Since the Alcazar is closed for renovations (any idea when it reopens), I'm comparing the difference between going to Toledo on Saturday or Monday.

Saturday - more people and less choice of trains.
Monday - possibly some sights closed.

Which sights of interest are closed on Mondays?

Any other considerations?
Choices are Saturday or Monday.

Do you still have to go partly by train and then transfer to a bus? Even during the week? If so, where does the transfer take place?

Thanks.

The train does not go right into town, but a bus is not your only option. You can get a taxi (they are not hard to find around the train station), or walk (20-30 min walk).

Thanks KimberleyDK.

However, what I was referring to was the ongoing train construction of the new AVE line.

Apparently the train either doesn't or wasn't going all the way from Madrid to Toledo.

A bus was required for the remainder of the trip.

Also, because of the construction train service is/was limited on weekends to 3 trains per day.

Hi Myer, me again. Topping until Maribel comes to save the day.

Maribel told me to take the bus from Madrid to Toledo, avoiding the train altogether. So, no train.

I printed out a schedule from the bus company's website to take with me in 2 weeks (yeah!).

The rest of this is from Maribel's Madrid file, which I kmow you have, but since you are asking anyway...

www.continental-auto.es Then click on ?horario y venta de billetes?, then select ?Zona Centro?, then in ?seleccione origen? box choose Madrid (Malvaro) , then in ?seleccione destino? box, choose Toledo, then schedule should pop up.

"Continental Galiano" bus at the Estación Sur de Autobuses or "Bus Station of the South" at the metro stop Méndez Alvaro, corner of Calle Retamar.

As far as Monday goes, the Cathedral is Open but the Sinagoga de Transito is closed. And yes, the Alcazar is still closed for renovations - I expect for a long time but if I learn anything when I am there I will report back.

So, I guess I'd do Saturday. I'm going on a Sunday.

Hi Myer,
Here we go:

Can't answer the train/bus question because I haven't taken the Regional Express to Toledo since the Madrid-Toledo AVE line construction began. But yes, you are bussed from an outlying suburban station into Toledo, so you might as well take the Continental Galiano bus from Estación Sur de Autobuses, remembering that there is an express, non-stop at 11 a.m.

But here are the Toledo monument opening hrs. on MON. as I know them (they're different on Sun. and some monuments close 1 hr. earlier in winter, as in Oct.-March):

Alcázar: still closed for renovation?
Was closed before on Mon. anyway

Cathedral: 10:30-6:30

Hospital de Tavera: 10:30-1:30, 3:30-6

Iglesia de Santo Tomé: 10-6:45 (closes 1 hr. earlier in winter)

Casa/Museo de El Greco: closed MON.

Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes:
10-6:45 (winter closes 1 hr. earlier)

Museo de Santa Cruz: 10-6

Sinagoga del Tránsito: now reopened but unsure of hrs. but before renovation,
used to be closed MON

Sinagoga de Santa María la Blanca:
10-2, 3:30-6:45 (closes 1 hr. earlier in winter)

If anyone has any updates to add, I'd love to know them!

Maribel,

Do you have any idea how far out of Toledo (time and distance) the bus ride begins?

Do I assume correctly that you bus back to the train for the return?

It looks like Saturday it is.

We are planning to drive from Jaen and stay in Toledo, Wed.-Fri. July 21 - July 23, does anyone know for how long the Alcazar will closed for renovations? Thanks Maribel for posting the schedules for other places to visit. I assume from the list it is still worthwhile visiting Toledo before heading to Segovia and then Salamanca. Would Hostal de Cardenal be recommended as a place to stay?
Thanks!

2CdnMMs
I really loved our stay at the Hostal del Cardenal, and if you do a text search for it, you'll find, I think, plenty of other Fodorites who also enjoyed its charms. It's tucked into the city walls and has lots of cozy nooks and crannies, and the public rooms and corridors are decorated with lovely antiques.
Karen Brown's description of it in her "Spain: Charming Inns & Itineraries" is quite accurate. It's also featured in Alistair Sawday's "Special Places to Stay/Spain"

I don't know a specific reopening date for the Alcázar. It has been under renovation to install inside Spain's Museo del Ejército (Military Museum), formerly in Madrid.

While I really like spending a night (or even two) in Toledo, you might not want a full 3 days there. Or perhaps you're arriving from Jaén in late afternoon, July 21, then departing on the morning of July 23?

Myer-
I thought I had read in an earlier post of yours that your wife gets very carsick on any type of busride. If this is true maybe you should not plan any activities that involve busrides of any sort...

KimberleyDK,

Actually that's not quite the case.

While she got quite ill on the Amalfi coast bus ride, that was more a result of how the bus drivers drive. One foot on the brakes, the other on the gas and their hand on the horn.

Years ago we were in Amsterdam and took a couple of day trips by bus and she was fine.

Thanks anyway for the concern KimberleyDK.

Last time I was in London I bought wrist bands, for motion sickness.. Unbelievable how powerful they are!!

From London we went to Scotland and we drove 6 days.. and I was able to read the map and do some video-cam with the car in movement. AMAZING EFFECT.

Hope that helps.. I cannot travel without it..

PS: I found them on Walgreens (USA) as well.. I have 3 pairs at home.. Just in case