WooHOO! Got my ticket. Start VDLP May 12

[Anniesantiago]

I'm stoked!
Got a great fare into Madrid - looking forward to continuing the VDLP from where I left off in Fuente de Cantos - or I might just walk it again. I've got until July 17 to walk, so I'll also be able to do another route, or portion.

I arrive in Madrid May 8 in the morning.
I'll stay two nights and be a tourist, then hopefully find a bus to Sevilla.
I haven't been able to book that yet - may just have to wait and do it there.
Then 2 nights in Sevilla (I want to see Italica again and the Cathedral again)
Then I'll walk.

I'm very very excited.
HOORAY! ::doing the happy dance:::

 

[AussieJan]

I also have 2 days in Sevilla before I begin walking on April 18! How much time do I need at Italica?

 

[Anniesantiago]

I loved Italica. I'd give yourself at least a good 2-3 hours there if you like history.
You can catch a bus in the basement at the bus station in the morning... they go about every hour or so. Last time it was under 5 euros. Then just start walking from Italica.

 

[peregrina2000]

Congratulations, Annie, what a wonderful feeling! Now you have all those fun decisions to make about where to start, when to start, etc, etc.

I don't know if you are over 60, but if you are, you should definitely check the RENFE fares as soon as you arrive in Madrid (if you arrive in T4, go to the RENFE office there, and then take Cercanias instead of the metro into Madrid). If you buy a golden age (or some similar euphemism that they use) card for 5 euros, you will get 40% off all the fares for a year (including any Cercania trips you take). That may get you to Sevilla on a 2 1/2 hour train for under 35 euros. With a few days in advance, you will probably be able to get a seat.

We may be arriving in Santiago around the same time, so let's keep in touch.
Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Anniesantiago]

Thanks Laurie, yeah, it feels GOOD!
It was a painful decision though ::laughing::
Hard to spend money you don't have.
BUT
I am so excited.
Hopefully I can make a dent in the VDLP.
I've already booked my hotels for Madrid and Seville.
Looked into train fare... it was $44 plus a $7.50 fee... does that sound reasonable?
If so, I have until tonight about 9 pm to buy it.
I'm a bit nervous about waiting b/c it's a weekend I'll be wanting the seat.
Maybe best to just buy it now and be done and pray there's no rail strike.
Thoughts?
I'll be going slow, but am sure to be in Santiago by June 25 and then will have time to maybe walk to the coast and see Tracy's place, Little Fox House and who knows what else...
OH man.. I gotta relax now.
The hard part is done.
YAY!
Annie

 

[piogaw]

Laurie and annie,

If i am not mistaken, all renfe train tickets are sold with reserved seats. I took a renfe train from sdc to salamanca and then another one from salamanca to madrid a few days ago. One ticket was bought at the station, another one online, and all have assigned seats.

When you buy online, make sure you copy down the reference number which are a combination of letters and numbers. You can get you printed ticket at the ticket machine in the station free of charge (the same machine where you buy your ticket).

As i have mentioned in another post, the tarjeta dorada (pensioner card) which will cost you €5.15 per year (price increase) for over 60's will give you a discount of 40% off your ticket from monday to thursday and 25% discount for friday, saturday, sunday and holidays. The discount applies even if you buy your ticket at the last minute. This discount also applies to the cercanias except to the airport.

On another subject, due to subsidy cutback by the local authority, prices have increased on all the transport system out of madrid and barajas airport. The madrid city bus and metro line has increased its fare to €1.50 minimum up to €2.00 maximum (€0.10 increase per station). It is cheaper to buy a ticket valid for 10 trips for €12.20. This 10-trip ticket can be used to cover variable person up to 10 people. Please also note you have to specify which line you are buying for. Each line of ticket bought is valid only for that line and the number 6 line which is the circle line connecting all the other lines.

A single multi-lined ticket cost €3.00 and a 10-trip ticket costs €18.30. This covers all the lines.

A ticket to the airport will cost a supplement of €3.00. This can be bought at the exit of the line and before entrance to the airport. I believe if you have a tourist card you do not have to pay for the airport supplement.

 

[peregrina2000]

Piogaw,
That's very helpful information on the increases in Madrid metro fares. It seems that Madrid Metro has taken the fare increase route, while RENFE has taken the "slash fares to increase ridership" route. In any event, even at 3 or 4 euros, the Madrid metro is a bargain. (Actually, if the timing works, I think the Cercanias is a better option than the metro for getting into the city from the airport -- much faster, no pickpockets, what could be better?!)

