Hi, my wife and are heading for Spain in April. We are on a flight from India that reaches Heathrow Terminal 3 at 6.45 am, after which we have to retrieve our luggage and transfer to Heathrow Terminal 1 to check in for our BA flight to Madrid at 9.30 am, which arrives at Madrid Barajas airport at 12.50pm , into Terminal 4S. We then have to make our way to the Atocha train station, collect our prebooked train tickets and be on the AVE from Madrid to Seville at 4.00 pm. All this is happening on April 5, which is Maundy Thursday, because we wanted to get into Seville to see the Santa Semana celebrations.

So my questions are, will we have enough time to make the transfers in Heathrow, as well as to get to the train station in time once in Madrid ? At the train station, do they have separate lines for prebooked tickets, as we understand that the lines can be quite long ? We will be taking a taxi from the airport to Atocha, this will be faster than a shuttle like Aerocity ? What should the taxi fare approx come to ?

Thanks so much for all your help.

Oh man!I would arrive BEFORE the 1st! Easters nuts!

gordonr66 you will have time for the transfers.UK and Spain. just good idea to take the taxi in Madrid. If you have your tickets just go the train dude!
cant tell about the taxi is been a while do not take.but it should be easily told to you by your airline travel site.

...Gordonr66...about a year ago i got a taxi from the airport to Hostal Martin, which is just up from the station which cost me about 23 Euros so i would bank on between 20 and 25. I hope all your flights are on time!!!!...and enjoy Sevilla

Hey thanks so much guys, load off my mind. I have just checked with my airline and they are going to through check me all the way to Madrid, so at Heathrow will have to do an "airside transfer", ie no immigration, just transit by bus from Terminal 3 to the Flight Control Centre and to my departure gate in Terminal 1.
As regards Madrid, will def take a cab. Thanks for the rate info Neddie, just what I needed, a ballpark figure. FYI pedmar, I have bought my AVE tickets on the Renfe site, but as per their rules have to collect them on proof of ID at the train station, hence my query regarding separate lines.
Thanks tons everyone.

yes i missed telling you that. but thought was a giver; its the same where am at too;need id to retrieve tickets.
and i was thinking here in France we print them at home! once the train conductor checks you on the train you also must show id card with photo.security...

Thanks for that heads up pedmar, you're right, I mean, seriously, we're working with e-tickets for flights these days....
Then again, a little extra security makes sense too....

It is the same system for Renfe's trains... except for the very first time you use the credit card. Renfe does it that way to avoid fraudulent uses of a credit card. The first time you use it to pay, you have to pick the tickets up personally, and sign the receipt. All the subsequent times you use the same credit card, you just have to print out the result of the Internet purchase at home and go directly to the check in counter in front of your train's platform.

well a bit diff here first time or 100 time you print at home and you are verify on the train with an ID.
This is done in the wagons as the train is moving ,so i guess if they find you in error not only would you be fine with payment on the spot but if no money ,may be taken out of the train at the next stop.