To ask you to help me sort this holiday nightmare!!

[CantKeepCalm2]

I’m sick with worry over this and unable to sleep as a result.

My husband, kids and I are going on holiday to Spain in just over a week. We are going to Alicante but to keep costs down, I booked flights to Madrid as I saw the train looked cheap from there to Alicante. I think the airport is half an hour from the train station in Madrid but thought with the train being cheap, we would hopefully be able to figure out a shuttle bus or something that might take us.

Fast forward to now and the train prices have sky rocketed. I was really silly not to book at the time, but I didn’t expect the markup to be quite so extreme.

I came up with a plan b. Hire a car in madrid to drive us to Alicante on arrival day, and same again on departure day. I’ve booked this all but have now realised we are going to have issues as neither DH or I have a working credit card. Long story short but we moved from the UK to another European country and when I lost my credit card, i tried to cancel it on my husband’s app and accidentally cancelled his card. I tried to resolve this with the bank but they couldn’t deal with me as I wasn’t the main card holder. On top of that, I have a pin block on my credit card as a result of getting the pin wrong 3 times. Again, this has been a nightmare to sort as the bank wouldn’t deal with me and my husband has been rarely home due to his work (military).

Anyway, after booking the hire car a couple of days ago, my husband was able to call the bank. Unfortunately it’ll take 10 working days for his new card and the pin should arrive 3 days later, so this doesn’t help with our hire car. They advised me I could go to an ATM and sort my pin. I tried that today but to no avail, the ATM here didn’t have a “pin services” option. And I’ve been thinking, surely I can’t change my pin anyway since I don’t know the pin to begin with.

We can cancel the hire car and receive a full refund up to 48 hours before the trip. If we do that, it’s going to cost us loads getting the train, plus I haven’t figured out a way to get from Madrid airport to Madrid train station. I can’t change the flights because direct flights will cost us an extra £1000 at least and I can’t afford that. What do I do? I’ve really messed this up badly and know I sound like the most disorganised person. I’ve just massively dropped the ball on this one. 😢

There’s loads of great advice on here that doesn’t seem to have been considered at all! I’d be following up the bus/coach option personally - it looks by far the most straightforward.

And yes my husband uses his job as an excuse to get out of life admin and I've enabled it.

He sits on his phone checking the football scores / what's app often enough but doing anything on his phone to help out family he doesn't have time for!!

Book completely new flights with Ryanair to Alicante ? There pretty cheap

Stay in Madrid overnight on the 30th, fly back out to Alicante at 7:05 the next morning and arrive there at 08:30. Fly back to Madrid from Alicante on the 11th at 20:40, arriving at 21:45 ready for your flight the next day. I think I’ve just found those flights for about £85pp but will have to look at the extras you want to add - it’s Air Europa.

How much actually was the train, you didn’t say unless I’ve been a numpty and missed it? Echoing a PP who says the airport to Madrid city journey is very simple, I lived there for years and actually (contrary to others it appears!) think the airport experience as a whole there is very simple.

You’ll get this sorted OP, don’t worry

Do you actually need a PIN number to use the credit card for this purpose? Do they not just take a copy of your card?

Spanish poster here who uses Madrid Airport, ALSA buses and AVE trains regularly.

To correct a few previous posters and warn the OP against following their advice - do NOT leave booking a train until the day you’re there. AVEs will be fully booked or £££ per person. Trains are NOT free on Sundays, definitely not the AVE - no idea where people got that idea from.

There are coaches that depart from Madrid Sur. 5/6 hours to Alicante and they cost under €200 for all of you each way. Tickets are flexible. To get from the airport to Madrid Sur, get on the Cercanías train (C1 or C10) from Terminal 4 - there are shuttles to T4 from other terminals. It’s 35 mins on the train plus a 10 minute walk. Or just take a taxi, the city isn’t far away from the airport so it shouldn’t cost you more than €50.

I would try the hire car option until the last possible minute, but keep monitoring coach availability so you can book that if you need. At least on the way there, then you can figure out the return.

Spanish high-speed trains are very cheap, when booked in advance. It’s a very demanded service and especially during summer the trains are always full and tickets sell out within days of becoming available. Good lesson to learn for anyone wanting to use AVEs in the future. They’re brilliant, but not a realistic last minute purchase.

