Trying to book on Renfe late June
 

I have been trying to book a train ticket on Renfe for June 20th, from Barcelona to Madrid. The only available train is a really slow one that takes over five hours. The Petrabax site gives the same result. Looking at a date a week earlier gives plenty of alternatives.

According to the seat61 site there is a change of timetable in June.

Does anyone know when the fast AVE trains for late June will be available for booking?

Too early...try in a month or so again..

Sorry, not sure when they post exactly,
sometimes, certain lines or times could be posted later.

Ok. Thanks.

Keep checking every few days.. sometimes they post much earlier than they state.. but normally this is too soon for June tickets, as mentioned.

Renfe typically does not post the summer schedule until the first week of June. Since the 20th is the last day of Spring, you should see the trains on the 20th anytime now. Currently, the 14th of June is the last day showing the full schedule. Just give it some time and the high-speed AVEs will pop up.

Thank you, all. While I could probably survive sitting on the train for almost six hours, that train gets to Madrid very late in the evening.

I think I had to wait till early April to book tickets for mid June last year.

I've been looking around at alternatives.

The bus takes ca 8 hours. Cost 32 Euro.

The Renfe site still isn't showing a timetable for the day I want. Looking at times and prices for one week earlier there are plenty of trains. The AVE train takes ca 2,5 to 3 hours. Cost seems to be from 49 Euros and up. Leaving at a reasonable hour it's 74 Euros and up.

The slow train that Renfe (and Petrabax) currently shows for that day takes 6,5 hours. Cost ca 35 Euros. Arrival in Madrid a bit late in the evening.

Flying on Iberia takes 1,5 hours, plus waiting time at airport. Cost 88 Euros (non-refundable ticket), plus the airport bus. It's beginning to look tempting.

The train you want should be available about 60 days out. Keep checking. That's just the way the system works.

Robert2533: Yes, but I'm impatient.

That is months away, people worry about trains too much on Fodors, you don't have to book that far in advance.