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New Information about Segovia (Spain) train station
As some of you may know already, there's a new high speed train connecting Madrid and Segovia which started in December 2007, cutting the travel time from 2 hours down to about 30-35 minutes. This makes Segovia a much easier day trip destination from Madrid. The train departs from Madrid's Chamartin station.
Since this new service has only been around for 2 months, I figured I'll add some personal info as I was just there a few days ago. I don't think any guidebooks have updated their new edition with such new information. I welcome others to pitch in as well. For the trains departing to/arriving from Madrid, they all stop at the <b>new</b> Segovia AVE station. If you want to purchase your ticket online ahead of time on renfe, you'll need to select "Segovia AV" as the station rather than "Segovia". The old station is still in use for other routes. This new Segovia AVE station is in the middle of nowhere! It is surrounded by pastures and cowfields. It is 4km outside of the city and is served by one bus, #11. The bus runs approx every 15 minutes, but less frequent when there are no train arrivals/departures. The bus station is right outside of the entrance. The bus makes 3 stops, with the last stop being Plaza de la Artilleria, which is right at the Aqueduct. The trip takes 20 minutes, costs 80 cents to the city and 82 cents back (I don't know why). There are scehdules posted at the stop as well as on the bus. There is also a taxi stand outside the station for those who don't want to take the bus. The station itself is sleek and brand new. There is a Segovia tourist office inside the station which opens around 9ish am. It was still open at 6:30pm when I left. I did not see any storage lockers at all in the station. |
Hi yk,
This post is very helpful! I'll just add that if you plan to take the line 11 bus from the Plaza de la Artillería out to the AVE station, and want to see the schedule before hand, it's here: http://tinyurl.com/2sfm9f Click on "Mapas de líneas y horarios", then line 11, then "horarios". They did have a second bus into town from the AVE station, line 12, that ended at Ezequiel González, near the bus station (that I had posted on another thread), but I see it's now been eliminated. And if for some reason when during the booking process for your Madrid-Segovia tickets on www.renfe.es you don't see Segovia AV from the drop down box, you may see Segovia-Guiomar, its actual name. (This is one of the glitches in the Renfe system that I've encountered). Thanks yk for posting this! |
bookmarking
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Thanks for the information. We're heading to Segovia in April as a daytrip from Madrid.
Based on what was posted, would it make more sense to take the Sepulvedana bus line straight into the city rather than the train, then a bus? |
misty,
The La Sepulvedana bus trip takes 1 1/2 hrs. and leaves now from the Intercambiador de Transportes (transport hub) at the Estación de Príncipe Pío (metro gray line 6). In Segovia the bus station is a short, pleasant walk to the aqueduct and tourist office. But... I've stopped taking the bus now that there is a high speed rail link (35 min.) that only costs 9€, plus .82€ on city bus from AVE Segovia-Guiomar station to aqueduct. A taxi from the station should run about 7€ |
Maribel, if you were to take a taxi from the train station, how would you direct the driver to take you to the confluence of the rivers so you could get good photos of the Alcazar? Is there a name or phrase he/she would understand as the desired location?
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hi bakerstreet,
Yes, Tell the driver you want to go to the "Vista panorámica del Alcázar", "la confluencia de los ríos Eresma y Clamores" or better still, "la Iglesia de la Vera Cruz", so that you can visit this really fascinating little church beforehand. It's 12th century Romanesque, with 12 sides, 2 story, built by the Knights Templar. Said to be a copy of Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre. You really must see this church since it's in the immediate vicinity. Open 10:30-1:30, then 3:30-7. (There's a Holy Week procession, Procesión del Santo Entierro, on Good Friday that starts at Zamarramala and ends here around midnight, I believe.) http://tinyurl.com/34pww7 The church is tiny-doesn't take long to see, so taxi can wait for you (as they do for many tourists wanting to hit both), then take you down the very short distance to the "merendero" for your photo op, then take you back up the hill, or you could actually walk on the path up, but it's steep. Down at the "merendero", where the rivers Eresma and Clamores come together, you'll probably see kids playing soccer on one side and picnic tables on the other. Your kids (and you) will love seeing the "Camelot castle" from this angle. I have the church listed in my Segovia guide. |
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