I know Goldcar have a bad rep previously (as echoed by PPs on this thread) but they have a new option called Key N Go where you don’t need to give a credit card at all because you are covered for absolutely all damages to the car. You don’t even have the pre-inspection when you get there and they don’t check the car when you get back (other than the fuel). I’ve used it three times in the last few months and whilst a lot of these things with car hire often turn out to have some loopholes where you can be charged a fortune this one genuinely didn’t appear to! There is a theft excess which you can buy separate insurance to cover. I think the whole package is pretty expensive though as you are covered for everything so it might be out of the question

From the airport to the train station, a ‘cercanías’ (commuter) train.

OP, have you checked trains to alternative destinations? Check the high speed train (AVE) to Orihuela or the intercity/Talgo/alvia to Murcia and then a ‘cercanías’ to Alicante. Orihuela to Alicante is around 50min, Murcia to Alicante is 1h 10 or 20min.

Did you book very last minute? I am asking because I am currently in Denia, flew to Alicante last night; I booked most of the flights in March but mine was only booked four weeks ago and it was still cheap. I would never consider flying to Madrid if my final destination is Alicante. The best alternative destination is Valencia (Murcia airport is not very well connected via public transport and flights are not cheap anyway).

I fly from London to Alicante every month (family issues) and never have had to pay a high price got a flight unless it was for the next day.

Cancel the hire care and you can get the bus from Madrid Airport to Alicante:
See a link here, which I got from a quick search. Looks like it goes from T4 at Madrid Aitport: www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/coach/madrid-alicante?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=en_generico_bus_top_rutas&utm_content=madrid_alicante&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlemWBhDUARIsAFp1rLXitWFi7ZN-EfpUO6Wv6_R3j1zIwj8kRXpz4vs_uTshdZ9NW2zPxYoaAjj8EALw_wcB

@GrandSlamFinalee
Thanks for the clarification re trains on a Sunday. I am originally Spanish and travel to Alicante and Valencia regularly, I am also on top of the Spanish news and was puzzled when I read that. Even the ‘free’ trains announced by the PM last week only apply to those with a ‘abono’ so did not understand anything… In fact I was feeling pretty stupid because we actually paid for a train on a Sunday just a few days ago.

OP - with a long distance train ticket the commuter trains are free. You just need to get a new train ticket with the booking reference shown in your AVE/etc. ticket. This is handy if you book an alternative service although I guess they can ask why you ended in Murcia if your destination was Alicante!

Do you have Apple Pay on your phone? I have used apply pay to register my credit card before.

If taking the coach I strongly advise buying your tickets in advance via the ALSA website. They can sell out days in advance , plus buying them at the station via the machines can be confusing and frustrating, unless a member of staff helps you.

Lesson for everyone. You do need a credit card for many reasons that don't involve borrowing money and you should also have more than one in case something goes wrong when it will inconvenience you most. Smile

You do NOT need a credit card. I had one for many years. Now I have not had one for many years. My life is unchanged, I have no need or use for a credit card.

You are right - it is just a "hold" against the card.

www.recordrentacar.com/en/rent-a-car-madrid/

Cancel your car hire.
Record Go... and others posted here do car hire without a credit card.
You'll have to go (and que) at the desk at arrivals.
Never used a credit card for car hire.

Go by bus. It will take you 4-5 hours (including a 30 min stop halfways) but it's way cheaper than the train (20-30€). The bus company is called alsa.com and they have buses departing from the airport too, although there might be more frequent services from the main bus station (Mendez Álvaro) which you can easily go by metro.

www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/coach/madrid-alicante?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=en_marca_top_rutas&utm_content=madrid_alicante&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlemWBhDUARIsAFp1rLXwNjerli5TRY4y06eRCck3ObkEaXydip9bu8SE4TCn14aplC1wHGkaAi3qEALw_wcB

There are car hire companies that accept a debit card, or another option is to book one online with their full insurance cover that requires no deposit.
I have booked car hire for Alicante with Centuro, prepaid online, no credit card or deposit is required. (I never usually take this option but strangely I had a discount code and it meant we could have a bigger car with full coverage so I canceled my previous booking). A quick google will find discount codes

There are many circumstances where paying by credit card gives you much greater protection. There is nothing wrong with a credit card used correctly!
I have received refunds via my credit card for flights when an airline went bust.

