travel from Madrid to Pamplona by train

[Davis Baltz]

How important is it to book a train ticket some weeks or days in advance to travel by train from Madrid to Pamplona? I will arrive in Madrid in early September and stay 3 days before traveling to Pamplona. Will I be able to easily book a train on days notice in Madrid? And will the price be more expensive if I wait and buy in Madrid? Thank you!

 

[whariwharangi]

How important is it to book a train ticket some weeks or days in advance to travel by train from Madrid to Pamplona? I will arrive in Madrid in early September and stay 3 days before traveling to Pamplona. Will I be able to easily book a train on days notice in Madrid? And will the price be more expensive if I wait and buy in Madrid? Thank you!

There are several trains from Madrid to Pamplona daily. The only time you will have difficulty getting a ticket is if you plan to travel on a holiday. There is sometimes a line up although the ticket machines apparently go unused. There are deals available if you purchase prior to date of travel.

Trains to Pamplona leave from Madrid Puerta Atocha.

 

[Castilian]

I will arrive in Madrid in early September and stay 3 days before traveling to Pamplona. Will I be able to easily book a train on days notice in Madrid? And will the price be more expensive if I wait and buy in Madrid?

You should be able to get a ticket once in Madrid if that's what you want but I would suggest to make it on your first day in Madrid just to have peace of mind.

The later you book, the most unlikely you are to found a discounted fare. To get the cheapest fare possible, the best bet is, generally speaking, to book online well in advance.

 

[Jacobus]

How important is it to book a train ticket some weeks or days in advance to travel by train from Madrid to Pamplona? I will arrive in Madrid in early September and stay 3 days before traveling to Pamplona. Will I be able to easily book a train on days notice in Madrid? And will the price be more expensive if I wait and buy in Madrid? Thank you!

I booked a few weeks in advance just to be on the safe side. You will need to depart from Atocha station in Madrid and will arrive within walking distance of the old city in Pamplona.
A bird in the hand...I'm just sayin!

 

[tominrm]

If your flight plan is firm, I would suggest that you book Renfe in advance. The benefits are:
1. Peace in mind
2. Discount using promotional fare
3. Added bonus is free local train fare (worth 2.70 Euro) from the airport to Puerta Atocha train station when you show the ticket at the Renfe customer service at the airport. (Free Renfe Cercania ride)

 

[Robert Weston]

If I buy a ticket in advance and then my flight is delayed, will I be able to use it on a different departure time?

 

[whariwharangi]

If I buy a ticket in advance and then my flight is delayed, will I be able to use it on a different departure time?

No. They give you a discount on the next train if you miss yours by not more than half an hour due to no fault of your own.

 

[Sand1]

I'm a little nervous purchasing our train ticket to Pamplona, that we will mess up or get lost and miss the time we pick. Our flight gets in at noon. We hope to only have carry-on, but just in case we can't, how much time do you think it will take us to get our bags, find how to get to the Puerta Atocha train station, and then get there in time to catch the train? Would a couple hours do it? We might have to grab a bite to eat in that time frame, too. Thanks!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I'm a little nervous purchasing our train ticket to Pamplona, that we will mess up or get lost and miss the time we pick. Our flight gets in at noon. We hope to only have carry-on, but just in case we can't, how much time do you think it will take us to get our bags, find how to get to the Puerta Atocha train station, and then get there in time to catch the train? Would a couple hours do it? We might have to grab a bite to eat in that time frame, too. Thanks!

Cough up the money and buy yourself some piece of mind. The earlier you book, the more rodiculous tue price.

 

[whariwharangi]

I'm a little nervous purchasing our train ticket to Pamplona, that we will mess up or get lost and miss the time we pick. Our flight gets in at noon. We hope to only have carry-on, but just in case we can't, how much time do you think it will take us to get our bags, find how to get to the Puerta Atocha train station, and then get there in time to catch the train? Would a couple hours do it? We might have to grab a bite to eat in that time frame, too. Thanks!

I would suggest 30 minutes to deplane, an hour to get through customs and collect baggage, an hour to get from airport to train, a half hour for orientation both at airport and station. So total 3 hours from plane to train. I'm including line up time to buy tickets. You get lunch only if you don't need the time for getting to the train. You should be able to buy bocadillas for eating on the train at the station.

See the airport and adif websites to find maps so you know where to go.

Puerta de Atocha is reached by:

A. Cercanias train from airport T4

B. Metro from airport T1-T2-T3 or T4

C. EMT Express bus (Yellow) direct from Airport to Puerta Atocha.

Madrid Airport
http://www.aena.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Madrid-Barajas/en/

Cercanias
http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/cercanias/

Madrid Metro
http://www.metromadrid.es/es/index.html

EMT Madrid Airport Express
http://www.emtmadrid.es/lineaAeropuerto/index.html

Adif Puerta de Atocha
http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/60000/informacion_000070.shtml

3 hours is a lot of time. I'd rather spend time waiting than being anxious about making my timings.

 

[jpflavin1]

I'm a little nervous purchasing our train ticket to Pamplona, that we will mess up or get lost and miss the time we pick. Our flight gets in at noon. We hope to only have carry-on, but just in case we can't, how much time do you think it will take us to get our bags, find how to get to the Puerta Atocha train station, and then get there in time to catch the train? Would a couple hours do it? We might have to grab a bite to eat in that time frame, too. Thanks!

Sand1:

Since you are coming from the states you will probably land at T1 (terminal 1). You have two choices after going through Customs. Take a cab from T1 to train station Puerta de Atocha (approx. 30 Euro's). Two, take the inter airport bus to T4 (terminal 4). Then go down stairs to the RENFE ticket office and purchase a ticket to Puerta de Atocha, this train runs every half hour, along with your ticket to Pamplona. Ticket lines at Puerta de Atocha can sometimes be long. I prefer the cab. There are several places to get food at the train station. There is a snack car on the train, also.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Castilian]

Since you are coming from the states you will probably land at T1 (terminal 1)

Except if sand1 is flying with Iberia or with American Airlines in which case s/he would arrive at T4. All of it assuming s/he flies non-stop from the USA to Madrid.

Take a cab from T1 to train station Puerta de Atocha (approx. 30 Euro's).

The fare is fixed 30 Euros. You shouldn't be charged more (or less).

You have two choices after going through Customs.

There's a third option: to take the express bus www.emtmadrid.es/lineaAeropuerto/index.html