Train Travel

Travel on six different routes to explore Spain.

Three quarters of Spains population live in the towns and cities, so inland there are hundreds of villages that have been deserted. So board a train and discover rural Spain.

Gijón to León

This railway was built in 1885 it has almost one hundred tunnels. It climbs from sea level, in 115km, to an altitude of 1270m. It is a journey that travels up the Rampa de Pajares, this is an incline of 50km that carries the trains, on a continuous gradient 1 in 50, over the mountains of the Cordillera Cantábric.

There are trains available twice daily (Talgo), you will find this service busy and you will have a reserved seat. If you take the Regionales train from Gijón to León at lunchtime, there are usually fewer passengers, so this will allow you the freedom to move around the train to make the most of the views. The train returns mid evening. This train is also cheaper costing 8.50 euros instead of 17.50 euros on the Talgo.

At the southern end of the Asturian coalfield is Pola de Lena and the Pajares pass are just 21km a part as the crow flies. However, the train travels further than that as it twists and turns as it climbs up the side of the valley. At Campomanes there are three levels of track, at heights of 450m, 630m and 750m, which are separated by a straight distance of about 800m. The views to the high summits of the Somiedo natural park to the west are spectacular, if the weather is good.

A Coruña to Madrid

This trip travels through the landscapes of northwest Spain for 737km. It travels from Galacia on the coast through high heather moorlands to Ourense in the valley of the Miño. Travel during spring and the see the orange blossom carpet the valley. The train climbs into the remote mountain ranges on the border between Spain and Portugal. Then through the vineyards between Zamora and Tora, in the Duero valley, crossthe cereal growing plains of the'Tierra de Campos' to Medina del Campo and Ávila. The final part of the journey travels through the rugged granite highlands joining the Sierra de Guadarrama to the Sierra de Gredos and then begins its descent intp the suburbs of the capital.

This journey can be undertaken in a day if you are prepared to travel on a Saturday. The Talgo train leaves A Coruña at 9am. The journey takes nine and a half hours. You can choose from turista or preferente class. Turista will cost about 43 euros and preferente about 56.50 euros. You can buy refreshments from the restaurant carriage. The daily 13.23 pm departure from Madrid -Chamartín means that the last part of the journey is in the dark except during the height of the summer. This also is the same from A Coruña on the Sundays to Fridays 12.45 pm departures. If you have the time you can lenghten the trip to three or four days by using the Renfe Regionales services to travel between cities. You would have to use the Talgo at one stage as it is the only through train of the day. By travelling like this you will use the cheaper train services and the trip will cost about 46.50 euros.

Visiting Ourense you can see the medieval stone bridge that spans the Miño. It sits in the shadow of the railway viaduct that is upstream. As you sit in comfort enjoying the view, think about the workers who built the line, during the 1940's and 50's, through the mountains from Ourense to Puebla de Sanabria and Zamora. The workers were republican political prisoners who lived in insanitary and crowded work camps and they spent most of the time in the dark as they dug out the tunnels.

Puebla de Sanabria is a good base for rambling and has an old hill top quarter. (There is 24 hours between the Talgo services to and from Zamora). It is worth stopping to explore Zamora's old district as it over looks the Duero. Also worth exploring are the main plaza and the neighbouring streets in Medina del Campo. There are frequent bus services that link the El Escorial station with the town centre and Felipe 11's palace, high on the side of the mountain. As the train crosses El Pardo see if you can see deer in their natural habitat. El Pardo is a huge car-free area to the north of Madrid.

Ribes to Núria and Monistrol to Montserrat

To begin the journey to Ribes take the Renfe line from Barcelona, trains run hourly through the day and continue onto Núria. Or you can travel from Toulouse and La Tour de Carol, or from Perpignan in France. Take the SNCF metre gauge Petit Train, which operates electric trains almost one hundred years old, between Villafranche and La Tour.

The Núria line, travels around the town of Ribes (where you can board), before crossing the the pastures in the valley to Queralbs when it begins to climb. You briefly see a panoramic view of the high mountains before it disappears as the train enters a deep gorge, that has been carved by the river Núria. The train emerges from the last tunnel, running beside an artificial lake. At the end of the lake is the highest railway station in Spain, standing 1964m above sea level. There is also a hotel complex here called the Vall de Núria. If it is a fine day, why not follow the line along the footpath from Queralbs and Núria.

The trains usually run every hour although there are relief services during the weekends and the ski-ing season. Vila FGC, at Ribes, has turned part of the depot into a museum about the railway line. You can charter a first generation train as far as Queralbs for a reasonable price. Queralbs is a typical Pyrenean mountain hamlet that has restored alot of its ancient buildings. The hotel complex at Núria caters mainly for the ski-ing parties, the accomodation is luxurious. If you want modest accomodation, you will find several places in Ribes.

In 2003, the mountain railway from Monistrol to the monastic complex at Montserrat. To get to Monistrol, you have to board the FGC metre gauge line from Barcelona-Plaça d'Espanya, there are hourly services.This station in Barcelona is served by the metro network. You can buy through tickets, including an all day pass which includes travelling on the funiculars of Sant Joan and Santa Cova at Montserrat. Some of the passes include a meal voucher. As the eastern side of the Montserrat massif, receives most sunlight before midday, it is recommended that you visit here during a morning. You will see the gorge carved by the Llobregat and the tree lined ranges as they disappear into the Pyrenees, all available from the train.

If you want a base for exploring the Barcelona away from the noise, pollution and high prices of the city, then stay at Montserrat. From here there are numerous footpaths across the Montserrat massif. One drawback is the last train from Monistrol is early in the evening but it is only a 10km walk up the access road, and you will be ready for dinner when you arrive!

