Travel to Astorga from Madrid and Accomodation questions

[Branden]

Hi Pilgrims- Making a few "plans" for the start and end of my Camino next month and your wisdom may help me- I have a short time to walk- I want to maximize my time on foot -
1) travel from Madrid to Astorga (my starting point). I get in to Madrid at 7:50AM and want to make it to the train from Charmatrin at 10:35. Is it a relatively easy commute from the airport to the train station?
2) any recommendations for an albergue with a private room or a pension type accomodation in Astorga for a good first night's sleep?
3) an albergue with private rooms or pension in Barcelona for the night prior to my departure from Spain
Gracias in advance for your ideas!

 

[whariwharangi]

2002 Madrid Airport

The airport in Madrid is called Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD). There are 4 terminals. T1, T2, and T3 are in one building while T4 is connected via shuttle. Terminal 4S is connected to Terminal 4 by Automatic People Mover (APM) and has a shuttle stop.

Madrid Airport (MAD)
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Madrid-Barajas/en/

2003 Getting around in Madrid

Connections to Madrid include subway (Metro), light rail transit (Cercanias), and bus (EMT).

Madrid Metro has stations at T1-T2-T3 and at T4. The trains run every 6 - 12 minutes.

Madrid Cercanias has a station at T4. The trains run every 30 minutes.

EMT Madrid Aeropuerto Express operates a bright yellow express bus every 13 -20 minutes from the airport T1-T2-T3 and airport T4 to Puerta de Atocha Renfe station.

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

Madrid Metro Map
http://www.metromadrid.es/export/sites/metro/comun/documentos/planos/Planomayo2013.pdf

Madrid Cercanias (operated by Renfe)
http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/cercanias/madrid/index.html

EMT Madrid provides Madrid transit bus services
http://www.emtmadrid.es/

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

2004 Train Service Madrid

Renfe operates Spain's national train network.

Renfe
http://www.renfe.com/index.html

2005 Madrid Train Stations

Madrid has two major Renfe train stations operated by adif; Puerto de Atocha and Chamartin.

Chamartin Renfe Station Madrid
http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/17000/informacion_000295.shtml

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

2007 Madrid Airport to train station Chamartin

a. Chamartin is reached by Metro. Take line 8 from airport T1-T2-T3 or T4 to Nuevos Ministerios; and, line 10 to Chamartin.

b. Chamartin is reached by Renfe Cercanias direct from Madrid Airport T4.

 

[mspath]

Branden,

Welcome to the Forum!
For albergues and hotels in Astorga check out the handy list on www.Gronze.com

Buen camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[nidarosa]

There is an ALSA bus service from MAD terminal 4 as well, saves going into Madrid. Just hop on the shuttle from any terminal to T4 and there is a small ALSA desk there if you have any problems. We did this in March and it was very comfortable and easy.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

 

[Branden]

thank you all for this very helpful information! You guys are amazing!!!
I am so excited...

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Pilgrims- Making a few "plans" for the start and end of my Camino next month and your wisdom may help me- I have a short time to walk- I want to maximize my time on foot -
1) travel from Madrid to Astorga (my starting point). I get in to Madrid at 7:50AM and want to make it to the train from Charmatrin at 10:35. Is it a relatively easy commute from the airport to the train station?
2) any recommendations for an albergue with a private room or a pension type accomodation in Astorga for a good first night's sleep?
3) an albergue with private rooms or pension in Barcelona for the night prior to my departure from Spain
Gracias in advance for your ideas!

Hi, Branden,

You´ve gotten some good travel advice, but I´ll just focus on your precise question about the train if you are still inclined to do that instead of the bus. If you arrive in T4 at the airport (the new terminal, used by Iberia and its One World partners, which in the US is American), it´s simple to get to the Chamartín train station. There is a Cercanías train (the RENFE commuter system) that goes from T4 to Chamartín in 12 minutes. It leaves at 28 and 58 after every hour. I would think you would get the 9:30 at the latest (and very likely something earlier), assuming no huge flight delays, etc. The good thing about that option is that there is a RENFE ticket office at the entrance to the Cercanías, so you can buy your actual train ticket to Astorga there. That will save you time in line at the ticket counter in Chamartín.

If you don´t arrive in T4,you will need to add about 1/2 hour to the process to allow for taking the intra-airport bus that makes the rounds of the different terminals. T 1, 2, and 3 are all together, and T4 is far away.

