Rain pass for Spain trip

Usually, railpasses aren't good value if you can book ahead on websites. You can go to www.renfe.es if you know your travel dates and see what deals are still available (PM me if you want details on how to access the specials in English). If you don't want to go thru that hassle, the Spain pass is quite a good deal. For example, second-class (tourist class) for Madrid-Barcelona is between 105 and 124 Euro ($155-185) each way...Madrid-Sevilla is 67 Euro ($100)...Sevilla-Ronda, (4 trains per day, and you must go either via Cordoba or Bobadilla,) 18 Euro ($25) Ronda-Granada, 12 Euro ($18). That all works out to a MINUMUM of $300. A 5-day second-class Eurail pass for Spain is only $307, or about $60/travel day. You will have to make reservations for Madrid-Barcelona-Madrid and Madrid-Sevilla....and for the Sevilla-Cordoba leg if you go to Ronda that way...do that as soon as you get to Madrid. The extra cost for those should be $20 pp, per leg, or less. From Granada-Madrid, take the bus. The trip is only 15 minutes longer than the train, more runs make it more convenient, and it's only 16 Euro ($24!). See bahn.de for the best train schedules (switch to English in the upper right corner) and www.movelia.es for bus schedules.

As an add to my previous post...with only 10 days to travel, your itinerary would suggest 5 or 6 days with train/bus trips. That'll leave you with, on average, 1 1/2 days per stop....you won't see very much. Something may have to give....perhaps Ronda, which is difficult to access by train from Sevilla....or, if I dare the wrath of fellow posters, Barcelona. If you've never been to Madrid before, there is easily enough there alone to keep you occupied for days. Barcelona, a big, cosmopolitan city, is great for nightlife, but I never found it as "Spanish" or even as "Catalan" as other towns and cities. Barcelona and area are worth exploring, but Barcelona on a 1 1/2 flying visit is, IMHO, not worth sacrificing time in Madrid, Sevilla, Ronda, or Granada.

Thank you! Great advice. We plan a total of 3 days/nights in Madrid and 3 days/nights in Barcelona. That doesn't leave much time in the south. I hate to give up Ronda, but it is harder to reach without a car. So, maybe a less time in barcelona? Thanks for the railpass advice. I'm filling out the worksheets and leaning toward the 6day Spain pass. Appreciate your thoughts.

First, let me revise the cash price for regular-fare second class totals up to $455 US minimum (I left out your return from Barcelona!) So a rail pass makes more sense. To get from Granada back to Madrid, it will take you almost 5 hours by train (2 per day) or about 5:15 by bus, so you will have to spend your last night in Madrid before departure. If that's not one of the three you're already planning to spend in Madrid, then that really only leaves you three nights to do Sevilla and Granada. If it is, then four nights left for Sevilla and Granada will still only give you about 1 1/2 days for each city...do-able, but I'd take a day off Barcelona...two days should be enough to get a good sense of the city. I'd put the extra day either into your Andalucian swing, or Madrid.

Thanks, and a signficant typo: we're there 12 days, not 10...so a little more time. Your final post makes sense regarding the final night in Madrid. Appreciate your time.