Online Spanish Train Tickets
Spain - High-speed AVE Trains Barcelona to Madrid & Madrid to Malaga
The speed and ease of travelling in Spain is improving constantly with the latest launch of a bullet service that has begun between Barcelona and Madrid. This brings Spain into the train age, after a successful high speed link that began in December running an AVE service between Madrid and Malaga.
The Malaga service has proved incredibly popular and the passenger use has doubled in just a few weeks. The authorities are hoping for the same success on the new Barcelona run. The first train journey last week took two hours and thirty five minutes and arrived eight minutes earlier than scheduled.
The AVE (Alta Velocidad Española) reached a top speed of 350 kmph or 220 mph on the trip between these two major business cities, it's a trip of 410 miles that would take around five hours by car.
Spanish business people have frequently used air links between many of the major cities, as the availability of any half decent train service was none existant, and the huge distances impossible by car within a working day. The hopes for a larger and better rail communication system all across Spain is an exciting one, and of course a far rmore evironmentally friendly option that flying or a single-occupant car trip.
Eventually that might be a high-speed train link from London through France and down to the south of Spain, and with the publics support and encouraging figures so far, that may not be very far in the future.
Prices of train travel in Spain vary according to the time of travel and the type of ticket you buy, for example
Barcelona to Madrid on a 6am AVE train can cost (all prices in Euros)
- Tourist Class 119.50
- First Class 179.30
- Club Class 215.20
Barcelona to Madrid on a 9am AVE train can cost
- Tourist Class 101.30
- First Class 152.00
- Club Class 182.40
On a 6.35am AVE from Madrid to Malaga
- Tourist Class 68.00
- First Class 101.90
- Club Class 122.40
These prices are for AVE train tickets bought on the internet, this way of purchasing tickets is fractionally cheaper than buying them at a railway station.
Other AVE routes exist between Madrid and Seville which takes just 2.5 hours, Madrid and Toledo, the one-time Spanish capital, which takes 30 minutes and Madrid to Zaragoza in 1.5 hours.
Most AVE trains have television in Spanish of course, piped music and restaurants to speed your journey along even more!
All train tickets from any Spanish station can be purchased on line from Renfe, also any timetable information. All AVE trains are well-equipped and wheelchair user friendly.
The Spanish Railway (RENFE) website in English is here or the international phone number is 902 243402
See here for more on Madrid Parks and Gardens or a Madrid Guide Book Review
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