Malaga or Barcelona?

[Roxxy]

Hi All

Disembarking in Malaga on a Wednesday but flying out of Barcelona on the Friday morning.

Not much into history or museums.  Just sightseeing and shopping, spending time at markets.

Would you suggest we get on the train straight away, or overnight in Malaga before spending time (what little we have of it!) in Barcelona?

We have never been to Spain.

Thanks!

[marazul]

1 hour ago, Roxxy said:

Hi All

Disembarking in Malaga on a Wednesday but flying out of Barcelona on the Friday morning.

Not much into history or museums.  Just sightseeing and shopping, spending time at markets.

Would you suggest we get on the train straight away, or overnight in Malaga before spending time (what little we have of it!) in Barcelona?

We have never been to Spain.

Thanks!

Go straight to Barcelona.  There are things to see in Malaga, but there is no comparison to Barcelona. 

The train ride is about 7 hours. You can be in Barcelona mid-afternoon Wednesday and you will have all day Thursday there. You can "scratch the surface" in that time. Don't waste any time in Malaga this time. 

[alserrod]

I agree. Go to Barcelona

 

Train (AVE) takes 5h49m indeed. You will cross Spain corner to corner in less than 6 hours.

 

If you want to walk around city centre and shopping... Barcelona, no doubt.

 

Malaga for another time

 

 

PS. It is compulsory to book railway tickets. May you book in advance, you will find them cheaper

 

This is train webpage where you will be able to book

https://www.renfe.com/es/en

 

Do not go to station without tickets

[John Bull]

In your limited time, definitely head straight for Barcelona

 

JB 🙂

[lisaatric]

I could just wander in Barcelona for weeks. Go. 

[Roxxy]

Great Advice!  Thank you all 🙂

 

[ollienbertsmum]

On 10/21/2023 at 11:56 AM, John Bull said:

In your limited time, definitely head straight for Barcelona

 

JB 🙂

Lovely as Malaga is, +1
 

You may have to change trains in Madrid.  It is not a big issue.  

[alserrod]

Hi,

you may change trains in Madrid but you can avoid it.

 

There is (more or less) one train Malaga - Madrid every hour or less and one train Madrid - Barcelona every 15-20 minutes.

 

May you have to change in Madrid, there's no problem. All trains (it doesn't matter company) depart from the same platforms in Malaga and arrive to the same platforms in Madrid and in Barcelona.

 

IN ADDITION, there are TWO direct trains Malaga - Barcelona, departing from Malaga everyday at 8:30 and 16:24.  It runs from Malaga through Madrid and when approaching Madrid it bypass it and takes Barcelona line without any stop.

Journey time is almost the same but it will be easier to avoid to change in Madrid.

 

If you can go in a direct train, get it. If all tickets are sold or they have a terrific price compared with the rest of trains, there's no problem to change in Madrid.

 

Best web to compare: thetrainticket.com  It doesn't matter train and company name. Just choose your best option.

Do not go to the station without a ticket. It is enough a PDF with a QR code, but buy your ticket in advance.

 

 

[Roxxy]

My other option is to fly from Malaga to Barcelona.  1.40 hr flight.

there are flights departing at 9:15 and also 11:25 am the morning we depart the ship.

 

Any suggestions on preference?

TIA

[alserrod]

You have the option of the high-speed train.

 

It is true that it takes longer than the plane but you avoid taking a taxi to Barcelona airport and a taxi from Malaga airport (the stations are in the center of the cities, the airports are on the outskirts). You avoid having to be there more than an hour before (ten minutes is more than enough). There are no luggage problems (you can carry several suitcases without limitations). You can use your cell phone, watch a movie or sleep (standard class train seats are like business class airplane seats... and you also have business class on the train if you want more). And you can even walk and go to the cafeteria to have a drink while you travel.

 

Between Barcelona and Malaga there are TWO direct trains every day ("AVE" train from the Renfe company) and you have the option of taking a train to Madrid and changing at the same station to another one to Malaga.

 

You can take a look at the schedules in the mornings.

 

If it indicates "AVE" it is a direct AVE train trip.
If it indicates AVE-AVE it is an AVE train trip from Barcelona to Madrid and another AVE from Madrid to Malaga

 

[marazul]

Take the 9:15 flight. It lands by 10:45. Take a shuttle into town. You can be at your hotel by noon.

