I recently returned from Spain. I did a loop Madrid-Sevilla-Barcelona-Santander-Madrid in about 11-days. Here's what it cost me (in pesetas) with no railpass:
Madrid-Sevilla: AVE (turista-llano) 10.100
Sevilla-Barcelona: all-Preferente Talgo Hotel Tren 20.100

Barcelona-Santander: (ViaCarsa Bus) 6.250

Santander-Madrid: (Continental-Auto bus) 3.400

Total ESP 39.850
less than $250 USD

The Hotel Tren cost more because it was individual occupancy in a compartment with two-beds.
If I had a railpass I would have had to pay a supplement for the AVE and the sleeping compartment on the hotel train (ESP 10.000).
The Hotel Tren is an all-Preferente Talgo.

I provide this info just in case anyone out there is comparing prices to see if a railpass is justified. I was not eligible for a youth discount or for the discount you get for 2-people traveling together. For me point to point was the most convenient and economical way to go. Note that I used buses on the Barcelona-Santander and Santander-Madrid segments. I also used buses extensively in Andalucia and Cantabria. For convenience sake I rode the FEVE (Ferrocaril español de via estrecha) Santander-Limpias (I returned by bus: Limpias-Laredo and Laredo-Santander). That way I arrived Limpias (around 10:15), visited the Church where Cristo de Limpias is, walked back down the hill to the crossroads and caught the 12:20 bus to Laredo.

Eddie- What do you mean by the discount of 2 traveling together? Do you mean double rates are less in a hostel or is there even some other discounts I am not aware of? And what about youth discounts. What are those? How about student discounts? Others than Eddie are also free to answer

The discount for two travelling together was in reference to railpasses: There's a big discount on a second railpass if both people travel together for the life of the passes.

I understand there is also a youth discount on railpasses, but since I am not eligible I don't know the details.

Hi radiohead,

Try RailEurope.com , there is a lot of information on youth and 2-people traveling together discounts plus combination of countries passes.

JJB

[ 08-16-2001: Message edited by: MadridMan ]

What great information Eddie- exactly the kind of details I am interested in, since I am still in the "how much money do I need to save" phase.

Thanks!!!!