I'm SO confused. Is there a high speed sleeper train from Paris to Madrid? Is it just as easy to drive? Are all the sleeping cars uncomfortable? Is it cheaper to buy it online? HELP?????

Do NOT drive from Paris to Madrid. Consider flying. You should be able to do that route one way at about 100 US$. Sleeping cars are ok, and/but I never slept when I took that train, and it was endless. I had to change in Barcelona or something, too!

You do not have to change the train, there is a direct high speed train between Paris and Madrid that leaves Paris at 7.40 pm and arrives at Madrid at 9 am. It is a Talgo/ Tren Hotel and I think it is pretty comfortable.
I would not drive. The cheapest, but least comfortable will be a bus. But of course, it is always worthwhile to check out flight deals, in case you intend to return to Paris afterwards.
You can buy tickets online now, as far as I know, it is not cheaper, though.

Connie has good advice-- it you CAN sleep on a train, you will save one night's lodging in addition to saving money over the plane (MAYBE: sometimes that works about about the same!)

Connie,

The train from Madrid to Paris is not a high speed train. The only high speed trains running in Spain at the moment go between Madrid and Seville (there are also stops at Ciudad Real, Puertollano and Córdoba).

[The new high speed line to Barcelona will be working in the year 2004. There are plans to build more lines from Madrid to the main cities in Spain].

Hotel-train Francisco de Goya is a very luxurious train but so the price reflects. You can find good offers to fly from Madrid to Paris for half the price you'd pay on that train.

Regards,

Antonio

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The best tips from your favourite hostal in Madrid.
Hostal Chelo at http://www.chelo.com

The train is a Talgo, though!? Aren't all Talgos high speed trains? Even though they are not comparable to the AVE, I found the Talgo pretty fast, too.
Or is a high speed train by definition just the AVE?
Do you think it is so easy to get good deals for one-way flight tickets? In my experience, I only found cheap flights for roundtrips.

[This message has been edited by connie (edited 09-15-2000).]

Talgo trains are medium high speed! as you can tell from how long it takes. If you'll sleep during the trip and save a night's lodging, it's the best way, then.

If you take a sleeper train be sure that you sleep otherwise it's a l-o-n-g ride. One of my friends did Madrid-Paris on a sleeper BUS, I don't know if that is a normal thing or not, or if they just did it that one time (he went to see a big Real Madrid soccer match in Paris).

Connie,

Talgos are fast trains but not high speed trains. Take for example Talgo trains from Madrid to Barcelona. They take more or less the same as buses so if a train runs only as fast as a bus, I wouldn't consider it as a high speed train.

As you said, high speed trains by definition are only AVEs (in Spain), TGVs in France... I'm not sure but I think Talgo trains run at a maximum speed of 120 Kph, whereas AVE runs between 300 - 350 Kph.

Just think that Talgos from Madrid to Barcelona take about 7 hours, AVE to Barcelona will take only 2 hours 20 minutes and planes take 1 hour. Do you see why we don't refer to Talgos as high speed trains?.

About flights, you're right. Only roundtrips have good offers. You won't probably find a cheap ticket for one way.

Regards,

Antonio

------------------
The best tips from your favourite hostal in Madrid.
Hostal Chelo at http://www.chelo.com