More questions re train travel in Spain

[Rickpb2020]

Well, our planning for a 2 week trip in early April is going well. We have train tickets from Madrid to Cordoba. We were going to wait to we reached Madrid and bought a Tarjeta Dorada discount card to get a 25% discount and use that to get a discount on our next train from Cordoba to Cadiz. But it looks like we might be traveling on IYRO trains and I am guessing that that discount doesn't apply to them. Right?? Also, (this is what happens when you search for cheap tickets) our departure from Madrid to Dulles is at 1:55 AM. There is a train that goes from Malaga and arrives in Madrid (Atocha station) at 9:29 PM. Is that enough time to catch the local train to the airport, get to our terminal (T2), get through security, etc and make our 1:55 AM flight? Or should we get an earlier (and more expensive) ticket?

 

[Andrew]

I guess that time would work if you're o.k. with the small risk of a big delay on the train. I'm curious about that 1.55 a.m. departure for Dulles. Is it a connecting itinerary? Can you specify the date and airline?

 

[Gillaspiewoods]

Hey Rick. There are a plethora of sites/apps you’ll want to check in order to confirm this, but I think the trip out to T2 will take you only about 45 minutes and i think the trains from Atocha run until 130am-ish; so, you should be fine. Metromadrid.es can get you the local schedules. I can’t help you re the discount card, but seat61.com may be helpful. Good luck and please report back!

 

[Rickpb2020]

I guess that time would work if you're o.k. with the small risk of a big delay on the train. I'm curious about that 1.55 a.m. departure for Dulles. Is it a connecting itinerary? Can you specify the date and airline?

LOL, this is what comes from being sloppy. I wrote the wrong time down. It's still late but it is 11:15 PM not 1:55 AM; and I kept planning around what I wrote. Thanks for making me double check my flights. Guess that means trying to get to Atocha station around 6 PM. That gives us 5 hr to make the transfer from Atocha station to the airport and get through security (with, hopefully, some time for a last "Spanish" meal before leaving. We're flying United and leaving Madrid at "11:15 PM" and arriving at Dulles at 1:55 PM.

 

[Rickpb2020]

Hey Rick. There are a plethora of sites/apps you’ll want to check in order to confirm this, but I think the trip out to T2 will take you only about 45 minutes and i think the trains from Atocha run until 130am-ish; so, you should be fine. Metromadrid.es can get you the local schedules. I can’t help you re the discount card, but seat61.com may be helpful. Good luck and please report back!

Thanks, we did the trip out from Atocha to the airport last fall, it took us a bit longer than 45 minutes because we got on the wrong local train and had to get off at an intermediate station and find the right train to finish the shuttle to the airport. But otherwise easy. I do like the fact that our high speed train tickets also include the local trains to finish the trip. I should have bought the discount card when we were there last fall but didn't think we would be returning this soon.

 

[Andrew]

LOL, this is what comes from being sloppy. I wrote the wrong time down. It's still late but it is 11:15 PM not 1:55 AM; and I kept planning around what I wrote. Thanks for making me double check my flights. Guess that means trying to get to Atocha station around 6 PM. That gives us 5 hr to make the transfer from Atocha station to the airport and get through security (with, hopefully, some time for a last "Spanish" meal before leaving. We're flying United and leaving Madrid at "11:15 PM" and arriving at Dulles at 1:55 PM.

Check again; that would be a 20+ hour flight. For early April, I see a United flight leaving at 11.15 AM.

 

[Rickpb2020]

Check again; that would be a 20+ hour flight. For early April, I see a United flight leaving at 11.15 AM.

HaHa, still being sloppy. Yep 11:15 AM. Had it changed in my notes but wrote it wrong. Thanks for noticing.