, aspa...@adelphia.net wrote:
> "Pat" wrote:
>>>Any personal experience or info on the Spanish rail pass, and
>>>references to other sources about the pass will be MUCH >>>appreciated! =
Viajera
>>No experience with the rail pass, but I was on two different >>Spanish tra=
ins last September. One had broad, cushy seats,
>>was air-conditioned to a cool temperature, had a movie
>>playing in the coach (you could buy headphones or
>>watch it without sound), and was quiet. =A0the second one
>>had the (harder) seats closer together, was over-crowded,
>>had people talking loudly across the aisle to each other,
>>people loudly playing cards, many people walking up
>>and down the aisles, and was noticeably warmer. =A0
>>From all the =A0backpacks' grungy teens, and crowded
>>families, =A0I expected to see a live chicken at any
>>moment. =A0Guess which one was second class?
>>Pay the extra for first class. You won't be sorry--you'll
>>even be able to >get some rest if you want to go to sleep.
>>Pat
>Yikes!! I'm a little past my backpacker days, so your
>experience is GRATEFULLY received!!
>May I ask what the trips cost? =A0And from where to where?
>IOW, I don't want to buy an expensive rail pass if I can
>make out just as well buying tickets when I want, to where I want.
>Also: =A0I gathered from the Web sites that reservations are
>the custom. How far ahead must they be made?
>BTW - I cracked up at the mention of "live chicken". =A0When I was
>last in Spain (don't ask!) there WAS a live chicken up in the cargo
>net as the train slowly crawled from Madrid to Barcelona. =A0I
>could see the beard growing on the guy across from me.
>TIA Viajera
It is worth doing the homework thoroughly beforehand.
The times I have looked at a train journey of any distance
the majority of trains available have been of the premium
named variety with quite expensive fares. There were
only a few regiional expresses which were much cheaper.
If you are within a reasonable distance of a big city
then the cercanias trains are very economical but I
found the one such journey I took from Valencia to
Castellon was comfortable enough for the hour or
so duration but would not have been so for much
longer. |