The 8:30 direct train would get you to the Barcelona station by 3 pm.

 

 

Edited January 10 by marazul

[alserrod]

and, here in this post, I wrote something more about Railway in Spain

 

 

[ollienbertsmum]

I’m team ‘go by train’.  
 

I’m not sure that I have that many photos from the train (nothing special) - but you do get a sense of the scenery across Spain.   I have taken more photos along the trips - but nothing has been interesting enough for them to be saved. 

[Roxxy]

22 hours ago, alserrod said:

and, here in this post, I wrote something more about Railway in Spain

 

 

This is great information. Thank You!

I think we will do the train.  Our ship (RCCL VOTS) is supposed to dock at 6 am. Any idea on how much time to depart, clear custom/immigration and arrive at train station in Malagra? 

We will be docking in MALAGRA and heading to Barcelona... I think you had the itinerary reversed.

Edited January 11 by Roxxy
added

[Roxxy]

Sorry ... also which train stations to use?

 

Depart Frm:

Malaga-Maria Zambrano

Malaga Aeropuerto

Velex-Malaga

Torreblanca

Malaga Centro Alamdea

 

Arrive To :

Barcelona Sants

Barcelona El Prat

Barcelona Passeig de Gracia

Barcelona Estacio de Franca

Barcelona El Prat T1

Barcelona-Arc de Triomf

El Prat T2

El Clot-Arago

Sant Andreu Condal

la Sagrera Meridiama

Torre-Baro

Aeroport Josep Tarradellas

 

[alserrod]

16 minutes ago, Roxxy said:

This is great information. Thank You!

I think we will do the train.  Our ship (RCCL VOTS) is supposed to dock at 6 am. Any idea on how much time to depart, clear custom/immigration and arrive at train station in Malagra? 

We will be docking in MALAGRA and heading to Barcelona... I think you had the itinerary reversed.

 

Hello

From the pier to the train station it is just 10 minutes by taxi. Moving from where the taxis drop off to the station and passing ticket control is very fast

The limitation is to disembark early. If you can do it, you won't have any problems.

Important, go to the station with the purchased tickets and check the thread where I comment on traveling by train. You can achieve a big difference in ticket prices for the same trip and the same day.

Regarding cruises, I am going to embark and disembark in Barcelona in June. I live just 1h30m from the port of Barcelona by high-speed train.

[alserrod]

3 minutes ago, Roxxy said:

Sorry ... also which train stations to use?

 

Depart Frm:

Malaga-Maria Zambrano

Malaga Aeropuerto

Velex-Malaga

Torreblanca

Malaga Centro Alamdea

 

Arrive To :

Barcelona Sants

Barcelona El Prat

Barcelona Passeig de Gracia

Barcelona Estacio de Franca

Barcelona El Prat T1

Barcelona-Arc de Triomf

El Prat T2

El Clot-Arago

Sant Andreu Condal

la Sagrera Meridiama

Torre-Baro

Aeroport Josep Tarradellas

 

 

 

From

 

Malaga - Maria Zambrano

 

to

 

Barcelona - Sants

 

Anyway, if you push over a ticket from "Malaga all stations" to "Barcelona all stations", web will sell a ticket from the only station where you can get a high speed train to the only station in Madrid where you can leave it.

 

No problem at all

 

[Roxxy]

Thank you Alserrod. 

 

Looking further into the train schedules ... seems like the only connection I could possibly take would leave at 8:05 am > change in Madrid > 2.5 hr lay over > then arrive in Barcelona at 4 pm.   

 

I am not confident in a 8 am departure time nor spending the whole day travelling.  Now looking at a 9:15 am departure from AGP to BCN arriving 11 am.

 

 

[marazul]

57 minutes ago, Roxxy said:

Thank you Alserrod. 

 

Looking further into the train schedules ... seems like the only connection I could possibly take would leave at 8:05 am > change in Madrid > 2.5 hr lay over > then arrive in Barcelona at 4 pm.   

 

I am not confident in a 8 am departure time nor spending the whole day travelling.  Now looking at a 9:15 am departure from AGP to BCN arriving 11 am.

