I am traveling around Spain this April for 3 weeks. We have about 5-6 places that we were thinking of visiting and I was wondering if it would be a better deal to get a rail pass? Or are the buses better? The Renfe site is a bit confusing and I have also checked out the raileurope site as well. Is there a difference between making reservations on the two sites and how do you use the rail pass?
I have never done the rail pass thing so I don't really know how it works but I just need to figure it all out as soon as I can. Thanks for any advice!!

I'll like to see the answer to this too. Very good question, and I'm faced with the same decision re: rail travel vs car. I have more time to plan though. I wonder if Renfe would take our comments and improve their site!

It really depends on where you are going and it what order. Not every town is a train line. Some lines are lightning fast and others really slow.

After trying numerous times to book via renfe.es and getting an error in verifying my credit card, I was able to book via telephone.
The renfe phone representative was unable to send an e-mail confirming the purchase but did say one can go to the renfe website & enter the reservation locator number. Then the ticket can be downloaded.
Does anyone know the exact procedure? Can a reservation be "pulled up" on the website just by entering someplace the locator number like on airline websites?

The credit card problem does not just happen with RENFE . I´m sure I mentioned this somewhere else , but I tried to book tickets for a big pop concert here in Madrid last year , using a reputable bank/ticket agncy ( ServiCaixa ) . I tried my UK credit card ( refused ) , and my UK debit card ( refused ) .. both of which have very good funds . The operator told me I HAD to use a Spanish bank card .. which is what I eventually did .
Steve

Just received the following e-mail reply from renfe:
"Así mismo le informamos que el sistema de compra de billetes por
Internet, no acepta las tarjetas de American Express."

In other words, American Express credit cards cannot be used for internet purchases on renfe.es

Another question (looking for advice). I had my daughter in law (fluent in Spanish) look at the Renfe site for me. She has suggested waiting until I get to Spain to buy my tickets face to face (Seville to Madrid and then while in Madrid, day trips to Toldeo and Sergovia, with a final long trip to Barcelona to finish the trip). Does that make sense to you experts??? To wait until I get to Spain to book any of the trips?

@andy - I use my corpotate American Express card with Renfe all the time. I went to Barcelona 3 weeks ago with ticket I bought with my AMEX.

@Denise - Renfe do last minute tickets with up tp 50% off, might be worth waiting if you are not in a hurry and/or have a timetable to meet. Otherwise I would buy the tickets in advance, the train to BCN often fills up (in my experience) and you might be left with business class tickets only. of course, i have always travelled in rush hour so i can't give a fair opinion of how much the train fills at w/ends or during the day.

I think that's certainly do-able. Now, there are so many trips back-and-forth from Madrid to Seville that finding one train with space on any given day is a logical assumption. Same goes for trips to Toledo and Segovia.

Regarding the Madrid-Seville trip (and Barcelona too), consider going to a travel-agent in the city which sells RENFE tickets (they'll have a sign on their door). I know the El Corte Inglés near SOL has a travel agency which sells the RENFE tickets. There, you'll pay a small commission for their service (4 Euros, maybe) and you won't have to go to Atocha and stand in long lines, feeling rushed by the (likely) impatience of the clerk there.

Regarding the Madrid-Segovia trip, the BUS can be the better way to go there. Get the La Sepulvedana (line) from underground the Príncipe Pío station.

Saludos, MadridMan

Hi everyone - along the same lines, what are the thoughts on a combination Eurorail Pass (3 days rail, 2 car)? It looks simple enough to book and maybe not all that expensive for 2 - $632 CDN.

It's not clear on how you validate it, but the way I read it, the first day you plan on using it, you write in the date in ink, of course it does recommend you make reservations for the train and I'm outside the window at this point.

I'm also considering buying the Madrid and Barcelona Cards (2 days for Barcelona, 1 day Madrid) from the same site. Any thoughts (please MadridMan, feel free to move this part of the question if it's not appropriate here!)

As always, thanks to all in advance!
Does it work? Any and every thought helps!!