AVE Travel - Madrid to Barcelona

Preferente-Tourist is also know as "Club". It is the most expensive (211-249 euros for that run if you don't get a discount fare). Think of these as regular (turista), business class (preferente) and first class (club). We rode quite a few AVE trains in turista class and it was fine-nice comfortable roomy seats. We did ride Preferente class from Barcelona to Madrid, but only because we got the Web discount fare which was less than the full fare turista tickets. Preferente included a meal served at aour seats, a small bottle of cava, and a hot towel. The meal (a small tuna and red pepper sandwich) was pretty mediocre. The cava was nice. All in all I don't think it is worth the cost over turusta class, unless for some reason you will be spending a lot of time at the station and then you can use the lounge (and supposedly the club lounge is really nice). If you go to the "purchase" area on Renfe (the shopping cart) instead of starting at "fares and schedules" (precios y horarios) you will see the actual prices for your day of travel, including the great Web fares if they are available.

Thanks, that is just what I needed