kmrg2000

Hi all,

I'm trying to book tickets for the AVE to Sevilla from Madrid. We are arriving via Delta on the first Sunday morning in June at 9:00 am. I'm allowing an hour to clear customs and pick up our luggage, then 30 minutes to get a cab to Atocha, plus another 30 to navigate the train station. (will there be much traffic on a Sunday morning?) Would we be able to make an 11:00 am train or would 12:00 pm be safer?

Thanks!

Karen

Dukey

I'm not sure you'd need a full 30 minutes to navigate Atocha but I assume you are tlaking about ordering these in advance using Renfe"s TikNet system and you'll have to pick the tickets up somewhere and that will take time, of course.

My overly cautious response would be to book the 12:00...building in for the possibility that the plane could be late; that you may have to wait for a gate or have a "bus gate," that there may be a delay in retrieving luggage/getting through Customs or Immigration, etc.

My opinion alone but base don previous experience and yours could be different.

GBbabe

Karen,

You can also wait to purchase your ticket at the RENFE office in Terminal 1. I just walked up and bought my ticket in November. I found Atocha station to be incredibly confusing, so I don't know where you would pick up your tickets, but once you have your tickets and are at Atocha, you head upstairs and go through security to the AVE waiting area.

It took me 1.5 hours to go from Terminal 4 to Atocha by way of T1 for the train ticket to T2 to catch the Metro and on to Atocha (you do have to switch Metro lines).

lincasanova

you DO realize that if your flight is late your tickets are useless?

i would give myself PLENTY of time.. and if i got in early, try to change it for an earlier train.

yorkshire

I did a similar trip last year--sorry I don't remember the exact time cushion I gave myself but here's the rundown: Getting out of the airport and into a cab was a snap (I had only carry-on). I immediately realized my Spanish is not nearly as good as I thought. In case you do not speak Spanish, the driver will want to know which part of Atocha you are going to, so just tell him where you are going (I assume because the intercity trains are in one building, the long distance trains in another).
I had purchased my tickets in advance from Renfe. When you enter the train station, the ticket pickup area is to the right of the large indoor garden (you'll see). The only confusing part was figureing out which line I needed to be in to get my ticket--I recommend the advance ticket because that line was much quicker. Then we just had to sit in that garden a while and then find our gate. You go through a quick security check.
I'd go with the 12 to be safe, but you shouldn't have any problems.

kenderina

If the taxi driver asks you which part of Atocha are you going, you just have to say "estacion del AVE" (Ave station), and he will know

cruiseluv

Have you considered staying in Madrid for one evening and then leave the next day , rested for Sevilla. I understand that this is not what you are asking about but I find what you are doing very stressful.

Since you are already at the airport you might want to check the airfares from Madrid to Sevilla. That's how I did my transfer and it was pretty seamless. I think now it might involve checking your bags again, but even with that it might be easier that having to go to Atocha. Sometimes there are very good fares between MAD and Sevilla.