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Santiago to Madrid trains this spring??

Mito

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
CF (2011, 2013, 2018) Roncesvalles-Astorga
CLeP (2013) Le Puy-?
GUD (2019) Dovre-Trondheim
I am confused. When I look to see what the train options are from Santiago to Madrid in April, I only see two options and both are a 9 hour trip, changing trains part-way with a layover (Rail Europe). Yet many sites say there are several direct trains daily and the trip is only a bit over 3 hours. That's a big difference!

So my question is: am I simply trying to book too soon or is the direct, fast train between Santiago and Madrid cancelled or on hiatus?

I'm having a similar issue getting to Sarria although it looks like the direct train is just not available the day I need it. So.....I'll probably take a rest day in Madrid before heading to Sarria.

YEs, I know I could fly, but I absolutely love trains and far prefer them to flying.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Hi, Mito!
Yes, it is too soon.
I will take the train too from and to Madrid in late April and renfe.es the spanish speed railway company has not opened yet the booking dates for April.
I checked for myself and the most further in time for buying a train ticket is end of March.
So, you will have to wait until March, maybe middle of it to book your train tickets.
Buen Camino!
 
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Yes, you’re too early.

RENFE rarely change their timetable unless for engineering works. If you look what the train options are for next week, there’s a good chance they’ll be the same when you come to book.
 
Thank you all! I'm booking through RailEurope as this is what I've done before. Any advantages booking direct through Renfe?
 
Thank you all! I'm booking through RailEurope as this is what I've done before. Any advantages booking direct through Renfe?
Might be fractionally cheaper direct with RENFE, although their payment system sometimes doesn’t like North American cards. PayPal does seem to work though.

My preference is Trainline where you can set an alert for when your chosen service is available for booking.

Do book as soon as available - it’s vastly cheaper than a walk-up ticket.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I know you posted something similar about this last week. Renfe has not released the schedule for April so you just have to wait on them. Your vendor will know as soon as tickets are released. Or you can book yourself.
 
Might be fractionally cheaper direct with RENFE, although their payment system sometimes doesn’t like North American cards. PayPal does seem to work though.
In the past I had trouble using my North American CC on Renfe, but I just successfully used it on the site a few days ago. In the past I used PayPal.
My preference is Trainline where you can set an alert for when your chosen service is available for booking.
Rail Europe used to have the feature to set up an alert, but last time I looked it didn't. It's very useful to be able to book as soon as the tickets are released because the prices can be very low.
 
@henrythedog I just did a search on TrainLine for SdC to Madrid in May. Since there are buses available it's not giving me the option to set up an alert for train tickets. What am I missing?
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Thanks all! I'll set up an alert through Trainline. I've always booked through RailEurope and early April didn't seem too far ahead. But I guess it is......
 
Odd, I have just bought tickets from León to Barcelona for May 2nd via the Renfe website. It was surprisingly easy
 
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@henrythedog I just did a search on TrainLine for SdC to Madrid in May. Since there are buses available it's not giving me the option to set up an alert for train tickets. What am I missing?
If you Google ‘ticket alert Trainline’ it explains - however I just tried for a date beyond RENFE’s current availability and I wasn’t given the option.

I’ll have a play around later.
 
Sometimes it can be cheaper to fly.
This year we chose a flight for about the same price we've paid for the train in past years.
 
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
The alert facilities both on Trainline and Rail Europe don’t appear to be working for Spain.

It may be coincidence, but I’d suspect absence of advance data from RENFE.
 
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I am confused. When I look to see what the train options are from Santiago to Madrid in April, I only see two options and both are a 9 hour trip, changing trains part-way with a layover (Rail Europe). Yet many sites say there are several direct trains daily and the trip is only a bit over 3 hours. That's a big difference!

So my question is: am I simply trying to book too soon or is the direct, fast train between Santiago and Madrid cancelled or on hiatus?

I'm having a similar issue getting to Sarria although it looks like the direct train is just not available the day I need it. So.....I'll probably take a rest day in Madrid before heading to Sarria.

YEs, I know I could fly, but I absolutely love trains and far prefer them to flying.
You are too early. The train schedule is out only about a month before departures.
 
I don't know I'd this has anything to do with the delay in posting, but there is supposed to be an even faster connection which shaves another 30 minutes or so off this route. There's been controversy about why it isn't ready yet (equipment, etc), but they did a test run in January and the train brought the 3 Kings for the holiday celebration.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
You are too early. The train schedule is out only about a month before departures.
Ohhhh, now I understand why I only see train schedule until mid-July
Before I find this forum, I thought there were no more trains after holidays and I was to book a flight
 

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