Traveling by train in Spain is such a wonderful way of getting to know the country. The high-speed train, in particular, offers a unique and ultra modern of getting places at 300 km/h.
On the video below we share with your our tips for purchasing high-speed train tickets in Spain using the Trainline, the website we have used for a decade now to purchase all our train tickets in Spain.
Our top tip on the issue is: if you are after the best deals, buy your tickets as soon as they go on sale. Each operator (Renfe or Ouigo) make their tickets available at different times, so you will have to check out as soon as you know the dates of your trip to Spain.
We advice against purchasing your tickets once in Spain. Not only you will pay the most expensive fares, there is a surcharge for tickets purchased at the ticket office, and the risk of finding sold out trains is very real.
Hello Tony, I found your website from the youtube. Thanks for many informative videos! It help us plan Spain/Portugal trip a lot.
We are planning to visit Barcelona by car and take a train to Madrid. I found the public parking lot in front of the El Casar train station, I’m wondering if It’s ok to park for 4-5 days there and hop on the train and come back.
Hi there, Owen. We are not familiar with the region of the El Casar railway station, so I’m afraid we can’t share much infomation with you.
It looks like a park and ride thing in Madrid (Sorry I said it is in Barcelona) . but was wondering if it’s good for multiple days.
Thanks for replying.
We prefer not to guess an answer to your question (even if educated) as we are not really familiar with that specific spot and would hate to mislead you.
Hi Tony, Love your Channel. I have a question on validation of train tickets . I purchased on line. We have tickets from Lisboa to Porto, also from Seville to Madrid
Hi Anthony, in Spain, you will have to show your tickets before you board the high-speed train. No need to validate them. Not sure about Portugal, but we suspect you board the train, seat at your allocated seat and wait for the ticket inspector to show your tickets.
Hello Tony, We planning a trip to Spain the second two weeks in October 2022. Your Utube videos been very helpful! I tried to book train travel from Madrid to Toledo on the trainline.com site for 10/18 today, but site said no tickets available. I am wondering if this is because it’s to early to book them at this time, or am I doing something wrong?
Hi Elisa, it shouldn’t be too early to book them, but the fact is that RENFE hasn’t introduced yet the tickets in the system, you will have to wait a little while longer – hopefully not much more!
Hi Tony! My husband and I will be flying into Madrid from Florence in May. (We will be visiting Ireland, England, and Italy before Spain). We will spend our first night in Madrid then take the train to Seville for 2 nights there, take the train to Cordoba for 2 nights there, and then back to Madrid on the train for our last two nights in Madrid before flying back to California. We are both over 65 yr. I am in the process of watching all your videos but I still am unsure as to what the least expensive way to pay for our various train rides would be. I understand there is a senior discount card we could get from Renfe but we can’t purchase it online. Should we purchase individual tickets online without the senior discounts? Wait until we get there to get the senior discount card and then purchase tickets? Or buy a pass? (I understand you still have to pay for seat reservations with the Eurail pass, so not sure if that is a good idea). Can you please tell me what the best method would be for me to use to purchase our various train rides as inexpensively as possible? Thank you so much for all the information you provide, you have been so very helpful in my trip planning!!
Hello Mary Cruz! As we explained on our video with tips on the high-speed train in Spain, if you want to save money, your best bet is to buy your tickets as soon as they are made available, thus getting the maximum discount. The Senior card won’t get you that level of discounts and the Eurail pass, in the specific case of Spain, it’s a bad idea. So wait till the tickets you’re looking for appear in the system, and buy them as soon as you can. All the best!
Thank you, Tony! One more question, please. Do you have any recommendation or warning on the new Iryo trains? They have good prices listed on Trainline, but I know it is very new and don’t see any information about how it is for the passengers on Youtube. Thank you again for your time and expertise! You really are a Godsend for those of us desperate for dependable information on visiting Spain!
There isn’t much we can say about Iryo at present, their service only starts at the end of November. But sounds like a reliable operator and if you find a good fare to travel with them, we wouldn’t hesitate to grab it. All the best!
Thank you again!!
All your videos are about high speed rail.
For example Cordoba to Seville the Renfe site only shows high speed rail tickets. How do people find more information about the regional and slower trains that don’t need reservations?
Thanks
Wherever there is high-speed train line, conventional trains have all but disappeared. Renfe shows you ALL the trains it is operating on a given route.
Thanks for the information….
Guide books published very recently talk of slower regional trains that cost less but are slower , Rick Steeves in his 2022 Spain edition.
If there is a slower train service, Renfe will offer it on its page. We’ve just checked Córdoba to Seville on the Trainline and there are plenty of non-high speed services.
P.S. a 2022 guidebook edition will have certainly had its research done before pandemic times.
Hi Tony.
We are coming to Spain from New Zealand for 5 weeks book in June and your channel has been AMAZING helping plan our trip. I’ve booked all our train trips using http://www.rail.ninja which was brilliant. I have one question. We are going by train from Barcelona to Toledo and have to go via Madrid. I have already booked AVE 26/6/23, dep BCN at 12.00 pm arr Madrid at 3.15pm. I now need to book the train from Madrid to Toledo .. how long would you think I need to leave between arriving in Madrid and catching the next train to Toledo ? The departure choices are 3.50 pm ( gives us 35 minutes) and then 4.45pm ( give us 1 hour 30 minutes) Do you think we caould easily catch the 3.50 pm ? Thank you so much
Hello Tony. We would go for the 1 hour 30 minutes interval. These days the train stations are really crowded and that amount of time would give you peace of mind. All the best.
Hi Tony.
We are planning a trip to Spain in May and would like to visit Madrid, Valencia, Granada, Cordoba and Seville. We are flying out of Canada to Madrid and would like your advise on what train route we can take. We are also flying out of Madrid to Toronto. When I check the trainline schedule, if we take Valencia to Granada – it will take around 8 hours. Is there another route that we can take so we avoid 8 hour train ride. The only way I see is to go back to Madrid from Valencia and from Madrid to Granada. Do you have another way to do this itinerary. Thanks.
Hello Llorie, right now there is no fast transport from Valencia to Granada. We advise you to alter your route so you do Valencia-Córdoba, shortening the trip by nearly a couple of hours. All the best.