Estación de Alcázar de San Juan

Today I was up early to get the train from Atocha, Madrid to Almeria. 6am felt like the middle of the night.
I walked to the nearest Cercanias station at Nuevos Ministerios. Renfe give you a free transfer when you buy a long distance ticket. They also give you access to a magazine app for 5 publications, including the Rugby News. Bonus. Though it was the September edition when Australia was all hopeful. But that’s another story.
Managed to wrangle the free ticket with a lot of help from the ticket lady. Then Atocha, Madrids busiest station. The platform isn’t announced until about 4 minutes from departure. So there is a scramble to get down to the platform and on the train. And in my experience, Spanish trains run on time.
Out through the southern industrial suburbs of Madrid with the sun rising around 8.30am. Then through Aranjuez. Aranjuez is a great day trip from Madrid - there is a big palace there and big gardens. Then through the plains of La Mancha - cheese and wine country. And windmills, old and new. Then into Andalucía. The train line goes through mountains and gorges, before we finally get to Almeria 6 hours after leaving Madrid.
I had a quick walk around, went to the Archeology Museum to check out the Neanderthal, Bronze Age, Roman and Moorish history of where I will be walking. Then to the 19th Century Bridge built by Gustav Eiffel to ship minerals and other substances out to England. It’s called the Cagadero de Cable Inglés, the English Bridge.Read more