Joe Giovengo

I am a college student trying to spend a spring break in Spain. How is the best way to travel to places like Salamanca and Avila and Toledo. Bus or Train? Thank you.

Jim

We took a 5 week trip to Spain,Portugal and Morocco
just this past year. In fact today, October 22, 1996
we were in Madrid for our flight returning stateside
October 23.

No question on the transportation when in Spain and
Portugal. We checked it out thoroughly and the
winner is THE BUS. The schedules are superior to
train and get you to more places (centrally too!).
We traveled to Toledo (our #l site, our opinion),
Segovia (beautiful castle of Queen Isabella),
El Escorial (Palace Monastery of Philip II), Valley
of the Fallen (Franco's tomb/Basilica), Salamanca,
to Viseu, Portugal, Lisbon, Evora, Tavira, back to
Spain to Seville (Beautiful city and Cathedral),
Cordoba (the Mesquita a must see), Granada (The
Alhambra, to the Costa Del Sol and beautiful Nerja,
to Gibraltar to Tarifa (crossing to Morocco where
we used the train...don't go there. Awful place!,
back to Spain to Cadiz back to Toledo (remember our
favorite) to Madrid ALL ON THE BUS. The buses are
cheaper than the trains, more convenient, very com-
fortable and clean (probably like Greyhound in the
30's-'60s in the U. S. ) Have fun! Spain is great..
friendly, prosperous people. Yes, we aren't young,
mid-50's. But if you are young and a party person
that likes to party all night...get ready for Madrid. Never saw anything like it elsewhere in Europe.

Lori

My husband and I took the train to and from Toledo from Madrid and did just fine. I'm sure that either way will be great.

seamus

Based outof madrid, we took the high speed train to Seville for a day trip (early morning departure, evening return), would probably arange to stay overnight next time. Don't miss Italica, site of an excavated Roman city just outside Seville via local bus service. Train to Toledo (fabulous!) and Segovia was fine. Agree that Madrid runs on a different clock - the clubs START getting hopping about 2:00 AM. Enjoy!!

topper

Somebody was looking for day trips from madrid. Who was it? Anyway...

kristi

The bus from Madrid to Toledo was quicker and ran more often than the train. <BR> <BR>The high speed AVE trains from Madrid to Seville take about 2 1/2 hours, we spent a couple of days there so I don't know how it would be for a daytrip. If you decide to go, try to avoid Monday when the Alcazar is closed.

Kathy

We were in Madrid last summer and took day trips to El Escorial, Segovia, and Toledo (which is now one of our favorite places). I would recommend buses over trains. The buses are much more comfortable, often faster, and usually arrive in a more central location. They are also very prompt - don't be late or you will miss your bus. <BR>The only exception would be the AVE - definitely the best way to travel longer distances.

Mirtha

Joe: Go by train, you will enjoy your trips. Before leaving home, buy an eurorail. You'll be saving a lot of money as compared to buying each trip separately.

Rachel

My friend and I are also college students and are travelling this summer for three weeks, we are flying into madrid, then moving to Barcelona (by bus), down the coast to Alicante, up to Toledo, then back to Madrid. Most of this we are planning to do by bus. For information www.frommers.com is a fantastic site and will give you so much information you won't know what to do with. It includes numbers and information on trips and bus and train times etc - Hope this helps! and have fun! p.s. if you have any tips for us they would be welcome, ir if you want any more info please e-mail!

Paulo

It appears that Joe has spent his spring break quite a while ago <BR> <BR>Anyway, here are my two cents on he subject. We're just back from 6+ days in Madrid with daytrips to Toledo and Salamanca (Avila, El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen, Segovia and Aranjuez were listed as candidates for daytrips but were left for the next time up). <BR> <BR>Reviewing quite a few postings on the subject in this forum (Maribel, Jim, etc.) I was assured that the best travel mode with the possible exception of Avila is by bus. We used it to our trips to Toledo and Salamanca and were very pleased with the result. <BR> <BR>Bus service to Toledo is operated by Autobuses Galiano Continental with departures every half hour 00 and :30 hr) from Estacion Sur de Autobuses (to get there, take metro circular #6 to Mendez Alvaro). The one way fare costs 590 ptas. The metro ride from the historic center to the bus station takes 20-25 min depending if one has to switch trains or not. The bus ride to Toledo took 1:20 hrs with the bus stopping 1/2 dozen times along the route (in August all buses stop along the route; the bus driver told me that outside July direct and non direct services are intercalated). The bus station in Toledo is outside the walls. To get to the old city center take the local bus #5 (120 ptas). <BR> <BR>Direct bus service to Salamanca is operated by Auto Res (info 91 551 7200; reservations 902 192939) every hour (on the hour) departing from the Auto Res sation (to get there, once again circular metro #6 to Conde de Casal). The one way fare costs 2,250 ptas (there is a small discount ??? for the round trip). Metro ride from the old center takes 25-30 min and the bus ride to Salamanca 2:30 hrs. A taxi (350 ptas) is very convenient to get to the old center (at the bus station we were informed that there was no bus service to the center ... which is hard to believe!). On the return to Madrid the bus crosses the city from west to east, so one doesn't have to go all the way to the bus station. We stepped of at the first stop, right in front of our hotel (Florida Norte, at Paseo de la Florida); no idea on the other schedulled stops and itinerary. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR>