By Train in Madrid

Traveling by train is comfortable and safe, but for some destinations, especially regional ones, it's sometimes better to take the bus because the buses run more often.

For train schedules and reservations, go to any of Madrid's major train stations, visit a travel agent, go to the RENFE office on Alcalá 44 across from the Círculo de Bellas Artes, or call the RENFE number—they will transfer you to an English-speaking representative who can guide you through the procedure. If you use the phone to reserve a ticket, RENFE will hold your ticket for the next 72 hours, providing you go buy your ticket at least one day before departure—otherwise your reservation will be canceled. You can get the ticket from an automated machine at the station, if you pay with credit card, or at the service counter—you will have to take a number and stand in line. The best option however, is the RENFE Web site (www.renfe.es), which has an English-language section, and which offer discounts of up to 60% off the regular price if you get the ticket well in advance. Click on TIKNET, RENFE's online ticket sales service. You can buy regional destination tickets up to 15 days before departure, while long-distance and the fast-speed train tickets can be bought up to two months in advance.

Unfortunately, at this writing, not all train tickets are available online. This restriction applies to the cercanías (commuter trains), international trains, and some of the night and regional trains—for instance, you can buy a ticket online to go from Madrid to Granada or Salamanca, but not one for Madrid to Toledo or Segovia (unless you take the high-speed train, as you'll read below). The system is quite complex, even for locals, because RENFE works by type of train and not by destination. For example, you can buy tickets online for the Alaris, Altaria, Talgo, and AVE trains, but not for the Surexpress, the Lusitania, or the Elipsos. Since there are different trains covering the same route, it's not easy to figure out what you can buy online and what you cannot. To buy a ticket online, you must register and provide credit-card information. Also, note that you cannot buy a ticket online within 1½ hours of departure. If you cancel more than two hours after making the purchase you'll have to pay a cancellation fee that varies depending on the type of ticket. You can reschedule your ticket after buying it either on the Web site or at the counters at the train station. After you buy the ticket, you will be given a car and seat assignment and a localizador (tracking) number. You have to either print the ticket at home or at either of the train stations (using your credit card or the tracking number at the auto check-in machines located in Atocha and Chamartín).

Commuter trains, which travel to El Escorial, Aranjuez, and Alcalá de Henares, run frequently throughout the day. The best way to get a ticket for such trains is to use one of the automated reservation terminals at the station (they're in the cercanías area). To purchase tickets for the regional lines that run less frequently but go to popular destinations such as Segovia or Toledo, you need to use the phone reservation system, the ticket counters at the station or in RENFE offices, or the automated reservations terminals at the main train stations. The high-speed AVE regional lines are an exception, and allow you to buy the ticket online. You can reach Segovia from the Atocha station in a half hour, the same time it takes you to get to Toledo. If you return within the same day, the ticket will cost you less than EUR 15. (Note that there are two types of high-speed trains running to Segovia: the AVE, which stops at Segovia on its way to Valladolid, and the AVANT, which is five minutes slower and only covers the line Madrid-Segovia-Madrid but which is considerably cheaper). Even if there are plenty of high-speed trains covering both routes daily, try to buy tickets ahead of time, especially during high season. Also, keep in mind that the AVE stations in both Toledo and Segovia are located outside the city, meaning once there you'll have to either take a bus or a taxi to get to their old quarters.

There's also an AVE line that can take you to Barcelona in less than three hours. Fares change greatly depending on the class and how far in advance you buy the ticket. If you buy the ticket more than two weeks ahead and are lucky enough to find a Web fare, you'll pay less that EUR 50 each way. Otherwise expect to pay between EUR 102 and EUR 121 each way for a tourist ticket—the more expensive being the AVE +, which is a nonstop train.

Train Stations

Madrid has three main train stations: Chamartín, Atocha, and Norte, the last primarily for commuter trains. Remember to confirm which station you need when arranging a trip. Generally speaking, Chamartín, near the northern tip of Paseo de la Castellana, serves destinations north and west, including San Sebastián, Burgos, León, Oviedo, La Coruña, and Salamanca, as well as France and Portugal and the night train to Barcelona. Atocha, at the southern end of Paseo del Prado, serves towns near Madrid, including El Escorial, Segovia, and Toledo, and southern and eastern cities such as Seville, Málaga, Córdoba, Valencia, and Castellón, and the daily trains to Barcelona. Atocha also sends AVE (high-speed) trains to Córdoba, Seville, Zaragosa, Toledo, Segovia, Huesca, Lleida, Málaga, and Barcelona. For some destinations, however, you can depart from either Atocha or Chamartín (this is the case for Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, and Alcalá de Henares).

Train Information Estación de Atocha (Glorieta del Emperador Carlos V, Atocha. 91/528-4630. Metro: Atocha). Estación Chamartín (Agustín de Foxá s/n, Chamartín. 91/315-9976. Metro: Chamartín). Estación de Príncipe Pío (Norte) (Paseo de la Florida s/n, Moncloa. 902/240202 RENFE. Metro: Príncipe Pío). RENFE (902/240202. www.renfe.es).