Spain now has one of the best rail systems in Europe. Run by Renfe, the fabulous Alta Velocidad España (AVE) long and mid-distance trains travel at up to 186mph and link all major cities and towns in Spain.
Train travel to Spain
Spain is linked by the international rail network to Portugal, France, Switzerland and Italy. European train travel options include the Elipsos train hotel (Paris-Madrid or Paris-Barcelona), or various passes such as the InterRail and Eurail.
Train travel to and from Granada
The Renfe national rail network links Granada with and a number of cities in Andalucía and beyond including Almeria, Algeciras, Antequera, Guadalajara, Barcelona, Malaga, Valencia, Sevilla, Zaragoza and Madrid (via Linares-Baeza, Jaén). Although there are some trains serving provincial towns such as Guadix and Loja the local network is not extensive and bus travel is a better option.
High Speed
Since June 2019, the high-speed service extended a new service between Granada and Madrid and there are three daily trains in both directions.
They depart from Granada train station at 7:10, 15:00, and 19:18. Don’t expect to see much of the countryside scenery at 205 miles per hour, but do expect a fast commute and timely arrival in the capital in just over three hours travel time.
Granada Train Station
Train station address: Avda. Andaluces, s/n 18014 Granada
You can take the LAC bus route from Gran Via to Avenida de la Constitución. It is a short walk from there to the Station.
There you will find a cafe, left luggage, and tourist and car hire information.
Buying tickets
Tickets can be bought in person at the ticket office of any Renfe station but if you book at least 15 days in advance online at renfe.com you can make some great savings on fares which you will not find anywhere else. You can book tickets up to 60 days in advance on any long-distance journey within Spain and print your ticket at home.
You can also buy tickets for train travel to Spain and within the country through Trainline Europe’s leading mobile app for rail and bus travel. Trainline works with 270 train and bus operators offering routes to major destinations in 45 European countries.
Renfe Spain Pass
This is a Spanish rail pass available to non-residents traveling around Spain on all AVE Long-Distance and Mid-Distance high-speed trains. It is active for six months from the date of issue and is valid for one month from the date on which it is first used for a journey. You can travel Business/Club class or Tourist class choosing from four, six, eight, ten or twelve journeys. You can find more details and purchase the Renfe Spain Pass here.
Luxury Train Travel
Tren Al-Andalus
On the other end of the scale there is Tren Al-Andalus. This is a six day luxury train tour of Andalucia that begins and ends in Sevilla. This Palace on rails takes you to Cadiz, Jerez, Ronda, Granda, Linares-Baeza and Cordoba. On your travels you will enjoy such delights as wine tasting, Andalucían dancing horses, Flamenco, and a visit to the Alhambra.
Main image: Renfe Trains | FlickrCC Matthew Black
