Madrid > Lisbon On Lusitania Trenhotel
Jun 21st, 2007, 09:13 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Madrid > Lisbon On Lusitania Trenhotel
Reposting From General Europe:
Has anyone travelled on the Trenhotel Lusitania from Madrid to Lisbon on this overnight train recently - say in the last year? If so, was it a relatively good experience or did you end up wishing you had flown? When I tallied the cost of an extra night at our hotel and meals in Madrid plus the cost of flying Madrid>Lisbon versus a night on the train (first class) that includes both dinner and breakfast meals, the train option came out about $400 U.S. cheaper! But there doesn't seem to be much recent comment on the web from travellers who have taken the train, so wondered if there are any negatives I should be considering. Also, if you have booked this train recently did you have to wait 60 days before doing so? We won't be doing this portion of our trip until January but I was hoping to have everything booked a.s.a.p.
Has anyone travelled on the Trenhotel Lusitania from Madrid to Lisbon on this overnight train recently - say in the last year? If so, was it a relatively good experience or did you end up wishing you had flown? When I tallied the cost of an extra night at our hotel and meals in Madrid plus the cost of flying Madrid>Lisbon versus a night on the train (first class) that includes both dinner and breakfast meals, the train option came out about $400 U.S. cheaper! But there doesn't seem to be much recent comment on the web from travellers who have taken the train, so wondered if there are any negatives I should be considering. Also, if you have booked this train recently did you have to wait 60 days before doing so? We won't be doing this portion of our trip until January but I was hoping to have everything booked a.s.a.p.
Jun 21st, 2007, 09:19 AM
#2
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 17,549
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You generally cannot book any earlier than 60 days but it may be up to 90 days/nights in some cases.
I haven't taken that particular trip but have been on similar equipment on other routes.
I have never had any problems at all sleeping because the roadbeds have been well-maintained. Others frequently talk about the noise, the rocking, etc.
I am sorry if this is of no help to you so topping for other possible responses.
I haven't taken that particular trip but have been on similar equipment on other routes.
I have never had any problems at all sleeping because the roadbeds have been well-maintained. Others frequently talk about the noise, the rocking, etc.
I am sorry if this is of no help to you so topping for other possible responses.
Jun 21st, 2007, 09:24 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I haven't ridden this Hotel Train but it's no doubt much like other Hotel Trains in Spain - very very nice as night trains go.
Except for the hard to predict ability to sleep over noise from tracks, etc. the first class Gran Classe digs are amongst the finest in Europe and do include meals. Some rooms even i think have shower/WC in them - rare on night trains in Europe.
www.renfe.es Spanish rail web site should have info and booking ability - 60 days usual advance sometimes 90. In the US for any questions on this train and booking contact BETS (800-441-2387) as they can tell you lots about the train, accommodations, prices, booking limits, etc. Check US prices but compare with renfe.es as they may be lower. That said the site is at times hard to make do for novice users but check both sources. I always recommend BETS because they are the rare place today you can actually talk to someone who knows anything. You can also try www.raileurope.com but good luck talking to anyone a'tall there.
And perhaps you could do it in Madrid if you were going to be there some days in advance. But as the only direct train between these two capitals the overnight train is popular. daytime connections involve an incredible number of changes with connections not being guaranteed so you could end up being stranded so to speak in Elvas, not bad really as i stayed there once and loved the place.
Except for the hard to predict ability to sleep over noise from tracks, etc. the first class Gran Classe digs are amongst the finest in Europe and do include meals. Some rooms even i think have shower/WC in them - rare on night trains in Europe.
www.renfe.es Spanish rail web site should have info and booking ability - 60 days usual advance sometimes 90. In the US for any questions on this train and booking contact BETS (800-441-2387) as they can tell you lots about the train, accommodations, prices, booking limits, etc. Check US prices but compare with renfe.es as they may be lower. That said the site is at times hard to make do for novice users but check both sources. I always recommend BETS because they are the rare place today you can actually talk to someone who knows anything. You can also try www.raileurope.com but good luck talking to anyone a'tall there.
And perhaps you could do it in Madrid if you were going to be there some days in advance. But as the only direct train between these two capitals the overnight train is popular. daytime connections involve an incredible number of changes with connections not being guaranteed so you could end up being stranded so to speak in Elvas, not bad really as i stayed there once and loved the place.
