Madrid: How much time....? AVE questions??

How much time should we allow from our arrival at Barajas to get to the train station in Madrid?
We intend to take the AVE to Sevilla upon arrival from SFO (is this a little crazy or what?) Do we depart from Atocha? Is there Metro service from Barajas to Atocha? (We'll be traveling fairly light.) Thanks for your help!!--CC

Going by metro from the airport to Atocha, where your AVE leaves from, is feasible but slow. Calculate almost an hour from the time you set foot in the metro to the time you emerge, bewildered, in Atocha. Add 15-20 minutes to get from your gate to the metro station inside Barajas airport. So give yourself a good hour and a half.
Alternatives: take the Metro just to Nuevos Ministerios (about 15 minutes) and then the train (cercanias) to Atocha – about 8 minutes. In this case you'll need about an hour.
A taxi, depending on the time, should do the trip in 20 minutes and set you back about 25 Euros.
Have fun!

Thank you, Barry. So, we can connect directly with the cercanía at Nuevos Ministerios Metro stop? Ticketing in advance or at a window or pay on the train? Then at Atocha (I do remember it being huge), we would see "signs" (by this time, visions) for our AVE departure? Do all AVE trains leave from Atocha, i.e. is it our best bet when coming from Barajas?

Yes, all of the AVE trains leave from Atocha. They are well-signed and it is not hard to find them, although there was some construction last winter. Not bad, though. I don't know about Atocha being huge and the renovation is really nice, if you haven't seen it.

Carole writes: Not crazy! That's the way I like to travel: Your arrival day is a 'wash' anyhow (jet-lag). so you might as well try to get where you are going.

You are leaving out some very significant processes: How long is it going to take to clear Passport Control & Customs? And before you can do the latter, how long will it take you to get your checked luggage? Once, I had to wait 45-minutes for my flight's baggage to begin to arrive at the carousel. Another time, our flight's baggage went to a different arrivals area (a different room from the one where we were routed) - It may have been the 'wrong' arrivals area or we may have been routed incorrectly. Whatever, it took some time to get the Customs Agent to allow us to enter the other arrivals area (from outside)to retrieve our checked baggage.

After you have cleared Passport Control and Customs, I think the first thing you should do before rushing to Atocha by Metro or however would be to stop at the Renfe Office in Barajas airport and ask if there are seats available on the AVE you are 'targeting' in the class you want and in the smoking or non-smoking carriage. You can buy your AVE tickets & reservations there. It will save you having to wait in a queue at Atocha. Then and only then will you know how much time you have and you are ready to decide how to get to Puerta de Atocha.

The AVE runs hourly and is going to cost about $55 each (Turista - Llano) and you're worryied about saving nickles & dimes taking MetroMadrid to Puerta de Atocha instead of taking a taxi... I, for one would spend the few extra bucks if only to finish my travel and maybe to have time for a short nap in Sevilla.

Good point, Eddie. I had thought about retrieving luggage, passport control, etc. But you're right as far as getting to Atocha. Take a cab and be done with it.

I thought that we would need to reserve well in advance for the AVE to Sevilla?? If that is not the case, I would much rather make travel arrangements at Barajas and not have to worry about rushing around to "make our connection."--CC

Getting your AVE tickets really depends on what time you're planning on going. They get booked up at weekends of course, so you should reserve. Also, peak times are more expensive - so check out the RENFE site . I think you should hop in a taxi and take the pain out of the trip. If you want to make a small saving though, take the taxi to Atocha square and save the 2 euro supplement and cross the street into the station!

Maybe we should fly?? I'll look into fares. 35 Euros!! --CC Back again. Nope, no Spanair flights from Madrid to Sevilla. Back to taking the AVE.

AeroCity , the van company will take from the airport to Atocha and I believe it will be cheaper than a taxi. Aerocity has a stand at the airport (do a search on this site)

Good luck,

JA