Some Help please!

[Mack]

Can anyone shed light on train bookings for the Camino? I go to Rome2Rio to book from Madrid airport to Leon and later Sarria to Madrid.

It seems I can't book ahead yet I have read here that some have made bookings for the summer. I want to book for April this year.

Am I looking in the wrong place or ???

 

[Anamiri]

You may also like to look at buses. In my experience the bus was a much nicer experience, cheaper (less than half the price) and actually faster alternative. Check out Alsa Buses.The bus station is at Madrid airport, you couldn't get any more convenient.
I have done both, the train when I didnt know better, but would always use Alsa now. The bus station is also quite close to the old city in Leon. The seats are large and recline, air conditioned, toilets, refreshments, entertainment screen, extremely pleasant and relaxing to watch the Spanish countryside speed by.
I took my husband and grandson last time, and they were most impressed by the buses.

 

[Mack]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be much of a bus service from Sarria to Madrid. Only one that comes up leaves from Lugo at midnight.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Can anyone shed light on train bookings for the Camino? I go to Rome2Rio to book from Madrid airport to Leon and later Sarria to Madrid.

It seems I can't book ahead yet I have read here that some have made bookings for the summer. I want to book for April this year.

Am I looking in the wrong place or ???

Hola @Mack . First off - can you provide some dates for your arrival in Madrid and what day you wish to get the train to Sarria. The Spanish rail system is good; RENFE is usually reliable. But and its a big but, you cannot book more than 60 days in advance, it also has an issue with foreign credit cards. More than half the time it rejects them. You can get it to read in English (and about 5 other languages). So my advice just keep trying. Oh yes there is a small discount for booking early, but unless you are trying to travel during peek season or on Spanish holidays you will usually be ok. Cheers

 

[marilyn van graan]

Hola @Mack . First off - can you provide some dates for your arrival in Madrid and what day you wish to get the train to Sarria. The Spanish rail system is good; RENFE is usually reliable. But and its a big but, you cannot book more than 60 days in advance, it also has an issue with foreign credit cards. More than half the time it rejects them. You can get it to read in English (and about 5 other languages). So my advice just keep trying. Oh yes there is a small discount for booking early, but unless you are trying to travel during peek season or on Spanish holidays you will usually be ok. Cheers

Thank you for this information - I know it was for Mack but now I too am benefitting!! I usually take the train from Madrid - wonderful office there and so helpful and they speak English - and always offer the best advice. With Targeta Dorado it is much cheaper as well - tried often to book on line but have given up and to date never had a problem getting a train on the day I arrive. I know now that foreign credit cards are problematic - thanks for that - I thought it was just me being a bit dumb!! I have used the bus service as well - different ones offer different prices I have found - maybe the cheaper ones takes longer. Transport in Spain is wonderful!! Buen caminoXX

 

[Mack]

Hola @Mack . First off - can you provide some dates for your arrival in Madrid and what day you wish to get the train to Sarria. The Spanish rail system is good; RENFE is usually reliable. But and its a big but, you cannot book more than 60 days in advance, it also has an issue with foreign credit cards. More than half the time it rejects them. You can get it to read in English (and about 5 other languages). So my advice just keep trying. Oh yes there is a small discount for booking early, but unless you are trying to travel during peek season or on Spanish holidays you will usually be ok. Cheers

All understood. I want to go from Sarria to Madrid on 11 April (Easter Saturday). I was going to do this last year as well but even two weeks before the site did not allow bookings even though it said 60 days before it would be open to do so. So was wondering how accurate the information is. Comments re buses on this thread have been helpful.

 

[trecile]

If you enter the route and date that you want to travel in the RailEurope web site you can set up an alert to be notified as soon as tickets are available.

Europe by train and bus made easy | Rail Europe

Buy train and bus tickets for the UK and Europe. Simple, fast booking.

m.raileurope.com

 

[Mack]

Great. Much appreciated

 

[Tincatinker]

This train https://venta.renfe.com/vol/search.do?c=_XDzm seems bookable now. Subject to your credit card.

Additionally searching trains Sarria to Ourense and then Ourense to Madrid may provide alternatives. Same applies for buses. RENFE's website is about as user friendly as glass toilet paper

 

[Deleted member 73892]

Can anyone shed light on train bookings for the Camino? I go to Rome2Rio to book from Madrid airport to Leon and later Sarria to Madrid.

It seems I can't book ahead yet I have read here that some have made bookings for the summer. I want to book for April this year.

Am I looking in the wrong place or ???

I've used the Madrid-Léon train link twice, the bus link once. The trains are comfortable and quick. I would use the bus on a long route as a last resort.
You should be able to link to:

404

www.renfe.com

where I always book my train travel. You need to book in advance and reserve a seat.

 

[John Sikora]

I love traveling on Renfe, but as others have said, you can't book far in advance. What I do is to look 30 days or some in advance on the same day of the week that I want to travel. That will tell me whether their are trains that will probably meet my schedule. I use rome2rio as well. Then 45-600 days in advance go to the site and book the tickets. Buses and trains will usually have the same times of travel but in my view the train is more comfortable. But, sometimes, their are direct buses. It's one of the pains that you just have to research and can't really resolve until later on.

 

[witsendwv]

Hola @Mack . First off - can you provide some dates for your arrival in Madrid and what day you wish to get the train to Sarria. The Spanish rail system is good; RENFE is usually reliable. But and its a big but, you cannot book more than 60 days in advance, it also has an issue with foreign credit cards. More than half the time it rejects them. You can get it to read in English (and about 5 other languages). So my advice just keep trying. Oh yes there is a small discount for booking early, but unless you are trying to travel during peek season or on Spanish holidays you will usually be ok. Cheers

I always purchase all my Renfe tickets from the US before we travel. Renfe allows to to pay through PayPal, and I have never had a problem. There are also sometimes excellent discounts, we have traveled Preferente for close to or less than Turista prices when I booked well in advance.

 

[trecile]

I always purchase all my Renfe tickets from the US before we travel. Renfe allows to to pay through PayPal, and I have never had a problem. There are also sometimes excellent discounts, we have traveled Preferente for close to or less than Turista prices when I booked well in advance.

I also use PayPal to buy Renfe tickets. I have found it easier to use the Renfe app than the website.

 

[witsendwv]

I also use PayPal to buy Renfe tickets. I have found it easier to use the Renfe app than the website.

My phone is really old and does not like some apps. Also crashes at times so I like to print out my tickets as well as take photos of them with my IPad (which I do carry on pilgrimage!) as a backup!