If you choose to pay by other methods and forfeit the extra protection that is your choice and risk to take.

If you don't want to swallow the increased train cost then gonestly the bus (coach) is your best bet. Look at Alsa (bit like National Express). Not used it recently but it used to be cheap as chips.

@CantKeepCalm2 I'm not in panic mode and I'm finding all the fantastic advice on here hard to take in .I've tried to collate some of it for you .

Coaches&Trains

Read GrandSlamFinalee · post at Today 08:51,they are Spanish .Really helpful

As is another from LaBrujaPiruja · Today 08:59
From the airport to the train station, a ‘cercanías’ (commuter) train.
OP, have you checked trains to alternative destinations? Check the high speed train (AVE) to Orihuela or the intercity/Talgo/alvia to Murcia and then a ‘cercanías’ to Alicante. Orihuela to Alicante is around 50min, Murcia to Alicante is 1h 10 or 20min.

ALSA is the company that runs from Madrid to Alicante, and while you may have to change buses at Madrid Sur, you should be able to do it all on one ticket. The buses are perfectly fine, reliable, and comfortable - probably a bit better than National Express. but see BarbaraofSeville · Today 07:47 who says it looks like limited availabilty.

coaches from Madrid airport to Alicante, possibly with a change somewhere else in Madrid, but look on alsa.com. Flexible tickets appear to be 33 euros each, so 160 euro each way for all of you

Barbara also says if you're looking at public transport, perhaps consider staying overnight in a budget hotel/air bnb in Madrid and going on fixed train tickets on Monday, so you've a contingency for the delay? Coming back should be easier, just book a train leaving Alicante in the morning.

Sorting your credit card

Do you actually need a PIN number to use the credit card for this purpose? Do they not just take a copy of your card?

Do you have the app? Looks like you can view your PIN through that gethelp.virginmoney.com/helptopic/subtopic/pagecontent/article/KA-01419/?How-to-view-your-PIN-in-the-Mobile-app

try and add it to Apple Pay and then you can use it without the pin on your phone (android has similar, someone else could probably give you details).

Car hire without credit card suggestions
www.spain-car-rental.com/debit-card-car-rental-spain.php
www.recordrentacar.com/en/rent-a-car-madrid/
www.sixt.co.uk/help-center/articles/car-hire-without-credit-card/#/
www.centauro.net/alquiler-de-coches-baratos/espana/madrid-chamartin/
www.airportcarhire.com/car-hire-with-a-debit-card.html#/searchcars

Just reading this has stressss me out!

I would look again at changing your flights. Perhaps a later time or a different UK airport might work out cheaper? It was always going to be a nightmare trying to get to the train station with lots of luggage! I would try and find a way to switch to Alicante.

Unless there are new cheap flights to Alicante available from wherever the OP is starting from, changing flights probably isn't cost effective.

The business model of low cost airlines is that the ticket is on a 'use it or lose it' basis. It usually costs so much to change any aspect of the flight that you may as well rip it up and start again.

OP would a prepaid credit card work? www.mastercard.co.uk/en-gb/personal/find-a-card/general-prepaid-mastercard.html Accepted wherever credit cards are accepted apparently?

I can’t thank you all enough for your help and advice. It has been so helpful at a time when I’m quite honestly feeling a bit frantic!

From all the posts, I’ve come up with a possible solution. What do you think of this idea? Not sure I’m thinking straight so I’d appreciate opinions.

We could go by train, but book the train leaving at 19:05 from Madrid Atocha. Our plane lands in Madrid at 14:20, so we would have to be running extremely late to miss that train. It arrives at Alicante at 21:21. In an ideal world, we’d get the 17:45 one but I suppose the later one allows for delays. This costs £197.95. Or we could pay £217 and get a semi flexible ticket - If it all went completely pear shaped, we would get a refund of 70% if we cancel up to 5 mins before departure.

Its not such an issue on the return leg, because we can get the 8:40 train which arrives in Madrid at 11.10. Plenty of time for our 14:40 flight. That all would come to £356. Although not having any flexibility on train times does panic me a little.

Is this a decent plan? Or is there too much risk involved?

Ive considered the bus but it would be an extremely early start on the last day. Also arrives very, very late to Alicante and I’d really worry about how my young kids would manage it all.

Thanks again for all the help.