Take the train in Spain, it’s faster than flying!

The train in Spain has released fantastic new rates on all AVE (high speed train) routes. And as Madrid is at the center of a high speed train network, with at least 8 great cities to visit (all in under 3 hours from city center to city center), it really is the best choice for getting around Spain quickly and in style.

Getting from Madrid to Barcelona by train is faster than flying. When you add up your time to and from airports, flight time, and gate to gate transfers alone you are almost at three hours.  And now airlines like Iberia close the gate 50 minutes before the flight (very strict).  So you need to be there a good 75 to 80 minutes ahead of your departure time.  When you take the train you are required to be there 5 to 15 minutes before departure, depending on the route, and you only need to pass your bags through the X-ray machine that is located right at the departure gate.  No personal security check, no taking your shoes off, and no worrying about how many liquids you are bringing on board.

AVE                             h:mm
Madrid-Segovia        0:27
Madrid-Valladolid    0:56
Madrid-Cordoba        1:42
Madrid-Valencia        1:38
Madrid-Malaga          2:20
Madrid-Barcelona     2:30
Madrid-Seville           2:30

If you are just going to take one trip, it makes sense to buy an individual ticket. However, if you want to see more of Spain without the hassle of flying, you should definitely get a train pass. With a Spain Pass you can get between 4 and 20 days of travel at a fraction of the cost. For example, a Club Class (1st class) pass for 12 journeys in a one month period is 550 Euro.  That makes each journey only 45.83 Euro. An individual one-way Club Class ticket will cost you at least 106 Euro at the best online offer price, and that’s if you are able to complete the transaction online from abroad.

Traveling by train in Spain is not like the backpacking travel days of your college years either. These trains are brand new, spacious and travel at 350km per hour.  Tourist class is more comfortable than any plane’s economy class hands down, and Club Class is by far the best way to go.  Best of all, the new trains have large bathrooms where you actually have room to turn around!  Some are even big enough for wheel chair access.

One problem Renfe has is online bookings.  Booking train tickets in Spain online can be very difficult.  Their current excuse is online security.  Last time I spoke to an agent from Renfe she said straight forwardly that you could not book online with a foreign credit card.  They have the Verisign system that sends a special verification code to your cell phone to then enter online.   If your credit card is not set up for that, the transaction will not go through. There are some alternative options though, and if you have a question just send me an email and I will be happy to help you out.  Also, be aware that Renfe is only posting their schedule, therefore making tickets available no more than 30 to 60 days in advance online, even for agents.

At the end of the day, traveling by train in Spain is the best way to go.