Thanks for the heads up, Laurie

 

[Anniesantiago]

Laurie, do I get the pensioner card at the renfre station?
I"m a bit nervous about waiting until Thursday to buy my Friday ticket to Seville.
I might should get it online?
Thoughts?

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Annie,
Well, the one thing I can tell you for sure is that you get the Carta Dorada at any RENFE station. The easiest place might be the airport, there is a full blown RENFE office at the Cercanias stop. If you were planning to take the Cercanias train into Madrid instead of the metro, you can just buy it there (and then get 40% off your train ticket into Madrid as well, though that will be about a 1 euro savings only). And you can buy your AVE train ticket there as well. Last year I bought my trenhotel ticket for the return trip from Santiago to Madid there, but of course that was weeks and weeks ahead of time.

The unknowable is how full the trains will be. There are SO many AVEs to Sevilla, though, that it seems like there should be some availability. You might play around with looking today to see what AVE availability tomorrow is on the RENFE website. That might give you a good idea about "typical" Friday availability the day before you go.

Well, I just did that quickly, and it looks like for tomorrow there are plenty of 75 euro "full fare" tickets available, which would be 42 euros or something like that with the 40% discount. So, I'd say based on a non-scientific sample of one inquiry, that it looks like day-before tickets are likely to be available. https://venta.renfe.com/vol/buscarTren.do

What happened with that Canadian broker? Didn't you say you had found really cheap seats?

Good luck with this, Laurie

 

[Anniesantiago]

I think I've decided to wait. With the discount, it will be just as simple to get the ticket there.
I may change my mind (that happens moment to moment when I'm planning) but for now, I'll wait. Thanks for all your help.

 

[piogaw]

Annie/laurie,

10th of may is a friday, you will be entitled to only a 25% discount with the tarjeta dorada.

But 25% is still a good discount. My renfe ticket from salamanca to madrid with 25% discount cost me only €13.90 and this is an almost 3 hours trip.

I hope to see you in santiago around the 25th of june as i will be in santiago.

 

[Luka]

Congrats with your next camino ahead! I'll be about 2 weeks ahead of you, but am only able to walk to Salamanca (which I am still very happy with).

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, piogaw,
Thanks for that clarification on the Tarjeta Dorada. I should have remembered that, and it slipped my mind. As you say, it's still a pretty good slice off the fare, but not as good as the weekend discount. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Anniesantiago]

Thanks Luka! I'll follow your blog!

 

[peregrina2000]

Annie, I am not 100% sure, but there have been issues with the beautiful albergue in Fuente de Cantos. It was closed, opened, closed, etc, and I'm just not sure what the situation is today. I've done a little hunting and can't find out, but maybe someone who has been there recently can help.

There aren't many alternatives to the albergue there, so I thought you'd want to know. Laurie

 

[Anniesantiago]

Ok. Thanks. I've been looking at the notes and I may just take a bus from Seville to Zafra and begin there, and skip that stage between Fuente and Zafra.

 

[piogaw]

The albergue in fuente de cantos was closed when i was there in the 10th of february. Maybe it was just closed for the winter. It was still closed by the end of february. Don 't know whether it will open again.

 

[piogaw]

Annie,

You can also take a train from sevilla to zafra, travel time 2 hours and 30 minutes. I believe there are 3 trains a day to za,fra. The train will be coming from cordova to huelva and then zafra.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Yes, I saw that. Thanks!
I think this is what I will do.

 

[lovingkindness]

the VdlP in May.....heavenly. Blessings on your way, Annie.

 

[Anniesantiago]

the VdlP in May.....heavenly. Blessings on your way, Annie.

Thank you so much!
I'm so excited!

 

[marji]

Hi Annie,

I am new to this, 'Via" and wondering why you are deciding to skip the fuente to zafra stage.
Is it because you have walked this before or perhaps due to lack of accommodation? or...
I am planning to step out from Seville mid May and perhaps will meet and greet you on the trail.
I hope to get by knowing very little Spanish. Learning a language is very challenging for me!
Walking is ok, however....
Buen Camino. :mrgreen:

 

[Anniesantiago]

If you are a fast walker, you very well could pass me up, as I plan on taking my time.

A couple of years ago, I attempted the VDLP midsummer.
Not smart.
The fountains were dry and the heat was dangerous, in my opinion.
So I stopped at Fuente de Cantos.

I decided to skip the stage between Fuente and Zafra, simply because it's easier to get to Zafra from Seville, and from what I read, that stage wasn't particularly exciting.

I'll watch for you passing me by
So far, I have 20 days planned for getting up to Salamanca. I haven't yet decided which way I'll go.

I'll have a forum patch and will be wearing a hiking skirt!
See you there!
Annie