Help with buying an overnight train ticket from Madrid to Lisbon (and back)
 

I'm going to be in Madrid for a week in April (from April 7th-April 13th) , and want to take a day trip to Lisbon. I realize this may be a long trip for a short period of time, but I really want to go to Lisbon. I'll be traveling to Lisbon by myself, and have a few questions that hopefully someone can help with. Thanks for any advice. The fodorites on this site are awesome!

(1.) If I book the ticket on the Renfe website, is that all I need? I became slightly confused when looking at various websites where it seemed you may need a pass (maybe a Eurail pass?), and then also book the overnight train. Or, do I only need to book the overnight train, and that's all (no other train tickets necessary)?

(2.) On the Renfe site, I select Madrid to Lisbon on 04/09/11 and return on 04/10/11. Why are the weekend dates shaded in gray, while the weekdays are white? Does that mean anything?

(3.) After I select Madrid to Lisbon on 04/09/11 and return on 04/10/11, I see 4 options (turista, cama turista, cama preferen, and cama g. clase). It seems that the turista and cama turista are the best for the price. Since I'm traveling by myself, I'm trying to figure out what the best option is for me. Are there any main differences, other than one has a bed? Is there more than one bed in a cabin? I guess what I'm getting at is-will I be in a room with other people?

(4.) Final question. After I select cama turista on the Renfe site, it takes me to page that has outward and return information (with 0 bicycles below that). Below all of that are descriptions of the different classes (with some info in Spanish and some in English-what's up with that?). When I press continue at the bottom of the page, it just goes back to the top of the page. Does anyone know why it's doing that?

There is a lot of information on Spanish hotel trains on www.seat61.com.
There are four classes of accommodation:
turista = reclining seat;
cama turista = berth in four-berth sleeping compartment (sharing with up to three others of the same sex);
cama preferente = berth in two-berth sleeping compartment;
gran clase = berth in two-berth compartment with shower and WC.
If you're travelling alone, you can book a reclining seat, a berth in a shared four-berth compartment, or (much more expensively) a whole two-berth compartment.
The Portuguese capital is, I think, worth much more than one day. I personally find it much more interesting than Madrid.

How about flying. I just checked and RT airfare is around $117. Flight is just over an hour. Is the train that much cheaper?

f1racegirl, I think the issue with flying is that while the flight would be cheaper than the train ticket, I would have to stay overnight in Lisbon and get a hotel room, therefore raising the cost. With the train, there would be no hotel room since it's overnight.

You just need to book a round trip ticket Madrid-Lisbon and back, at renfe.com, in your chosen type of accommodation.

No need for any passes, and a reservation is included with the ticket. You print your own ticket, too.

Don't book a seat - always book a sleeper. A shared 4-berth tourist sleeper is fine, you sleep just as well as in a private sleeper as the bed is exactly the same!

TennesseeVol,

Re: your (4).

Not very familiar with international journeys but have resolved this.
I think you are not starting here http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/lar...les/index.html.
for International Trains, then next page Ticket Purchase under Spain - Portugal
Advise if still a problem.

Never in a million years would I ever think of taking an overnight train to Lisbon for one day and back................just the thought exhausts/amuses me !!!!

That's certainly short-changing Lisbon! I totally agree that it's a lot more interesting than Madrid. (I'm going back to Lisbon next week for my second six night stay - click on my name for my Lisbon TR.)

I've done the Lisbon-Madrid night train - the ride's a bit rough on the Portuguese side but otherwise it's fine. Take snacks and water. Nothing wrong with sharing a compartment (at least in Europe it will be same-sex) and don't even think about the reclining seat!

Do you need to go back to Madrid?? Couldn't you fly home from Lisbon?

I'm with Chapla.I have never heard of this being done on a pleasure trip.

I have never taken a trenhotel in Spain, but I have been in other overnight trains and it's not very conducive to sleeping, with all the motion and noise.

Chapla/thursdaysd, I'm not trying to shortchange Lisbon. I'm going to Madrid to visit a friend that just had a baby, so I don't want to be away from Madrid too long. I would love to spend more time in Lisbon, but at this point, it's either one day, or who knows when I'll get another chance to go? I've only been to Madrid once before, when I was 19 and only cared about partying. Now, I can actually take in the sights (and tapas!)

I know there are various threads regarding things to do in Lisbon, but does anyone have suggestions for things to do in one day?

The on/off Lisbon Bus!

WomBatt, I tried your link, but I ultimately get back to the page where I press "continue", and it just takes me back to the top of the page. From your link, I:

(1.) Click "international trains"
(2.) Then "ticket purchase" under Spain-Portugal
(3.) The next page is in Spanish, but I selected origin: Madrid-Chamartin (because that's the only Madrid option) and destination: Lisboa. I also selected ida y vuelta (because I think that means roundtrip) on 04/09/11 and 04/10/11.
(4.) The next page is automatically populated.
(5.) On the next page, I select cama turista.
(6.) The next page is where when I press "continue", it only takes me back to the top of the page. There is a dropdown box for "class", but there are no options when you select the box.

Any thoughts?

It seemed to work for me. At step 5, I selected "cama turista" for both outward and return journeys. The next screen then asked for gender ("caballero" or "señora"). The total price displayed was €66.60 which looks pretty cheap for the journey and two nights accommodation.
The next stage is to get RENFE to accept payment, which can be difficult.

Did you have the dates in the correct format? In Spain (and most of Europe), 9 April 2011 is 09/04/11.

"I know there are various threads regarding things to do in Lisbon, but does anyone have suggestions for things to do in one day?" - why don't you read the threads and pick what interests you? What I would do - Gulbenkian and Monasterio at Belem - might not be what you'd prefer.

TennesseeVol,

Does not work for me either.

We can only hope the RENFE site is having eccentric times, as it progressed for GeoffHamer, as I would expect. Keep checking, as I will.

TennesseeVol,

The purchase process works for your requirements in the Spanish version.

Best wishes.

WomBatt,

Thanks for the help. I did get it to work in Spanish, but I ultimately decided to fly. My friend in Madrid recommended it. It is much less travel time, and also gives me a chance to stay in a hostel, which should be cool.

Best wishes.

Why blame Madrid? You should have been wearing a money belt. And Lisbon, much as I love it, is not without its own pickpockets, I foiled an attempt in a metro station on my last visit.

And Lisbon, much as I love it, is not without its own pickpockets>

On my first trip to Portugal and Lisbon we were over charged at just about every restaurant and store we went to. The rip-off in Portugal is a bit different but...

Over charged how? You bought something that was more expensive than the price that was labeled?

gipped on the bill at every restaurant - charged more and less change in shops - they always rectified it. Now that was some time ago - maybe things have changed but after traveling the world for decades it was the most endemic rip-off like that I've ever had outside the third world.

Well, that is something i never heard of.

Even so, there's a complaint book in every single commercial shop.

You only pay for what was labeled and what you eat - besides that, the consumer is protected by law and by the Consumer organization.