Hello,
we are going on our first trip to Spain and want to know about best way to get from Madrid to Fatima. Want to see Avila and maybe Salamanca, so thought about car from Madrid to see those, spend night in Avila and drop car in Salamanca before getting on bus over to Guarda, Portugal to avoid car drop fee of $200 plus. then get car in Guarda to drive to Fatima. This is for family of 3 so also thought of day trip to Avila from Madrid, then leave car and take night train to Lisbon, get car there and drive to see Fatima and Santarem, spend night in Fatima and drive back to Lisbon. Just can't figure out cost of night train from Madrid to Lisbon and if we need to buy 4 tickets instead of 3 so that we have sleeper to ourselves and can lock it...isnt' that important?
we leave from U.S. on Sat. so have to find out how to figure this out along the way if not all clear now. how is the driving in Spain?
Planning to take train from Barcelona to Toledo before seeing Madrid. thanks so much for all the info given to help us!
Patti C.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Here are some ideas:
Don't spend this much effort to get to Fatima unless it will be really important to you. Otherwise, it's just a church.
Go ahead and keep the car and pay the second-country drop fee to save yourself some hassle. Have you priced separate rentals for the two shorter periods? What is the total difference? For instance using www.autoeurope.com, or call them if its faster for you. Bus or train tickets will eat part or all of any savings.
You don't really have to book the fourth bed in a couchette unless you feel strongly about not sharing. If someone else is assigned there, you will outnumber him or her. Train ticket plus couchette reservation adds up to about $100 per person. The train won't necessarily fill up.