Spain by train - help needed with rail passes

We're looking to travel around Spain in late June by train, and am currently quite confused with the rail passes on offer. We will be travelling from Paris, taking a train to Barcelona, then from Barcelona to Madrid, and from Madrid to Granada.

I understand that there is an InterRail one country pass for use in Spain, but I am not sure if the pass is valid for use on trains that travel inter-city overnight - our plan is to take overnight trains. Does anyone know where I can check for this information?

Secondly, is there a train pass that covers both France and Spain - one of the legs of our trip Paris-Barcelona.

Just to complicate things a bit more, I am resident in the UK and my friend is resident outside of Europe - am I right in assuming that we need to purchase different types of passes, from different locations?

Any and all help appreciated.

Idlan

OK. Here's what I know; take this as a partial answer.

Yes, you will need to buy different passes. Interrail is only for EU citizens, including UK, I assume.

The other answer is "it depends." The economics of the Eurrail and other rail passes is a common question here. It depends on:

-How long you will be traveling
-How many long distance and short distance trips you plan to make
-How long you will be staying in a few locations (or will you be training every other day, for example)
-Which countries you plan to travel in,
-etc.

For example if you plan to only take the trips you mention and aren't going to be traveling longer, then it might not be economical, but if you are also taking other trips and will be in Europe for a longer time,then it will be.

Unfortunately, it is a bit complicated to work out these days since there are so many options even within the Eurrail passes. Go to one of the general rail sites and figure what those trains would cost you if you bought individual tickets then figure that against the various Eurrail and Interrail options.

The conventional wisdom seems to be that if you are mostly traveling in Spain and Italy, then the rail passes aren't economical, but if you are traveling in Germany and Sweden they are.

You also must be aware that in Spain and elsewhere you will be continually asked for a "suplemento" payment for taking an express train and at peak travel times you will want to make a reservation which also costs money.

Sorry there isn't a simple answer.

Oh, and to answer one of your specific questions about inter-city and overnight trains: Yes, of course, the passes are good for all train travel it's just that you might have to pay supplements sometimes. And if you get a cabin or couchette on a night train you will have to pay extra even with a pass.

You should be able to get the specific info from the Eurrail website. If not, ask a travel agent; hopefully one who is familiar with Eurrail passes (most are clueless about anything but package tours and airline tickets).

Personally I would not bother with the pass. I have recently come back from a trip travelling by train in spain and just bought tickets as I went as the trains were dirt cheap there. Provided you are happy to take the local trains that take longer that is.

Otherwise if you want to take the faster ones then they will cost more, but would not be covered by your interail pass anyway and you would have to pay a supplement.

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>Interrail is only for EU citizens, including UK, I assume.<hr></blockquote>
It's for RESIDENTS of EUROPE not just EU citizens - and UK is both EU & Europe.

But according to Main in Seat61, Interrail passes are being revamped to make them value for money again

For the journeys you describe I doubt very much whether any sort of pass would be value for money.l

Thank you for the help. We're doing away with the passes now, and I think we'll just make a proper booking for the Paris-Barcelona leg, and then wing it on local trains or otherwise from there. Might get lost, but hey, that's part of the adventure, yes?

Don´t be in a hurry.
Europe is full of places you´ll swear you´ll return to.

Why not do it right the first time?
All that historY didn´t happen, with the top three sites in mind.

Stay till you´re full. Absorb, not smear.
Take time to talk with other Europeans from elsewhere.
I promise, you´ll get more for your money.

WHAT THEY TELL YOU IN THE SECOND CONVERSATION, IS WHAT THEY WANTED TO SAY IN THE FIRST.
wHY NOT GO HOME A LITTLE WISER THAN WHEN YOU LEFT?