I am comparing costs for rail travel in Spain, 3 options :
1)a RailEurope 3-4 day pass, plus the added cost of reservations for the AVE trains 2)buying point to point tickets through RailEurope- reservation costs are included but then we are locked into an exact time, and 3)buying directly through the Renfe site, some AVE trains, some AVANT, some regional(also locked into a set time). my question is : does the Renfe website price include the reservation cost for the AVE,etc. routes ? I can never seem to get the website to flip or stay in English, so can't read if 'reservation included' is indicated.
Also, anyone have any experience with train tickets costing considerably less when bought at the particular station, rather than ordered ahead of time ?
Our train routes days are : Madrid to Sevilla, Sevilla to Cordoba and back, and Barcelona to Madrid, oh and also Madrid to Toledo and back- a regional train I think.
thanks
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
All are high-speed AVE trains, and if you want changeability, go for the "estrella" fares....40% off. As Steve noted, any ticket purchased includes reservations. Then compare those costs to the price of the Spain rail pass....reservations are only about 5 Euro per trip, even thru RailEurope, I believe. You can't book on the RENFE site in English.
Posted by
OP
santa rosa, california, usa
35 posts
steve and norm-
thanks for reply and help. looks like we should have reserved earlier to save money on the web or Estrella options (I now know that means Star! as in Joni Mitchell "Estrella, circus star"), we leave in early May. we decided to go with the Eurail pass; however, I think we will wait to reserve seats when we get to Spain,shortly after arriving in each city; the RailEurope site charges $15.00 each person for a reservation.still trying to be a bit more spontanous in my European travel. getting excited to go !! hope there are no more volcano eruptions !
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
If you are doing Toledo as a day trip from Madrid, best to get your reservations as soon as you arrive in Spain. It's a very popular train, and you may want to nail down your reservations to make sure you get the trains you want, so you can maximize your stay in Toledo. As well, ensure your reservations early if you have a connection to make, such as with another train, or if you are travelling back to, say Madrid, to catch a plane.
Posted by
OP
santa rosa, california, usa
35 posts
hi norm- thanks for tip. we will stay 2 nights in Toledo, had planned to travel mid day, so we will get tickets a few days ahead.