Car rental locations in Madrid
May 21st, 2009, 02:26 PM
#1
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Car rental locations in Madrid
My husband and I will be renting a car in Madrid later this summer. Our hotel is near Plaza Mayor, and there are many possible pick-up offices from which to retrieve the car. We will be taking a taxi from the hotel to the car rental agency, and then directly leaving the city, heading toward Segovia.
My question is: Which of the following rental locations seems most easily reached from our hotel area?
MADRID ALCORCON
MADRID ATOCHA RAILWAY STATION
MADRID ATOCHA RRS *RY*
MADRID CAMPO DE LAS NACIONES
MADRID CHAMARTIN RAILWAY STATION
MADRID FUENLABRADA
MADRID LAS ROZAS
MADRID LEGANES
MADRID NUEVOS MINISTERIOS
MADRID PINTO
MADRID PLAZA CASTILLA
MADRID PLAZA DE ESPAÑA
MADRID PUEBLO BARAJAS
MADRID TRES CANTOS
MADRID-ALCALA DE HENARES
MADRID-ALCOBENDAS
My question is: Which of the following rental locations seems most easily reached from our hotel area?
MADRID ALCORCON
MADRID ATOCHA RAILWAY STATION
MADRID ATOCHA RRS *RY*
MADRID CAMPO DE LAS NACIONES
MADRID CHAMARTIN RAILWAY STATION
MADRID FUENLABRADA
MADRID LAS ROZAS
MADRID LEGANES
MADRID NUEVOS MINISTERIOS
MADRID PINTO
MADRID PLAZA CASTILLA
MADRID PLAZA DE ESPAÑA
MADRID PUEBLO BARAJAS
MADRID TRES CANTOS
MADRID-ALCALA DE HENARES
MADRID-ALCOBENDAS
May 21st, 2009, 03:12 PM
#2
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scdreamer,
Had you considered taking the Avant high speed train from Chamartín station to Segovia then pick up a car in Segovia after your stay to start your touring? Or did you plan to make stops on route from Madrid to Segovia?
If so, I'd take a taxi to Chamartín rail station, pick up the car there, then head out west on the M 30, which will take you to the A6 to Guadarrama, then Segovia.
Had you considered taking the Avant high speed train from Chamartín station to Segovia then pick up a car in Segovia after your stay to start your touring? Or did you plan to make stops on route from Madrid to Segovia?
If so, I'd take a taxi to Chamartín rail station, pick up the car there, then head out west on the M 30, which will take you to the A6 to Guadarrama, then Segovia.
May 21st, 2009, 03:31 PM
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Hi Maribel -
Yes, we wanted to stop at La Granja before we go to our hotel in Segovia.
Thanks for the info - now I wonder if it would be easier to take an early morning train to Segovia, pick up the car there, and then go to La Granja in the early afternoon. We could check into our hotel in the early evening.
Do you know if there is a Europecar rental pick-up near the Segovia train station?
Yes, we wanted to stop at La Granja before we go to our hotel in Segovia.
Thanks for the info - now I wonder if it would be easier to take an early morning train to Segovia, pick up the car there, and then go to La Granja in the early afternoon. We could check into our hotel in the early evening.
Do you know if there is a Europecar rental pick-up near the Segovia train station?
May 21st, 2009, 03:55 PM
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There are car rental agencies in the new high speed rail station, Segovia-Guiomar (4 km. outside of town), but I don't believe one of them is Europcar.
On the Europcar site it lists their agency address in town on Via Roma 16. Does it need to be Europcar?
But since you're planning to visit the Palace of La Granja, I highly recommend that you go for the first obligatory bilingual guided tour in the morning, at 10 am. Could you do this perhaps the next day? It gets very crowded with groups after the 10 am tour. And it gets hot in the summer afternoons. If you venture to San Ildefonso de la Granja on a MONDAY, the palace and tapestry museum will be closed and the only portion you can visit is the gardens.
So, could you train to Segovia from Madrid, pick up your rental car the next morning in town, then visit La Granja Palace at 10, then on to your next destination? Possible?
On the Europcar site it lists their agency address in town on Via Roma 16. Does it need to be Europcar?