I was in Chamartín a few weeks ago, and saw that their main ticket office has special lines for tickets for trains with departures of less than 30 minutes, but I think it is a far better idea to buy the ticket at the airport and avoid that line altogether. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Branden]

Peregrina- this is so helpful. I arrive at 7:50am in Madrid at Terminal 4s--and want to leave as quickly as possible to get to Astorga- so this info is really so helpful. I have decent Spanish but honestly cannot understand the Renfre site at all- so I dont know what the heack I am trying to book. I guess booking in advance isnt really neccesary- although I would hate to miss the train in the morning...oh well- it will all work out I know.
again- I appreciate this train info.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The 1030 train from Chamartin will get you to Astorga (on most days) before the 0935 bus from the airport by about an hour. The train station is at the bottom of the hill at Astorga; the bus station is next to the cathedral.

 

[Mark Lee]

Took the bus from T4 in Madrid to Pamplona last June. It was too easy. Literally stepped out the terminal and onto the bus.
I had made advance reservations on the bus, so I didn't even have to go to the ALSA desk there. Just boarded with my reservation which I had printed out at home prior to leaving.

 

[Branden]

Thanks Falcon and Mark. I think I will take the train- I will need to sleep some after the flight from the Sates, then get ready to walk the next day. 5 weeks and counting the minutes!

 

[Paul McAmino]

Peregrina- this is so helpful. I arrive at 7:50am in Madrid at Terminal 4s--and want to leave as quickly as possible to get to Astorga- so this info is really so helpful. I have decent Spanish but honestly cannot understand the Renfre site at all- so I dont know what the heack I am trying to book. I guess booking in advance isnt really neccesary- although I would hate to miss the train in the morning...oh well- it will all work out I know.
again- I appreciate this train info.

I would definitely recommend taking the cercanias train to Chamartin. The beauty about pre-booking the trip to Astorga on the Renfe site (which you can use in English, I believe) is that you may be able to get discounted seats, and you can see which of the trains are high-speed and which are not. There is a big difference in travel time among the various trains that go in that direction. When I went to Burgos in June '14, there was a difference of around two hours between two different trains, which can mean the difference between arriving in daylight and arriving after nightfall. Sleep on the train if you can get a nap in. Sometimes it's just too exciting to sleep though.
Buen camino.

Paul

 

[Branden]

Good morning- I ggoled RENFRE and clicked on this link. Its all in English and explains what is offered on the train service. May be helpful for you all in future. http://www.raileurope.com/en/index.html

Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[njhess]

2002 Madrid Airport

The airport in Madrid is called Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD). There are 4 terminals. T1, T2, and T3 are in one building while T4 is connected via shuttle. Terminal 4S is connected to Terminal 4 by Automatic People Mover (APM) and has a shuttle stop.

Madrid Airport (MAD)
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Madrid-Barajas/en/

2003 Getting around in Madrid

Connections to Madrid include subway (Metro), light rail transit (Cercanias), and bus (EMT).

Madrid Metro has stations at T1-T2-T3 and at T4. The trains run every 6 - 12 minutes.

Madrid Cercanias has a station at T4. The trains run every 30 minutes.

EMT Madrid Aeropuerto Express operates a bright yellow express bus every 13 -20 minutes from the airport T1-T2-T3 and airport T4 to Puerta de Atocha Renfe station.

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

Madrid Metro Map
http://www.metromadrid.es/export/sites/metro/comun/documentos/planos/Planomayo2013.pdf

Madrid Cercanias (operated by Renfe)
http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/cercanias/madrid/index.html

EMT Madrid provides Madrid transit bus services
http://www.emtmadrid.es/

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

2004 Train Service Madrid

Renfe operates Spain's national train network.

Renfe
http://www.renfe.com/index.html

2005 Madrid Train Stations

Madrid has two major Renfe train stations operated by adif; Puerto de Atocha and Chamartin.

Chamartin Renfe Station Madrid
http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/17000/informacion_000295.shtml

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

2007 Madrid Airport to train station Chamartin

a. Chamartin is reached by Metro. Take line 8 from airport T1-T2-T3 or T4 to Nuevos Ministerios; and, line 10 to Chamartin.

b. Chamartin is reached by Renfe Cercanias direct from Madrid Airport T4.

What a great post ... Thanks!!