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Occasionally I
receive e-mails from people requesting information on
a southern Spain train tour they had seen on a PBS
travel program.
Unfortunatly, the Al-Andalus train tour is no longer an option. The company which runs it, Iberrail, has filed for bankruptcy.
It will take a while to remove all the links to this page. |
Boarding
the Al-Andalus |
The first
time I received such an e-mail, I had no idea
what the guy was talking about, but he
seemed really impressed with what he had seen
on TV. With a little research I was able
to find some information about the Al-Andalus
Express. I have yet to take this train tour
my- self, but here is what I have found out.
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Al Andalus
Expreso is a luxury train tour in the manner
of the Orient Express. Five of the
seven restored sleeping cars were built in
France in 1929. If you take this tour you are
really stepping back in time to an age of
train travel almost non- existent in the present
century.
You spend all but one
night right on board the train, sleeping in
comfort. Compartments are comprised of
two single beds, or if you prefer, you may
choose one of five double-bedded compartments.
Each room has its own private restroom with
shower. During the day, beds are folded away,
changing the room into a comfortable lounge
with table and chairs from which to watch the
passing country- side or sit and catch up on
your reading. |
A
view of one of the single beds with the nearby restroom. |
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The compartment also has a space to store
your luggage and a wardrobe and drawers for your
clothes, not to mention your own private safety
deposit box. All compartments have air-conditioning
as well as heating with individual
temperature control. |
With a choice of two dining cars, a bar
car, and a lounge and games car, there is no
need to spend all your time in your room.
While the itinerary changes from year to year, generally, over 5-6 days the train visits
different southern cities of Spain such as Granada, Ronda, Seville and Cordoba.
Train packages generally include guides, entrance fees,
all meals, and snacks. |
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The train has been carefully restored,
maintaining its original decor, and adding all
the comforts of the most modern trains. |
You do need to
book early. There are a limited number of departure
dates for the train tour (see box below), and there
are only seven sleeping cars with a maximum
capacity of 74 passengers in the 37 Club compartments.
| Travel Dates: Departure dates for Al- Andalus vary from year to year. Generally no train dates are scheduled during the winter. |
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By now you are probably wondering what it
costs. Well, it isn't cheap (we are talking
about a luxury tour, in a classic rail car).
For two individuals, double occupancy, figure
to lay out 5,400 to a little over 6,000 euros for an Al-Andalus
train tour package. |
| Hint: Ask about discounts for
honeymooners and silver or golden wedding
anniversaries (expect to provide
documentation). In the past, discounts have been offered by Al-Andalus.
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| For more information on taking the Al Andalus Expreso or other
unique visits of Spain contact Madrid and
Beyond |
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