But since you're planning to visit the Palace of La Granja, I highly recommend that you go for the first obligatory bilingual guided tour in the morning, at 10 am. Could you do this perhaps the next day? It gets very crowded with groups after the 10 am tour. And it gets hot in the summer afternoons. If you venture to San Ildefonso de la Granja on a MONDAY, the palace and tapestry museum will be closed and the only portion you can visit is the gardens.
So, could you train to Segovia from Madrid, pick up your rental car the next morning in town, then visit La Granja Palace at 10, then on to your next destination? Possible?
May 21st, 2009, 04:30 PM
#5
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Europcar seems to have the best rates that I've seen ... in addition it allows us to drop the car at the airport in Vigo ten days later, with no extra fees.
Problem is that on Sunday we are driving on to Leon - have reservations at the Parador for two nights - and I think trying to make that drive along with seeing La Granja would be too much for one day.
Sounds as if we would maybe save enough time taking an early train out of Madrid, taxiing into Segovia, pick up the car, and still get to La Granja in time for a tour.
I was there last August - in the afternoon - and my sister and I were the only English speakers, so we ended up with what was basically a private tour.
Problem is that on Sunday we are driving on to Leon - have reservations at the Parador for two nights - and I think trying to make that drive along with seeing La Granja would be too much for one day.
Sounds as if we would maybe save enough time taking an early train out of Madrid, taxiing into Segovia, pick up the car, and still get to La Granja in time for a tour.
I was there last August - in the afternoon - and my sister and I were the only English speakers, so we ended up with what was basically a private tour.
May 21st, 2009, 04:50 PM
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Sorry, scdreamer, I completely forgot your itinerary after Segovia-on to León, then Galicia.
We do use Europcar a great deal, but we book through Auto Europe, and Europcar is their preferred supplier for Spain.
For pick up in some cities, when we book through Auto Europe or Kemwell (one and the same, basically) they subcontract with Avis.
And we never pay a drop off fee with either agency.
I don't know what has happened to all of the Avant trains to Segovia. They don't appear for July. Seem to disappear after mid-June. I suspect it may simply be that they haven't been loaded into Renfe's online system yet.
We do use Europcar a great deal, but we book through Auto Europe, and Europcar is their preferred supplier for Spain.
For pick up in some cities, when we book through Auto Europe or Kemwell (one and the same, basically) they subcontract with Avis.
And we never pay a drop off fee with either agency.
I don't know what has happened to all of the Avant trains to Segovia. They don't appear for July. Seem to disappear after mid-June. I suspect it may simply be that they haven't been loaded into Renfe's online system yet.
May 21st, 2009, 05:39 PM
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I think we'll go with the plan to pick up the car in Madrid and drive to Segovia, detouring to La Granja along the way.
Maribel, do you have a rough idea of the drive time between Madrid and La Granja on a Saturday morning -(if we pick up the car at Chamartin station)?
As I recall from my trip last summer, it was a couple hours, but we were returning directly to the Madrid airport.
Maribel, do you have a rough idea of the drive time between Madrid and La Granja on a Saturday morning -(if we pick up the car at Chamartin station)?
As I recall from my trip last summer, it was a couple hours, but we were returning directly to the Madrid airport.
May 21st, 2009, 05:49 PM
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Hi scdreamer,
Out of curiosity I checked what www.viamichelin.com estimates-they say about 1 hr. 15 min.
You might want to print out their driving directions, inserting estación de chamartín, Madrid as your departure point and San Ildefonso de la Granja as your destination, just to have these directions printed out and handy.
It's really fairly straightforward though.
Out of curiosity I checked what www.viamichelin.com estimates-they say about 1 hr. 15 min.
You might want to print out their driving directions, inserting estación de chamartín, Madrid as your departure point and San Ildefonso de la Granja as your destination, just to have these directions printed out and handy.
It's really fairly straightforward though.
May 22nd, 2009, 09:41 AM
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Hello Maribel - Thanks for the link to the michelin website. I wonder if we have to go on toll roads? As I vaguely recall from last time I was in that area, the free roads pretty much paralleled the toll roads, and it wasn't that much slower to stay on them. Fifteen euros is a decent lunch!
May 22nd, 2009, 09:51 AM
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Hi scdreamer,
To get the cheapest route available for any of your drives on
www.viamichelin.com
under "driving directions", choose Economical
under "route options", check "avoid tolls"
that should give you your answer for any of your drives.
