I am in early planning stages for a three week trip to Spain in October. I am planning on renting a car for first half of trip. originally planned to pick up at the airport in Madrid and drop off in Seville about 11 days later. Since I plan to spend my first night or two in Toledo, I checked the price for renting there (using Autoeurope). It is almost $200 cheaper to rent there (with one day less rental). So,my questions are these:

Does it make sense to pick up car in Toledo? (how far is train station from center of town?) This would also mean we would not have to drive into the city on our first day in Spain and try to find our hotel (considering Hotel Santa Isabel in city center).

What is best way to get from MAD to Toledo? I read on this forum that it was not unreasonable to take a taxi. Does anyone know how much that would cost? I don't want to bother with transfers to bus or train when I am whiped out from all night flight.

Where is best place to drop car in Seville to avoid traffic and hassles?

I am sure I will have many additional questions as time goes by. I have already used this forum to plan most of my itinerary. Thanks for any advice you can give me.

For get taking a taxi to Toledo. The ALTA VELOCIDAD (Renfe.com) runs from Atocha station in Madrid to Toledo in 35 minutes for 8.30 euros. You can take a taxi from the airport to Atocha station (20 minutes +/-) for around 20 euros.

You can walk from the station in Toledo, take the bus or hire a taxi to the hotel.

You can drop the rental car off at the airport in Sevilla to avoid the traffic in the city.

Thanks for the info Robert. Am I doing something wrong with the link you included? I couldn't get into the site without a userid and password and no way that I could see to register.

also, still wondering how expensive a taxi to Toledo would be - with cost of taxi,train, taxi would it be all that much more for taxi all the way?(remember that I will be saving about $200 on my rental car).

My mistake! It should be http://www.renfe.es/

I've never taken a taxi from Madrid to Toledo, but, based on the time and distance, it would probably cost you somewhere between 150 and 200 euros since you will have to pay a round-trip fare. Madrid is a city with some 15,000 taxis, so you may be able to talk one of the drivers into taking you to your hotel in Toledo, but I'd stick with the train unless you speak perfect Spanish and can explain to the driver what you want to do.

robert, Thanks again. You have convinced me. I guess it's taxi, train, taxi. And, no, I sure don't speak perfect Spanish, but I AM taking classes.