Hi,

I need information about train travel and Spain Flexi Train pass. I think I need to buy the pass before leaving the states. Do their passes include the AVE and other fast trains.

I found a price of 1st class four stops of around USD$240? I have a ISIC Teacher card if there is a discount?

Has anyone used a Train pass for Spain only travel? Any advice?

I will arrive in Madrid on the morning of the 26th and leave the afternoon of March 7th. This is my first trip to Spain. I am becoming focused on an Itinerary of Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Ronda, and Sevilla, Madrid. I am also intrigued but need to learn more of La Feria de la Magdalena in Castell�n de la Plana, north of Valencia, March 3-10, with bullfights every afternoon. I could go there from Granada?

I thank you in advance for any information about Spanish Train passes and other travel insights (itinerary, hostals, etc.).

This is a fun and informative website Jer.

John

Hey John, glad you like my site

I am trying to seperate the hostel thing and the transportation so I posted about hostels and meeting other travellers on your other thread at www.multimadrid.com/cgi-bin/jersbbucgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4&t=000035 , check it out.

Well, I have never used the Spain Flexi-Pass personally since I find a combo of train and busses make for better travelling here in Spain. The problem with the Spanish rail network is that it is oftewn a pain in the ass to get from one place to another due to the poorly liad out rail tracks. For example, if you want to go from say Santiago de Compostela to Santander via train you are in a world of hurt since the route you would have to take is a long and winding one but there are bus cmpanies that go direct for faster and cheaper trip. That is just one example for the North of Spain but the same thing happens in all of Spain.

So, while commiting yourself to train travel with a prepaid pass may not be the best way to go, I have seen Flex-Pass info online at www.renfe.es/ingles/viajes/spainflexipass.html and it includes all trains (AVE as well). Is that the site you saw it at? The different plans & prices in U.S. $ are there on that page as well. I am sure other sites offer the pass at different prices so I usually like to shop around although the price seems to be fixed, at least on the stes I saw it at such as the RENFE site mentioned above and:

* www.raileurope.com/us/rail/passes/spain_flexipass.htm
* www.railpass.com/eurail/passes/spain.htm
* www.europrail.net/passes/spain.html

I did not see your 4 stop offer that you said you found, the Flexi-Pass seems to be an unlimited rail pass with no limitations on gettin gon and off the trains for a certain amount of days (depending on the plan you choose), were you looking at something else

Saludos,
jer...

Thanks again,

You found what I was looking at. You can buy 3-10 days of travel within a two-month period. They also say that supplements are charged for the AVE and Talgo?

This is pretty interesting too: http://www.railpass.com/eurail/passes/spainDRV.htm

It is a pass with combined rail days and rental car days (Hertz).

I guess with my itinerary of Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Ronda, Sevilla, back to Madrid I would have to price out the individual tickets against the price of the pass (+ supplements) to decide which offers the best price?

I was hoping others who have recently traveled had decided the best option. If I can buy the railpass in Spain, then I can decide at the counter.

Thanks again!

John