DavidB,

I found info on the RENFE website info that differs from what you listed. On the Trenhotel Francisco DE Goya Madrid to Paris the prices were:

14800 pestas for 2 tourist
25440 for 2 preference
29360 for 2 graet class

This is during low season. That is for one-way.

[ 12-11-2001: Message edited by: MadridMan ]

Mukerod76 and others: I too found prices for the Paris-Madrid train to be much more expensive than DavidB indicated in his 11/26 posting. Perhaps the confusion is with the class and whether round trip or not, but the differences were very great.

Let me be specific. Does anyone know the fare for round trip for two people (both over 65), from Paris to Madrid, including the cost of a bedroom with a private bathroom? ... wdc

Hi

There is some confusion in the pricing as displayed on the RENFE site. If you go to the following page RENFE Price for Madrid/Paris Trenhotel it may help, I hope!!!

As far as I read it, and I'm very much open to help here as well, the return price (Ida y Vuelta) per person for 2 people sharing a compartment in Gran Clase is E56.55 each (see condition #4). There is also a discount for Seniors (over 60 years) but this appears to apply only to a single journey, Madrid-Paris, as the price is more expensive for 2 x one way tickets than a return ticket.

However, what I suggest is that contact RENFE direct at [email]glinfo@renfe.es [/email]. They may be able to clarify it further for you. I asked a friend of mine who lives in Madrid to check this out and he came away with different prices again and less information than the Website. I well remember some experiences that I had with prices on RENFE trains during my last visit as they seemed to change almost daily.

Good luck with trying to get the correct price.

David

DavidB and others: I am afraid I am still hving trouble; but this time with my Spanish. Here is what I asked RENFE and what I got from them. Unfortunately the page RENFE references
http://www.renfe.es/ingles/viajes/precios_int.html#opcion2

is not in English. Perhaps someone here can translte and give me my answers -- namely:

<<To: glinfo@renfe.esSent: Friday, December 21, 2001 2:23 AMSubject: Over night train Madrid to Paris

I am having difficulty determining the total round-trip cost for two people (over 65), sharing a sleeping compartment with a private toilet, to travel by train from Madrid to Paris and return in April, 2002. Can you please compute that fare for me? Muchos gracias. >>

Thanks agan. ... wdc

wdc202

Unfortunately the web page that RENFE has given you is the same one that I was getting my information from and is in Spanish and my Spanish in very basic. I have used a translator to get me through but there is no explanation for some of the conditions applying to the tickets. As I said even my friend in Madrid had trouble, but then he is not a native of Spain and is still learning Spanish.

I suggest that you contact Antonio (Hostale Chelo) who contributes here on this board regularly as he is in Madrid and is a native of that wonderful city.

Good Luck.

David

[ 12-23-2001: Message edited by: DavidB ]

In Spanish? The link wdc put takes you to a web page in English.

[ 12-23-2001: Message edited by: Antonio ]

Antonio: Thanks very much for reply. I can not understand why I previously got a Spanish-only page.

But, in any event, I am still having trouble reading the English version. In fact, I am so confused by the table that I am having trouble even expressing where I am having trouble! There <seem> to be so many ambiguities. I guess my problem is not so much in language as in custom.

- The table shows fares (let us focus only on Preference class) for “Adults, and for (1), and (2) for Outward” (Paris to Madrid, I suppose). What is the mening of Adults, (1), (2)? And where are the fares for (2) for Outward/Return (I assume this means Round trip)?

- What is the meaning of the two columns headed Single and Double?

- The notes refer to a Club class. Which (Tourist, Preference, or Grand) is Club?

- Do I understand rightly (from the notes) that persons over 60 travelling Monday to Thursday in the same week on a round trip pay 45% less than the fare shown in the table?

- In summary, what will my wife and I (over 60) pay for a Preference class round trip on a Monday to Thursday in the same week?

…. wdc

The prices you see at that page are per person in single journey).

The price for a round trip ticket is twice the price of a one way ticket. However, you get 15% discount (see note #3) if you buy a round trip ticket and you get 20% discount as a senior citizen (see note #2) or 25% discount if you are traveling in preferent or great class (see note #4). The table "outward return" show these prices with the discount already included.

As you can read also at that page, cabins at preference and club have either 1 or 2 beds. That is, you can single "rooms" or double "rooms". If you are traveling in tourist class cabins have 4 beds, ie, you would have to share it with 2 strangers.

There must be a mistake about "club class". They meant "great class". Classes are tourist, preference and great class.

In general, you can't add discounts. Try to find which of the conditions you meet offers the highest discounts. In your case, it would be 25% traveling as a couple in preference or great class.

To sum up. You are a couple so I guess you don't want to share a tourist cabin. You need to travel in preference class if you want a double cabin. As you can see from the table, preference - double - outward return (including 25% discount) is 49950 pesetas (300.21 euros). Note that this price is per person.

Once you have this price, if I were you I would think about flying since you can get round trip tickets Madrid - Paris for about 159 euros including taxes with Iberia.

Antonio: A million thanks -- for the "translation" of the train table and the tip on using Iberia plane service. ... wdc

wdc202 and Antonio

wdc202 - I rechecked the page that you were given and had it came up in English and in doing so, and using Antionio's explanation, I can see where I was incorrect with my prices. I was using the "," as a "." and working on the pricing being in Euros instead of Pesetas. A big Ooops and Sorry from me. However your persistance has cleared up a problem and help not only yourself, but me as well (and maybe others - who knows!!).

Antonio

Many thanks for helping out. As usual you are a great help to those of us who dream about our next visit to Spain.

David