What is the best way to travel from Madrid to Granada.
I am hoping to travel from London and visit Madrid, Granada, Seville and 1 or 2 White Hill Towns. I plan to land in Madrid and fly out of Seville, and plan to spend around 2 days in each city. I appreciate your thoughts on the route and type of transportation. Thank You!
Your thoughts
The train would work or even the bus. The buses system in Spain is very good and cheap. Granada is not on the high speed line so a bus can be almost as fast as the local trains. I would go to Granada first, over to Seville probably by train just for the comfort and buses to the hill towns out of Seville.
Only one airline follows that route....Iberia, which means you pay thru the nose...$200+ for one-way. If you put in a fake return date a week or so after your trip, you can buy a ticket for about $140 and throw away the return portion.
Unfortunately, there's no fast rail link yet, altho they are working on it. Two trains/day, and the run takes about 4:45...cost is about 27 Euro if you can book 62 days in advance at www.renfe.es.
The third option is the intercity bus, which is quite comfortable. Travel time is about 5:15, so not much slower than the train, and you'll go thru some spectacular scenery. The bus stops a little more than halfway into the run for a break. There are about 15 buses per day, at about 17 Euro. There are some runs that are "express" at about double the cost. Check fares and schedules at www.movelia.es.
So, which is best for you will depend on your schedule, your $$$ resources, and your comfort level. I've always enjoyed travelling on Spanish buses, especially when the price is right. But, if the timing works out for you, the extra 10 euro for the train might be worth it to you....if you book it ASAP!