Travel advise

[IngridF]

Hi, I know there is probably something already in some section about travel to Leon. I just can't find it. I am trying to help a Canadian pilgrim re travel information who wants to start in Leon.

I am thinking fly to Madrid and then either take bus/train??? If anyone has a quick re-direct or answer, please let me know.

Thanks a bunch, Ingrid

 

[Castilian]

I am thinking fly to Madrid and then either take bus/train???

Yes, if s/he's travelling from Canada that's the easiest way. www.alsa.es/en for info about buses from Madrid (airport or downtown) to León. www.renfe.com for info about trains from Madrid (downtown, Chamartín station) to León. To get from the airport to Chamartín station, there are Cercanías (commuter) trains every 30 minutes from Terminal 4.

 

[IngridF]

Yes, if s/he's travelling from Canada that's the easiest way. www.alsa.es/en for info about buses from Madrid (airport or downtown) to León. www.renfe.com for info about trains from Madrid (downtown, Chamartín station) to León. To get from the airport to Chamartín station, there are Cercanías (commuter) trains every 30 minutes from Terminal 4.

Castilian. wow, speedy reply, thank you, very very much Ingrid

 

[NualaOC]

Castilian is correct, as always! The trains are pretty fast - just 2 hours and 13 minutes in many cases.

The bus is slower, but a useful option if the train times don't fit in with a flight arrival time.

Typical train times are:
Depart Madrid 07.05 , arrive Leon 09.21
Depart Madrid 09.30, arrive Leon 11.45
Depart Madrid 11.05, arrive Leon 13.30
Depart Madrid 14.40, arrive Leon 16.53
Depart Madrid 17.30, arrive Leon 19.45
Depart Madrid 18.30, arrive Leon 20.43
Depart Madrid 20.25, arrive 22.31

The Cercanías train from T4 is free if you have a Renfe booking.

 

[Castilian]

The Cercanías train from T4 is free if you have a Renfe booking.

The Cercanías ticket is free if you have a RENFE train ticket with a combianado cercanías code (usually located on the upper left corner of the ticket) for a train departing (in the case of the OP, from Chamartín) no more than 4 hours after you take the Cercanías to Chamartín. BTW, the ticket is free but you need to get a ticket (i.e.: you can't board the Cercanías without a ticket), don't forget it.

Tickets for trains considered by RENFE to be long distance trains include the combinado cercanías code but you may find trains for the same route that aren't considered long distance by RENFE that doesn't have the code (what means you have to pay for the Cercanías if you want to take it). For example, in the case of trains from Madrid to León, MD trains aren't considered to be long distance trains and therefore tickets for MD trains don't have a combinado cercanías code. Tickets for the rest of direct trains from Madrid to León have a combinado cercanías code, if I'm not wrong. BTW, if you don't take a direct train a make the route changing trains, be aware that tickets for AVANT trains don't include a combinado cercanías code (just in case you wanted to make a mix of AVANT to Valladolid plus MD from Valladolid to León).

 

[IngridF]

Castilian is correct, as always! The trains are pretty fast - just 2 hours and 13 minutes in many cases.

The bus is slower, but a useful option if the train times don't fit in with a flight arrival time.

Typical train times are:
Depart Madrid 07.05 , arrive Leon 09.21
Depart Madrid 09.30, arrive Leon 11.45
Depart Madrid 11.05, arrive Leon 13.30
Depart Madrid 14.40, arrive Leon 16.53
Depart Madrid 17.30, arrive Leon 19.45
Depart Madrid 18.30, arrive Leon 20.43
Depart Madrid 20.25, arrive 22.31

The Cercanías train from T4 is free if you have a Renfe booking.

Thank you, much appreciated Ingrid