Santiago to Madrid trains this spring??

[Mito]

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.

 

[Bradypus]

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 think you are looking too soon. Trains are showing on the booking sites up until the end of March. Very likely that they will open for April reservations soon.

 

[gyna2006]

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!

 

[henrythedog]

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.

 

[Mito]

Thank you all! I'm booking through RailEurope as this is what I've done before. Any advantages booking direct through Renfe?

 

[henrythedog]

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.

 

[J Willhaus]

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.

 

[trecile]

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.

 

[trecile]

@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?

 

[Mito]

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......

 

[dick bird]

Odd, I have just bought tickets from León to Barcelona for May 2nd via the Renfe website. It was surprisingly easy

 

[trecile]

Odd, I have just bought tickets from León to Barcelona for May 2nd via the Renfe website. It was surprisingly easy

The tickets I just purchased were Barcelona to Zaragoza for May 11. I guess that some routes haven't been released yet.

 

[J Willhaus]

I know I was also waiting in late December for tickets to be released in early January for my group on this same route.

 

[henrythedog]

@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.

 

[Anniesantiago]

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.

 

[henrythedog]

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.

 

[vinsman]

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.

 

[J Willhaus]

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.