I am planning a trip to Spain in April for Holy Week in Seville. I have to decide how to get to Sevilla from Madrid. I guess the options are: fly, train, and bus. It looks like my flight options on Iberia are beginning to dry up as far as getting a good deal. Does anyone know how soon I would have to purchase to get a good deal? Renfe seems even more expensive than flying, although I've never taken a train and would love the experience. Finally, the good old bus is an option. What is the website to check fares and times?

Gracias!

Hi teachertraveler8,

Your choices are:

Iberia
Renfe. Note that special "web" / "estrella" fares are only available if you buy the tickets at least 2 or 1 week in advance. There is no last minute offers available on Renfe and special fares are not valid for Fridays / Sundays.
Socibus / Secorbus. Far cheaper than the high speed train but it takes 6:30 hours.

Bear in mind that Holly Week is the busiest time of the year in Seville. Buy your tickets as soon as possible.

As for the accommodation, if you wanted to sleep in Seville during those days it would be really difficult to find a place.

RENFE is a funny site sometimes you need to be patient with it, but if buying ahead of time, it can save you some bucks.
and yes agree with Antonio, you need to reserve NOW. And bus is nice but longer travel time.
Have a holy time ::)

Accommodations were made in July Thanks for the advice, though. It sounds like the flight to Seville might be the more important one to book now. Here's another question, are there any airlines that fly to Seville from another European city like Paris or Lisbon? I'm wondering if I should focus on a different city than Madrid.

ryanair ,vueling,air europa,easyjet,air berlin, etc try them. low cost carriers, I only try ryanair to Madrid once, and not my cup of tea.

"The best way" is by train by far - but it's also the most expensive way. If price is no object that's the way to go. But since it seems it is, going by bus is the cheapest option but also the slowest and least comfortable of the three. That is to say, the bus IS comfortable but because it lasts 6.5 hours without the ability to move around (like in a plane or on a train) it can be considered "the worst way" too.

The AVE to Seville is total luxury - meaning it's fast and oh-so-comfortable, spacious seats and leg room, lots of toilets, a bar car, and scenery (passing by at an amazing rate).

Saludos, MadridMan

If you decide to fly, be sure and factor in the cost and hassle of getting into Sevilla proper - this will be a traffic nightmare and probably more expensive than under normal circumstances. Both train & bus stations are in the heart of the city.

Are you traveling alone or with your son? The six 'n a half bus ride might be more than either of you want to deal with.

I'm with MM on using AVE -

I have been perusing the renfe site and it looks like tickets are around 81 euros all the time. I am either traveling alone or with a friend. (We are coming from different places in the US) I am now leaning towards the train because I have never taken it and I'd like to be able to tell my students about the experience. Thanks so much for the input!! I didn't think about transfer from the airport to the city center.

teachertraveler8, are you clicking-through the "shopping cart" icon to get THE REAL prices?? If you don't, you see the "retail" prices and not the "W" web-discount prices.

I'm looking on Renfe.es now and, nope, you didn't click through the shopping-cart. Since they don't yet have prices for Semana Santa/Holy-Moly Week

I'm just looking for next month/November and, yes, the "retail" price one-way IS 81€. Clicking through the shopping cart, RE-enter your from-to locations/dates, and then you'll see a number of "W" ("web") prices at 32.60€. Then, the retail price goes to 64.80€ and also 81.40€ for one-way. Wow, 32.60 one-way, or about 60€ per person round trip!? That's a bargain!

I clicked the "AFTER" button (for "the next day") and went all the way to 11 December 2010 - no schedule or prices after that so they project schedules roughly 1.5 months in advance. Try again as time draws nearer and be FAST ON THE STICK!!, like checking every day up to 2.5 months in advance of your trip to CATCH/SNAG those "W" prices.

Saludos, MadridMan

If you can, definitely AVE....follow the advice of MM

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De madrid al cielo, y desde allí, un agujerito para verlo!