Jun 21st, 2007, 02:27 PM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks to both of you for your replies! I'm not sure why there weren't more, just as I was surprised I couldn't find too many personal rail tales about this accomodation/trip outside of Fodors, except for a few on blogs by young travellers who were making the trip sitting up. I just wondered if any other Foderites had experienced the first class Trenhotel on this stretch and thought it was worth it. You are both right, I'm sure, that one overnight train in Spain is the same as the other. I guess no news is good news as far as comfort though don't get me wrong, my DH and I are train buffs and understand that click-itty clack-itty comes with the package. And after all, "the trains in Spain run mainly on the plains," right 
But we will pack ear plugs and something legal to knock us out for the rock and roll portion. Thanks also for the heads up on BETS. I'll check them out.
But we will pack ear plugs and something legal to knock us out for the rock and roll portion. Thanks also for the heads up on BETS. I'll check them out.
Jun 21st, 2007, 06:20 PM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As a newbie I think I am finally getting the hang of how to get info on Fodors I sent out this message today asking for advice on the subject: "Madrid > Lisbon On Lusitania Trenhotel" and I did get your two very nice replies (again, thank you both!) but, as I mentioned, I was still wondering why more people had not responded (paranoia?) I kept digging in the archives and found a lovely 'ol thread with the subject: "Is an overnight train a fun experience?" and it was exactly the reassurance I was looking for...so, keep digging for gold in those archives newbies. And we will be travelling via train overnight from Madrid to Lisbon...celebrating our 40th (anniversary? birthday? not telling!) and I know it will be fun and ROMANTIC p.s. I will try to do a Trip Report on this as well as the rest of our celebration. Promise :
Jun 21st, 2007, 07:04 PM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,000
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Encantadora,
Some of us have day jobs (!!!) and can't answer by the hour. Patience, my dear.
I rode the overnight Lusitania in the other direction last January, Lisboa to Madrid. I had a T4 and shared with another fellow, a local. There are also T2 cabins on the train. I paid €29 as a bunk supplement with my 1st class Eurailpass. That was the cheapest available. My cabin had a toilet and wash basin.
The only issue was temperature control. First it was too hot so I complained. Then it was too cold so I complained. Then they got it right.
If you haven't been on night trains there is a good intro at http://tinyurl.com/y57vft.
I wouldn't worry about reservations. I made mine in Lisbon on the morning of my trip. The train was nearly empty. Not many people travel in January.
Picnic on the train on the night of your departure. Bring some wine, bread, and cheese on board. Even though that train leaves Madrid circa 10:45 PM you will have trouble finding a restaurant serving before 9 or 10. Spaniards eat very late.
One near glitch. I reserved a <i>bas</i>, lower bunk. But the conductor said that the reservation was for an <i>alto</i>, upper bunk. When it became obvious that whoever had the <i>bas</i> was not going to show he let me have it.
This is a very good night train and I would certainly take it again. If you are awake when you get into Portugal and the train makes one of its stops, look out at the station. The smaller stations have some beautiful tile paintings covering the walls.
Jun 21st, 2007, 07:27 PM
#7
I don't know how you broke down the cost of flying vs. the train, but there are very inexpensive flights between Madrid and Lisbon on Vueling, a Spanish budget airline. No schedule available yet for January, but I looked at dates in the fall and found fares of 35 euros per person, all inclusive.
www.vueling.com
www.vueling.com
Jun 21st, 2007, 07:42 PM
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks Hopscotch - I kept watching my initial posting move rapidly down the line and thought it would be buried before anybody got home from work...or got out of bed on the other side of the planet! Glad to hear you travelled the same month that we will be and there probably won't be any trouble getting a booking. We will probably get the Premiere class tickets since it is a special occasion and hopefully, after 40 years there will be no arguments about who gets the lower bunk! Even if dinner is included with the tickets, we will bring our own fuel - for warmth, romance, and a few hours of sleep! Thanks too for the website. Haven't seen that in my search. And if we do decide to fly, Nikki, I'll look into Vueling. It never showed up on my google rader as an option. Thanks for mentioning it as a more economical option. TAP is not.
