We'll be arriving in Madrid at 8:05 am, then probably taking an Aerocity shuttle to the Atocha train station to catch a train to Sevilla. WONDERING... how early to dare book a train to Sevilla. The AVE is frequent, but more pricey; but there are only two ALVIA trains: one at 10:05 am the other late in the day. Does anyone know roughly how long it takes to clear customs at the airport and then travel to the train station? If we land at 8 I think there's no way I want to risk booking a 10am train, but if we do and we miss the 10am train can we use our tickets easily to rebook a later train without losing any value? We're doing the shuttle because there are 4 of us and it seemed like the cheapest option (hearing taxi's can be a hassle price-wise).
Posted by
Salem, Oregon, USA
2365 posts
I would err on the side of caution and take a later train, especially if you're arriving on a week day (traffic getting into the city, or even out, can be awful). The link below has an excellent guide to buying Renfe tickets online - there are great deals if you buy a specific number of days in advance, even for AVE trains (worth it, fast, comfortable). http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187514-c80518/Madrid:Spain:Buying.Renfe.Tickets.Online..html
Posted by
naches, wa, usa
182 posts
its a huge airport. not heathrow, but still large. it takes an hour it seems to get to your luggage. the upside is the metro is awesome, and i would easily take it to atocha. i would be afraid of the 10:00 timeframe though. i would book the train asap, and take the ave. i went from madrid to granada recently and it was great on the ave. service, food, drink, better than most planes. have fun, be safe.
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
You won't be able to catch the 10:00 train. Remember too that you need to be at the train station 30 minutes prior to departure to pass through their security (less intrusive than at airports but still takes some time. I would think too if you had a ticket and miss that train, you'll lose that value. Typically you cannot change a ticket after the fact, especially if it's for a reserved seat. I'd allow for about 2 to 3 hours to get to the train station (from you landing time) and another 30 minutes at the station. I'd also try to pre-book not only for cost savings but to avoid long ticket lines at Atocha.
Posted by
Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada
629 posts
I feel that you probably would NOT make the 10:05am train but also feel that the AVE train is well worth the extra money. Enjoy either way you choose to go!
Posted by
OP
Winston Salem
30 posts
Thank you all so much for the feedback. All of your comments have helped. The link to the tripadvisor data was really good! I think I'll plan for 5 hours between landing and train, to allow for late arrival and traffic between Barajas and Atocha. Tomorrow is booking day!
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
If you get to Atocha early and have time to kill - you can sit in the main lobby and watch the turtles...
Posted by
LaGrange, Ga, USA
1178 posts
Just did this same trip a few weeks ago...but I spent the night in Madrid (get over jet lag) and left the next am on the 10:00 AVE train. Great trip... Get your tickets on the web 62 1/2 days prior to departure to Sevilla - Save a substantial amount. Seats are reserved by coach number and seat assignment. Good stewards/stewardess on the train. They even provide reading material. Also there is a cafe car as well. Definitely take the AVE and not the other. 2 hr 25 minutes from start to finish, and they leave on time. Allow more time to get through customs, etc. at the Barajas Airport in Madrid...it is a long long walk from the plane to the customs exit. The aerocity van is good. I have used them several times. As you exit customs, turn to the right...a little ways down you will see a Pharmacia sign on the wall and a restaurant. The aerocity van booth is located near them, near the exit. Small booth next to some others. Will take about 15 minutes or so for the van to arrive. And, if they have other pickup stops at the airport, this will also delay your arrival at Atocha. There is a new shuttle service for about 2 euro or such. From the airport, with two stops before arriving at Atocha. I did not get to ride this as it began only the first of November. The information desk at the airport knew nothing about it. You might check www.madridman.com for more information. One taxi may or may not take four of you and your luggage - One took two of us and extra luggage, one did not.... I would allow two hours from the time your plane lands until you are at Atocha. You will likely not take this long, but traffic, etc., can be a big problem.
Have fun.