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Need help with train system in Spain!

Hi All!

A friend and I will be traveling in Spain Oct 4th-28th. We are arriving and leaving from Madrid.

I am having a really hard time figuring out the train system. I have heard good and bad about it.

We are thinking to go:

Madrid- sevilla
sevilla-cordoba
cordoba- granada
granada-valencia
valencia-barcelona; is there a train or would a flight be quicker/cheaper/easier?
barcelona-madrid
(please advise if you have any suggestions on above itenarary..places, order of cites, etc.)

is a eurail pass the best move? I understand that you have to pay a reservation pass on top of the actual pass with that?

or should we just buy tickets from place to place through the renfe site?

i am so confused!! any help and guidance would be greatly appreciated! thanks in advance!

Posted by
4555 posts

RENFE offers deals of up to 60% off if you know your itinerary in advance...they allow booking on their website up to 62 days in advance. Since they load in the fares starting at midnight, you actually get a jump on Europeans...all those fares should be in the system by 7 or 8 pm the night before, your time. Granada-Valencia is an overnight train, where you can get a double sleeper for 58 Euro pp, saving you a night in a hotel as well. Valencia-Barcelona is about three hours, as low as 16 Euro pp. You'll probably find these are better prices than a rail pass. No airlines do your route....distances are little too short. The exception is Barcelona-Madrid....but an advance ticket is comparable with discount airline flights without the hassle, in about the same time (3 hours downtown to downtown) and more comfortable.