is only 15 minutes train ride. So it is most
likely faster and definitely cheaper than a taxi. If you take the Metro, you
will have to change lines to get to Chamartin.
The Metro and Cercanias trains are in the same area of the airport. There are
machines for ticket purchases as well as staff to assist.
I looked and train tickets from Chamartin to Valencia tomorrow are like $15. So
I wouldn't worry about buying tickets in advance.