Needed - Advice on economical rail travel in Spain

[Tony]

Hola..

A friend of mine is going to a wedding next week near Marid but is wanting to travel over to Barcelona as part of the holiday. We were wondering what is the cheapest way of getting a rail ticket?

The railway system in England has a huge range in price dependant upon when you buy a ticket.

Does a similar (crazy) system apply in Spain?
Is it cheaper booking train tickets in advance?
If so can this be done over the internet?Me gustaría el consejo porque no he usado los trenes principales en España.

[rod]

Hi Tony,

I'm not the most seasoned rail traveler in Spain, but from my limited experience:

You'll find most of the information you need on www.renfe.es (http://www.renfe.es)

(alternatively the Rough Guide lists www.spanish-rail.co.uk (http://www.spanish-rail.co.uk) as UK agents for Renfe - never used them personally though so I can't vouch for them)

It is the norm to book your tickets in advance, and you can do so over the Renfe website (within Spain anyway, I'm not sure from outside). Train prices can vary according to type and speed of train, class of passenger on some trains, and time of departure/arrival (again details on the website). As far as I know there is no system of advance discounts.

After an hour+ wait to buy a ticket from Sevilla to Malaga - admittedly during Semana Santa - I would never again turn up at a station ticket office to buy an advance ticket if I could help it. Better over the internet or through one of Renfe's city centre agencies. :)

[guapo]

Tony,
do a search of the forum on RENFE - there are several good threads on the trains between Madrid and Barcelona and buying tickets on-line. The train from Madrid to Barcelona is on a different planet in comparison to the sorry state of our system. They are generally fast, clean and relatively cheap and buying a ticket on-line (www.renfe.es (http://www.renfe.es)) is pretty easy.

saludos
Keith.

[Tony]

Muchas gracias Rod y Guapo.... la información es muy útil.

My colleague Eleanor is most grateful for your feedback and I am sure she will bring us all back a piece of spanish wedding cake!!!:thumbs-up:

[ValenciaSon]

Oye Tony, estaba yo viendo una peli que se llama "Goal, the Dream Begins". No se si la vistes pero la mayoridad de la peli estaba tomada en Newcastle. Vi los puentes de tu video y pense, alli estan los puentes de Tony.

[Tony]

Si Valenciason no he visto la peli pero mis amigos me dijeron que hay muchas escenas buenas del Norte Este de Inglaterra.... y por supuesto los puentes de tony ... ja ja ja

[gary]

Unless you specially want to go by train check out the prices at Vueling - we booked Madrid-Malaga in october for 18 Euros inc taxes one way and they do fly Madrid-Barca