 

 

You really have very little time for Barcelona.  Flying gives you an extra half day there. You can do a lot in that afternoon.  For example, take a "free" Runner Bean tour of the Gothic Quarter. If you take the train, you miss it. You would then have too many other things to cram into your full day there.

Edited January 11 by marazul

[alserrod]

1 hour ago, Roxxy said:

Thank you Alserrod. 

 

Looking further into the train schedules ... seems like the only connection I could possibly take would leave at 8:05 am > change in Madrid > 2.5 hr lay over > then arrive in Barcelona at 4 pm.   

 

I am not confident in a 8 am departure time nor spending the whole day travelling.  Now looking at a 9:15 am departure from AGP to BCN arriving 11 am.

 

 

 

 

Everything has pros and against.

 

Travel time, despite being high speed railway, is an against (for railway) and pro for plane

 

Pros for railway are dealing with baggage (do not worry about weight or numer of suitcases) and confort (seat is larger, you can walk and go to cafeteria, or even use internet)

 

Anyway, departing 8:05 from Malaga.... it is enough 36 minutes for lay over in Madrid and arriving at 14:10

 

or direct train at 8:25 in Malaga

 

I will not recommend a train using all morning and afternoon.... but arriving at 14:15 is another issue

 

Just remember 14:00 is lunch time in Spain, customs for meals are quite later than in other countries, so "afternoon" in Spain starts at 14:00, not at noon. A nicetie, in Spain we say "good morning" not before noon but before luch. so 13:00 is "good morning", (instead of good afternoon)

[Roxxy]

those train times would be perfect... however, not available on October 23rd 😞

[alserrod]

5 minutes ago, Roxxy said:

those train times would be perfect... however, not available on October 23rd 😞

 

 

Not STILL available.

 

Railway tickets are send to sell-in-line by 6 to 6 months. Most of tickets would be up to the beginning of summer (people do not use to buy tickets with so advance).

 

Maybe in this or next months tickets will appear for first in the web. The first to buy, the best price. You could pay up to 25 euro only. Something extra if you want premium class (meal included) but a terribly price indeed

[Roxxy]

2 minutes ago, alserrod said:

 

 

Not STILL available.

 

Railway tickets are send to sell-in-line by 6 to 6 months. Most of tickets would be up to the beginning of summer (people do not use to buy tickets with so advance).

 

Maybe in this or next months tickets will appear for first in the web. The first to buy, the best price. You could pay up to 25 euro only. Something extra if you want premium class (meal included) but a terribly price indeed

Interesting !  Learning so much from you.  Thank you so much Alserrod!!

[ollienbertsmum]

13 hours ago, Roxxy said:

Thank you Alserrod. 

 

Looking further into the train schedules ... seems like the only connection I could possibly take would leave at 8:05 am > change in Madrid > 2.5 hr lay over > then arrive in Barcelona at 4 pm.   

 

I am not confident in a 8 am departure time nor spending the whole day travelling.  Now looking at a 9:15 am departure from AGP to BCN arriving 11 am.

 

 

 

When we had 6 am arrival we have made it to the train station for 7:30 which you need to do to catch the 8 am train.  I have written before that this means being one of the first off - and not going to breakfast.  
 

if you are going to catch a 9:15 am flight you would need to be at the airport at a similar time.  If you only have carry on you have more leeway.  Malaga airport can be busy in the morning.  Not always, but you have to plan for the worst when traveling. 

[alserrod]

I wouldn't be worried about traffic jams as such but I would be worried about moving around the airport.

Anyway, from the port to the train station it is 1.5 km. If it weren't for the rush and luggage, you can even walk through the streets of Malaga and get to know the center.
The airport is 9 km away. It is not difficult to get there (if there is a lot of traffic jam, there is a suburban train from the train station, and the metro up to 2 km before, but the traffic jam should not be the problem).

However, it must be taken into account that Malaga airport is the third in mainland Spain with the most travelers after Madrid and Barcelona.

Malaga station at rush hour has a train only every 20-30 minutes. Almost all to Madrid or Seville, some to Granada and two a day directly to Barcelona. Keep in mind that it is a terminus station. Only trains arrive or depart from the north.