We are travelling to Spain in October. So excited! We will depend on public transportation. I keep hearing and reading that we need to make reservations on the trains and buses before we leave the states. Any suggestions? Our itinerary is as follows: Madrid - Toledo - Cordoba/Sevilla - Granada - Madrid. I believe we have to go back to Madrid from Toledo in order to go down to Sevilla. Does anyone know if there is a direct route from Granada up to Madrid? Also, we are going to take day trips up to Segovia and El Escorial from Madrid...is there a bus? Also a bus from Granada to Nerja for the day? Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Bellevue, WA, USA
811 posts
you don't need reservations for short train ride. long ones like madrid to seville you can get ticket 1 day in advance. i always buy ticket leaving town upon arrival at the station, so it's pretty easy. bus good for short distance. no reservation needed, just show up a little early to get ticket. you can do the following: madrid, toledo (back to madrid), cordoba on your way to sevilla (ride the fast train), arrival in sevilla, then head out to granada. (i took bus from sevilla to granada, easy ride and cheaper)
Posted by
Lincoln, NE, USA
390 posts
We took a train from Chamartin Station in Madrid to Segovia, it was cheap and about an hour and a half each way. There are also trains from Atocha Station. There is a train from Atocha to El Escorial as well. I think it might be a commuter train. I'm sure there are also buses, any guide book will list them.
Posted by
San Diego, CA, USA
24 posts
We did Madrid -- Cordoba/Sevilla -- Granada etc..
Madrid to Cordoba by AVE train. Landed in the morning, put our luggage in the Cordoba railway station left luggage lockers. Walked to the Mezquita and Alcazba. Had a great time wandering about town..walked back to the railway station in time for our AVE train to Seville.
From Seville to Granada took the bus (Alsina Graels or something like that).
Trains we reserved two days before the journey, bus we bought tickets the day before the journey.