so we booked our tickets to spain a few minutes ago!!! woohoo! i've a question about transport. i read in one of the previous threads about the railway system being a bit backwards. we want to get down to granada and, alas, it's on the slow line, which means a 6-hour trip...not TOO terrible of course, but you jer mentioned in an old thread that sometimes buses have more direct routes than trains. is there a bus madrid--> granada by any chance? thanks. by the way, i am completely crazy about multimadrid by now. it's such a wonderful resource. and a refreshing distraction from work vika
Posts: 29 | Location: New York City | Registered: 10 April 2003
Hi vika, yeah!!! You are nearly here!!! When are you coming over???
Check out the thread HERE and the info given by member "lin-san" (Linda).
She just took the bus to Granada and gives some good info on it.
Also, HERE is the Madrid -> Granada RENFE trian schedule.
As you said, the train is 6 hrs to Granada and the bus is about 5hrs. 20 min. Train is a bit more comfy but I would do the bus if you are young and your back is good Granada is one of those cities the train does a roundabout to get to due to the wackily laid out rail tracks here :lo: Bus also costs about half as much as the train
CONTINENTAL AUTO get you from Madrid to Granada from Estaci�n Sur de Autobuses in Madrid. You can see the schedules at their website. There is a bus just about every hour on the hour between 7am and 11pm that leaves Madrid for Granada (13.42 Euros one way ) Not all busses are every day so check the site.
quote:
"by the way, i am completely crazy about multimadrid by now. it's such a wonderful resource. and a refreshing distraction from work"
If your budget allows it, i would go by train and in primera. I might take a bit longer, but way more comfy than any bus. Primera is first class which will only cost you about 10 euros more the tourist. When I have 2 go to granada without a car I always take the train. But then again I have a mania against buses! I had one of those once and never again experiences with a bus.
anyway, you'll love granada if you get there by bus or train. It's beautifull! and untill the first weekend in may you can still go skiing!!!!! And the beach is also close. The nightlife is kickass, all students.....and last but not least, the culture and things 2 see, wow!
Hey serge, WOW! I can't believe that there is only a 9€ price difference between tourist class and preferred class on that Madrid -> Granada trip.
I took RENFE from Madrid to Jerez de la Frontera (4 hr ride) last summer and the difference was a whopping 28€ I tried 1st class (my client was paying ) and then on the way back did tourist class to compare the 2 for the board (oh, the sacrifices I make ).
Currently, the Madrid -> Jerez trip costs 30€ more for 1st class (check it out HERE).
Hi vika, yeah!!! You are nearly here!!! When are you coming over???"
yes, we are nearly...i've butterflies in my stomach! we arrive bright and early on may 30th in madrid and stay for 2 weeks. still undecided when we'll head for granada and how many days we'll stay in madrid...originally thought of staying just 2 days, saving madrid for its own full-fledged trip for another time, but we are just a VERY UNDECIDED (or perhaps spontaneous is a better word?) couple. FIRST TIME in SPAIN...crazeeeee :cheers: a HUGE thank you jer and serge for the info on bus vs train. having read your suggestions, i think we'll go with the clase preferente on the train--the difference in price is insignificant.
Posts: 29 | Location: New York City | Registered: 10 April 2003
When you get the train 2 granada, you can get on in either atocha or chamartin, i personally would get on in chamartin....this is where the train starts and this gives you a lot more time to get on and get settled (if u are on time ). In atocha it only stops for a few min, and if you have got a lot of stuff with u, it might be 2 little time.
quote:
WOW! I can't believe that there is only a 9� price difference between tourist class and preferred class on that Madrid -> Granada trip
I know Jer, the first time i checked it out i was totally suprised. but I am not complaining!!
The trip by the way is really nice, the change in countryside is amazing!
I wonder why they no longer have a night train from Madrid to Granada. It was great for ski trips when I was a student. Irene and I took this train in '99, so it must have been taken of the Renfe schedule rather recently.
"An honest man is always a child" - Socrates ...no wonder I'm so immature!
I agree with serge on getting on the train to Granada at Chamart�n for more time to get on but it stops at Atocha for a good chunk of time as well. As long as you are there early you will have no problem.
It also all depends on where your accommodations are in Madrid.
If you are staying in the city center (Puerta del Sol area for example), then the bolt down to Atocha is much easier and if ya take the Metro, no line change is required.
Paul, I addressed the lack of a night train to Jerez once on another thread but can't seem to find it now. I called RENFE once and asked about the night train and, if I recall correctly, they said that it has nothing to do with the length of the journey, it is the lack of demand that discontinued the night train they used to have.
I called RENFE once and asked about the night train and, if I recall correctly, they said that it has nothing to do with the length of the journey, it is the lack of demand that discontinued the night train they used to have.
I'm glad the Barcelona->Granada TrenHotel is still running! We got Preferente cabins and had a great ride. The cabins are lockable from the outside, first time I remember seeing that on a train. You must insert a plastic punch card to open the door from the outside. We thought it was a pretty good system.
"An honest man is always a child" - Socrates ...no wonder I'm so immature!
I took the train from Granada to Atocha in the fall of 2001. At that time they only had one train per day and it took 6 looong hours. It was an experience but I promised to take a bus the next time. My daughter took the bus last fall and thought it was nice--she didn't remember how long but thought it was about 6 hours as well. I didn't feel too rushed when I got off at Atocha and I had 2 bags! I loved Granada so much,though, that I would take whatever was available to get there!
Posts: 232 | Location: Seattle, WA, USA | Registered: 03 June 2001
thank you all! i am happy to hear that you guys echo my sentiment on granada. somehow, having never been to spain, i had my heart set on Andalucia, especially granada when i first started thinking of the trip. the name itself seems to hold mystery, exoticism and beauty.
in my research i found a very informative website on Granada. check it out, especially if you don't know much about the town and would like to visit (that would be me). i plan to do my apartment reservation through it.
vika
Posts: 29 | Location: New York City | Registered: 10 April 2003
When are you coming over???
Granada is one of those cities the train does a roundabout to get to due to the wackily laid out rail tracks here :lo: Bus also costs about half as much as the train 
) Not all busses are every day so check the site.
- rent or buy a cell phone from me for your stay in spain, more info at 
- already have a cell phone, get a spanish SIM card for it at 
I tried 1st class (my client was paying 
). In atocha it only stops for a few min, and if you have got a lot of stuff with u, it might be 2 little time.