Algeciras to Antequera, Granada and Almería

If you travel to Almería by train early in the year you will experience the sights of orange blossoms beneath you and the snowcapped mountains rising above them.

The journey from Algeciras to Almería is 481km and a single will cost 29.70 euros. As standing passengers are not allowed it is advisable to book your seats in advance. It is a good idea to break the journey but you need to remember that there are only three or four trains per day.

A good choice for your first stop is the hilltop town of Ronda. It has a spectacular gorge although the station is a good walk away from the main attractions. It is also worth stopping at Antequera where there is alot of old buildings that overlook the cereal and wine producing Andalucía. In Granada the station is a good distance from the Alhambra Palace. Next to the station in Almeria there is huge structure left behind from the mining industry.

This journey offers many different landscapes. There are the roadless gorges of the Guadiaro as you go on the long climb through the mountains from Algeciras to Ronda. As the landscape changes from wild uplands to cultivated irrigated farmland. The landscape so like the moon around Guadix, where 6,000 familes live in trogladyte buildings. Finally, just outside Almería there is an an area known as Mini- Hollywood which is popular for the filming of Westerns as it is Europe's only hot desert.

Madrid - Cuenca - València - Teruel - Zaragoza - Sigüenza - Madrid (The Empty Triangle)

If you head to the borders of Guadalajara, Teruel and Soria provinces you may be able to locate the 'real' Spain. Summers are dominated by hot sun and forest fires and drifting snow and freezing conditions in winter.

A train cannot take you into the heart of this area but it will give you a glimpse and make you want to explore it more.

The round trip will cost you 57.10 euros if you use the Renfe Regionales services. The journey is 1,100 km which works out at 20 céntimos a kilometre. Instead of staying at a hotel in Madrid try outside the city like Cercedilla or Aranjuez, here you will be treated as alocal and not a tourist.

Stops en route overnight could be Cuenca, València, Teruel, Zaragoza and Sigüenza.

There are only four pairs of trains a day between Madrid, Cuenca and València. The trains travel through the Serranía de Cuenca highland wilderness and the gorges between the wine producing town of Requena and Buñol. There are three pairs of trains that travel from València and Sagunt through El Maestrat to Teruel and Zaragoza.

It is well worth hiring a car in Teuel, if your schedule allows for it,and drive to Albarracín, amountain village surrounded by walls and fortifications. Keep driving through the wilds to the similarly fortified Molina de Aragón. This region was an important for mining iron ore. There is one pair of trains that run early evening west bound and morning east bound, between Zaragoza, Sigüenza and Madrid, it travels along the old main line through the Jalón gorges, it skirts the hilltop village of Medinaceli and Jadraque, where there is a ruined castle.

Madrid to Burgos - "El Directo"

This railway, between Madrid and Burgos, was inaugurated by Franco in 1968. It cut 100 minutes and 90km off the trip via Avila and Valladolid.

The Talgo express from Madrid to Bilbao and Hendaye, runs each way daily. Travelling northbound is the only way you can enjoy this trip in daylight. The train leaves Madrid-Chamartín at 14.50 pm, and should arrive at Burgos at 18.06 pm. A single fare from Madrid to Burgos is 25 euros.

On leaving Madrid the train climbs up the granite sides of the Sierra de Guadarrama until it reaches the summit tunnel at Somosierra. Then there is the great expanse of Meseta that spans the Riaza river canyon. The train leaves the forressted banks of Guadarrama behind and climbs into the wilderness of the Sierra de la Demanda. The historic monument town of Lerma, between Aranda and Burgos, has a Gothic cathedral. There is also a stone unveiled on the day of the Directo's inauguration, 4 July 1968, by Franco.

Travel tips for travelling in Spain.

Access to Spain: Eurostar from London to Paris and then to Irún/Hendaye or Portbou/Cerbère. By air - Madrid (Barajas) is served by Metro de Madrid Line 8, Barcelona and Málaga airports are rail-served (Renfe). By sea- Brittany Ferries from Plymouth to Santander, the Santander fery terminal is a short walj to the Feve/Renfe station.

Luggage: Avoid rigid suitcases are not easily moved onto luggage racks.

When to travel: If you can avoid the summer months of July and August when all of Spain and France are on holiday and Easter because hotels and long distance trains are booked months ahead. Accommodation outside these times is usually less expensive.

Hotels: In modest establishments you are more likely tobe treated as a local than a tourist but you must be prepared to try and speak the language. English is not widely spoken so you will need a phrase book. An en-suite twin room will cost around 30 to 50 euros, breakfast will cost a few euros extra.

Eating out: There are restaurants at major Feve stations that offer three course meals with wine for about eight euros, or try menú del día at any restaurant or look for a mesón, where the locals eat.

Research: For more information try the following websites but be warned they do not all have an English version. www.renfe.es or www.feve.es or www.euskotren.es or www.fgv.es or www.fgc.es.

Tickets: You can buy rail passes for most services. In Madrid there is Abono Turístico Regional de Transportes which offers different zones. Zona A covers the metropolitan area and costs 3.50 euros for a day, Zona T covers the entire province plus Guadalajara, available for between one and seven days at a cost of 36.70 euros for seven days. These passes cover travel on the trains, buses and the metro. In Barcelona there are zonal T-Día 24-hour tickets and they range in price from 4.80 to 13.55 euros and again cover train, bus and metro. Feve rail has rover tickets, it covers all trains and all lines; 30 day pass costs 75 euros or 60 day costs 126 euros. These are available on-line or from staffed stations or on the train. There are eurodomino tickets valid only for Renfe which are available for three days and cost £81 for second class and £113 for first class. You can purchase add on days at £21 and £30 respectively. These include some supplements second class not first class but not seat reservation fees.

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