To get the cheapest route available for any of your drives on
www.viamichelin.com
under "driving directions", choose Economical
under "route options", check "avoid tolls"
that should give you your answer for any of your drives.
May 23rd, 2009, 05:45 AM
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Scdreamer, I need to check with DH, but I know we reserved in advance still got a different car & the auto pick up was not far from the Opera area where we stayed. I think Gran Via area. Although there is that initial stress about driving in Madrid, once on the highway the drive went by quickly to La Granja. It was easy but sounds like you have done it.
The one man at the car rental agency was busy for quite a while with another customer first & that delayed our takeoff at least one half hour or 45 minutes.
We then went straight to Segovia from LaGranja. It was great fun. Have a wonderful time.
The one man at the car rental agency was busy for quite a while with another customer first & that delayed our takeoff at least one half hour or 45 minutes.
We then went straight to Segovia from LaGranja. It was great fun. Have a wonderful time.
May 23rd, 2009, 05:53 AM
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Oh one more thing, I emphasize Maribel's suggestion to get there by 10am (I would shoot for sooner even if it means waiting, you never know)
I just recalled the experience we had arriving after 10 30 had coincided with tons of reved up screaming students (it was also pouring rain) and though now it is one of our craziest memories at the time it was not so amusing.
I just recalled the experience we had arriving after 10 30 had coincided with tons of reved up screaming students (it was also pouring rain) and though now it is one of our craziest memories at the time it was not so amusing.
May 23rd, 2009, 06:20 AM
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I really hate the congestion at that Gran Vía office and having to negotiate horrible city commuter traffic around the Plaza de España in the morning. I find it really time consuming and would rather taxi or train up to a rental car agency closer to a beltway/motorway to get me quickly out of town and on the way to my next city. Personally, I just prefer to avoid that and look for a rental agency that will give me a quicker exit out of the awful Madrid traffic.
Just my thoughts...
(but the only time i enjoy driving in Madrid is on a Sunday morning in August when I have the Castellana practically to myself!)
Just my thoughts...
(but the only time i enjoy driving in Madrid is on a Sunday morning in August when I have the Castellana practically to myself!)
May 23rd, 2009, 06:27 AM
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I agree the part on Gran Via was CRAZY even though it was though a short drive to the exit of the highway. And we took a taxi there fom our hotel, even he had a hard time finding the office off the Gran Via.
May 23rd, 2009, 06:57 AM
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Maribel,
I find Madrid traffic acceptable
amsdon,
I can see dropping off a car in the afternoon for first timers there as difficult, but a morning pickup there is no problem. btw: you dont need a taxi if you drop off at the hotel first.
I find Madrid traffic acceptable
amsdon,
I can see dropping off a car in the afternoon for first timers there as difficult, but a morning pickup there is no problem. btw: you dont need a taxi if you drop off at the hotel first.
May 23rd, 2009, 07:12 AM
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Frank,
I fully understand that you and probably many others don't mind driving through the heavy morning commuter traffic in downtown Madrid while I do. I just find it stressful.
scdreamer,
I'm just not a fan of the increasingly heavy (and often crazy) Madrid traffic jams, and especially in the Plaza de España area. But again, that's me not you.
I also don't like the extra vigilance that I feel I ned with my belongings in this area of the Gran Vía.
If your hotel is located on or near the Gran Vía, as Frank says, your husband could pick up the car while you stay in the hotel with your luggage. That would be the best scenario.
I don't remember when the Europcar office opens there, but as amsdon says, I'd try for the earliest pick up possible to get you out and on your way to La Granja.
I fully understand that you and probably many others don't mind driving through the heavy morning commuter traffic in downtown Madrid while I do. I just find it stressful.
scdreamer,
I'm just not a fan of the increasingly heavy (and often crazy) Madrid traffic jams, and especially in the Plaza de España area. But again, that's me not you.
I also don't like the extra vigilance that I feel I ned with my belongings in this area of the Gran Vía.
If your hotel is located on or near the Gran Vía, as Frank says, your husband could pick up the car while you stay in the hotel with your luggage. That would be the best scenario.
I don't remember when the Europcar office opens there, but as amsdon says, I'd try for the earliest pick up possible to get you out and on your way to La Granja.
