We are just beginning to plan an Oct trip and I am wondering if we need to plan on buying first class train fare or is tourist fare ok? It looks like we will be mostly on high-speed trains (not the locals) We are not particularly picky, but will have mid-size suitcases (if that matters) as we have a business affair in Barcelona at the end of the trip. Thanks in advance. I know I can always rely on this forum.

Please?!?

If you are planning to do long distance trips maybe you would prefer first class because you will have more room between seats and they will serve you a meal (which is not really bad).
If the trip is a short one (less than 3 hours) I think tourist class is fine.
Anyway....if the distance is long, I'd better go flying, you can find cheap prices for your dates.

I haven't taken too many trains in Spain but I agree totally with Kenderina, from Madrid to Burgos some three hours we traveled in Touris, it was perfect I believe there was NO one in first. From Salamanca to Madrid , the same, they did not even had the option of first class. Trip was some two hours more or less.
On another trip some years back we took a train hotel from Madrid to Paris. There we went all the way and took Gran Clase, which is over First Class and it was great, dinner was good, breakfast etc everything included. But today I agree with Kenderina it would be a better choice to fly, in the butget airlines there are great offers.

Thanks, kenderina and graziella. I think the longest route between stops is three hours so I thought rather than hasseling the airport the train might be a better alternative???

I think so. No the suitcase the smaller the better. There is NO one to help. You will have to put them in some racks at the entrance of the train.

Hi wondering,

I also haven't traveled much by train in Spain , mainly the AVE. But I have traveled quite a bit by bus and if it is not a very long ride , I prefer it. One of the reasons is that you don't have to haul the suitcases into the bus as they go in the belly of the bus. The buses are very comfortable. The seats are comparable to airplane seats in coach. Also, sometimes buses go to smaller towns, whereas trains might not.

Wondering:

could you tell us which places you want to travel to?

Sometimes a budget flight might be the best alternative and other times a train or bus.

Not knowing exactly where you wish to travel makes this harder to answer IMO.

I think Madrid (plane fight in) to Seville to Cordoba or Granda and on to Barcelona (plane flight out)--kind of tenative at this point...hope this helps -I really appreciate your answers.

Then Madrid to Seville (AVE train), Cordoba or Granada (train from Sevilla) and from Granada to Barcelona , flying
You can do Cordoba as a day trip from
Sevilla.

Thank you all...Now do you think we should lock our suitcases onto the baggage racks? I am afraid they will be too large for the overhead.

We did not locked them but kept an eye on them specially when arriving to a stop. Check how many times the train stops before you get to your destination

I'm going to be traveling by train in August from Barcelona to Valencia and then Madrid to Seville and back. Would you recommend that I purchase my tickets before I get to Spain or wait until I get to the station?

Just came back from Spain at end of May.
I was in Seville, Cordoba, Granada & Madrid.

Rode tourist class except for Granada to Madrid I got bumped up to first class. It was nicer, but not necessary.

Suitcases were fine, no real need to chain them, but if it makes you feel better, then do it! enjoy!