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Have always carried my Swiss A with long blade wrapped and in the bottom of my ruck. Madrid is the only place my gear was x rayed but have always been okayed. No problems elsewhere. Its been a few years since I was in Madrid and things have probably changed. Thanks for the warning tho and buen camino.If you take a long - distance train in Spain, as I did yesterday from Madrid to Leon (yes, I finally made it back to the Camino) your luggage will be X-Rayed before you are allowed to board.
Not a problem, I thought, until the security officer (actually a very nice, motherly lady) drew attention to my folding pocket knife, a souvenir of the Via Podiensis, which is illegal to carry in the UK, having a blade (slightly) longer than 3 inches, but perfectly acceptable in France and Spain. Or so I thought.
She ushered me into a booth and asked me to find the knife in my bag. After a few minutes fruitless rummaging through my belongings she took an executive decision that I was clearly harmless and told me to forget about it, but not before pointing out a small poster in the booth declaring that knives with a blade of over 6 cm were not allowed on trains. I'm not sure why. As far as I know, no-one has ever hijacked a Spanish train, but I suppose there's always a first time.
Anyway, be warned. You might not be so lucky.
I'm in Hospital de Orbigo, in the Hostal Canton Plaza, which I can recommend. My room has aircon and a fridge!
As far as I know, no-one has ever hijacked a Spanish train, but I suppose there's always a first time.
We took the high-speed train from Madrid to Vigo in March, and our luggage had to go through the same kind of detector that the airports use. We, too, were lectured--in our case about a pair of scissors.The Madrid train bombings of 2004 come to mind, 193 dead and 2000 injured. Wasn't a hijack per se, but Spain has had its share of terrorism and continues to take precautions.
FYI this documentary is on Netflix.The Madrid train bombings of 2004 come to mind, 193 dead and 2000 injured. Wasn't a hijack per se, but Spain has had its share of terrorism and continues to take precautions.
Meanwhile walk on without a bag and there’s no metal detector!If you take a long - distance train in Spain, as I did yesterday from Madrid to Leon (yes, I finally made it back to the Camino) your luggage will be X-Rayed before you are allowed to board.
Not a problem, I thought, until the security officer (actually a very nice, motherly lady) drew attention to my folding pocket knife, a souvenir of the Via Podiensis, which is illegal to carry in the UK, having a blade (slightly) longer than 3 inches, but perfectly acceptable in France and Spain. Or so I thought.
She ushered me into a booth and asked me to find the knife in my bag. After a few minutes fruitless rummaging through my belongings she took an executive decision that I was clearly harmless and told me to forget about it, but not before pointing out a small poster in the booth declaring that knives with a blade of over 6 cm were not allowed on trains. I'm not sure why. As far as I know, no-one has ever hijacked a Spanish train, but I suppose there's always a first time.
Anyway, be warned. You might not be so lucky.
I'm in Hospital de Orbigo, in the Hostal Canton Plaza, which I can recommend. My room has aircon and a fridge!
They are very careful after the Madrid bombings and I quite understand it . Never to be forgotten.Train from Santiago to Madrid in 2021: small souvenir folding knife with 3” blade confiscated when I presented it prior to the official x-ray scan.
Oh yes, the person doing the X-raying was a newbie, obviously relishing and religiously following her recent training. If her working companion had been alone, he would have been lenient. It was so so high drama & unnecessary, at the Santiago RENFE, first AM train to Madrid.Another forum member reported on her less successful kninfe experience.
Drama!Oh yes, the person doing the X-raying was a newbie, obviously relishing and religiously following her recent training. If her working companion had been alone, he would have been lenient. It was so so high drama & unnecessary, at the Santiago RENFE, first train to Santiago.@Glenshiro, happy for your better outcome. It is definitely operator dependent.
Having just bought the knives and having the dated receipt; you had reasonable excuse to have them with you. It’s all very odd.In 2017 and 2018, I took a day trip to Toledo from Madrid. Both times I bought knives from Mariano Zamarano (knife maker ... now retired). These were not small knives. They were full sized hunting knives and a Templar styled dagger. I asked him about security on the train and he said not to worry about returning to Madrid, but I should send them via Correos if I was going somewhere else. He wrapped them in carboard and taped them up. On the platform at the train station, the security saw them in my bag when they scanned them. The agent pulled me aside, I showed him my receipt, and he allowed me to board the train. I am sure I was not the first.
Agreed. I was skeptical, and thought I would just not board and return to Toledo and send them if needed. Toledo has long been known for it's sword making etc. I think they had an informal agreement with security.Having just bought the knives and having the dated receipt; you had reasonable excuse to have them with you. It’s all very odd.
Where was this @Annette london ?Drama!
never seen anything like it coming through security a few weeks ago
the security were almost shoving us through physically
Three of them were examining my rucksack and I heard them saying “sharp”and “medication“ and next thing it disappeared
Literally a minute later it came through
it was only when I was unpacking a few days later that I discovered my dressings folder and a little case with antibiotics were missing
A tiny nail scissors that has gone backwards and forwards through security for years was the obvious culprit
Now although the antibiotics can be replaced …..what if this folder had contained really important medication?
These guys never even said they were taking the pouches
Slight of hand…hah!
A few pickpockets must have trained them!
Santiago airportWhere was this @Annette london ?
I hear you, henrythedog. Reminds me after 9/11, the US restricted what we could carry aboard planes: simple, ittybitty tweezers were not allowed, but those big, pointy knitting needles were fine.Meanwhile walk on without a bag and there’s no metal detector!
I just went on an Italian ferry as a foot passenger with hand baggage and had to be x-rayed and metal detected - meanwhile the cars and trucks just drove on.
Back to Madrid - Chamartin station - I recently buried my small legal penknife in my pack with my power pack and charging cables. Straight through.
I’m all for security; but it would be better if it were consistent.
It's all very much pot luck isn't it?FYI, I put my bag through an X-ray machine at SdC train station this morning and no one said anything about my pocket knife.
Meanwhile walk on without a bag and there’s no metal detector!
Not an arch, but at Chamartin, definitely a machine that all your baggage (packs, cases etc.) has to go through. This is the station for the high-speed, Madrid to Galicia.Went through security at Ourense this morning with my Laguiole knife in my trouser pocket. No problem. There is no detector arch at any train station I have seen. You could probably stuff a claymore down your trousers and get away with it - mind you, you'd walk oddly.
Yes, there are x-ray machines similar to those in airports in which you have to put your rucksack, suitcase etc. Not sure if women are expected to to put a handbag through but, in any event, there is no arch through which you have to walk, which is why you can get away with anything you can carry on your person!Not an arch, but at Chamartin, definitely a machine that all your baggage (packs, cases etc.) has to go through. This is the station for the high-speed, Madrid to Galicia.
The inspectors are less humourless than the ones in most airports; let us go with a warning about scissors or knife (I forget which) rather than confiscating.
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