I am trying to get a price for a train ticket from Madrid to Bilbao. I have tried www.raileurope.com, www.bahn.de, www.renfe.es. I can only get timetables on RE and DB I can't get any information on Renfe. Where can I get prices for Spainish trains? Thanks in advance.

About 60 days before the date of travel the renfe prices should be in place.

Putting in an aribtrary date will at least give you an idea of the price for that leg.

JFYI you can also get to Bilbao by bus from the Avenida de Américas bus depot. The airport bus from barajas (1 euro)drops you at that terminal at the entrance to Madrid.

www.alsa.es

The supra buses are faster and more spacious seating, but you pay for it!

It seems that the timetable up to Feb are posted. If you are looking to travel after the month then you will have to wait. RENFE's website is somewhat odd.
For a guide price use prices they have posted for Jan. maybe add a percent or two for inflation.

Is there a more confusing or worse website than RENFE?

Oh, Aduchamp1, I think RENFE does win a prize for utter chaos. I had marked my calendar 62 days out from the trip with "Make train reservations" so I could get the web fare. Ha! When donkeys fly. They don't even have one full month loaded this time--it stops at Jan 30. No Jan 31.

I actually like renfe.es, as it happens. It's not hard to use, and you print out your own ticket.

All other sites charge full fare with no discounts, whereas renfe.es offers full fare (with no booking fees or postage to pay) plus Estrella (40% disocunted) and Web (60% discounted) fares. So it's by far the cheapest place to book Spanish train tickets.

Booking (normally) opens 60 days ahead, though that figure varies, at the moment we've had a massive all-Europe timetable change plus renfe has been trying to introduce a new reservations computer system, so they've had a few problems...

Pick a date this side of the booking horizon to see what prices are.

I should add that I've put step-by-step advice on using renfe.es as www.seat61.com/Europe-train-tickets.htm, this might help!

The last time I used it I had call because I am an American and did not know what to enter for the national ID and then there is the time restirction and a bit of confusion on the actual schedules.

And then at Atocha, they had a system to confirm your ticket that only a sadistic bureaucrat could devise.

The trains themselves are fine.

Thanks for the feedback. I tried to price a rail ticket from Madrid to Bilbao in Jan, 2010. I have not been able to get prices, everytime I enter the destination and click contine the Renfe website changes to Spainish. Not sure why I am having this problem. If www.renfe.com is working for some fodorites, could someone please let me know what the rail tickets would cost each way.

"And then at Atocha, they had a system to confirm your ticket that only a sadistic bureaucrat could devise."
Have you never heard of the Spanish Inquisition?

I have tried to check some prices for you but their website is basically down for improvement right now.

Have you never heard of the Spanish Inquisition?

AFter 500 years you would think they stop hiring his relatives.

Web fare is around 20 euro; Estrella fare 30 and tourist 45 one way.

Thank you all for your help. I hope I and other fodorites have better luck with Renfe's website in the future; especially when we need to make train reservations.

Just

Do not give up.
The Spanish train system is an excellent and comfortable way to get around the country.