Last spring, I embarked on a 10-day trip to Spain visiting Barcelona, Granada. Sevilla, and Madrid. Tasked with finding the easiest way to get from Sevilla to Madrid, I decided to travel via Iryo after hearing praise of this new train company.
Two ways to go
I decided to book the trip via Renfe, Spain’s national railway company. Long-story short, I ended up booking with Iryo after a difficult and frustrating experience with Renfe’s website, as well as their disappearing train times. My desired itinerary kept disappearing on Google and their website, but would suddenly appear again!
Stressed with finding another means to get there, I stumbled across Iryo, a private rail operator whose parent company is the famous Italian rail line, Trenitalia. As you’ll see in the some of the pictures, Iryo’s interior looks very similar to Trenitalia’s, and that’s because Iryo’s fleet includes the Frecciarossa 1000. (P.S. This post is 100% my opinion and not sponsored by Iryo).
Booking with Iryo
Iryo’s booking experience was a breeze. The website’s interface is user-friendly. To purchase a ticket, you’ll have to visit their website where you’ll enter your departure and arrival station, as well as dates. In my case, I selected Sevilla Santa Justa and Madrid Puerta de Atocha.
From there, you’ll get to choose your desired train time. You’ll then select from a series of ticket types which include Infinita Bistrò (the more expensive option) which includes changes, refunds, three pieces of luggage, extra space, and food service. Iryo’s options include Incial (the lowest-priced ticket) and Singular Only You (the middle-priced ticket). Since I was traveling one way and needed extra storage for my large luggage, I went ahead with Infinita Bistrò which cost EUR 63. Also, I was hungry for a first-class experience on a completely new train.
At the station
At Sevilla Santa Justa, I arrived an hour early and ended up watching the station’s departure board for a while. I did not see the platform until about 15 minutes before the departure time. Once the platform number appeared, I headed down the escalator towards the railway track where station attendants scanned my ticket and performed a security screening. My ticket stated that my carriage was the first one so I had to walk towards the end of the station track.
Riding on Iryo
Upon finding my carriage, I was greeted by two train attendants who showed me to the carriage area and my seat. One also assisted me with storing my luggage into the carriage’s storage compartments. The carriage was fairly large with seats comfortably spaced, lots of legroom, an expandable table, a footrest, and a charging station. A one-stall bathroom shared with the adjacent carriage was in the middle gangway.
My experience onboard was quite relaxing. Despite having about 20 or so seats in the carriage, there were only about 8-9 of us which resulted in a quiet trip. At the start of the ride, the two attendants took our drink orders. About 15 minutes into the 2.5-hour ride, the attendants then gave us a warm, citrus-scented towel to clean our hands which made the experience feel quite luxurious. The meal service began and we were given a choice between their Spanish menu which included potato salad, jamon, crackers, cheese, bread, and chocolate and their Nordic menu which included smoked salmon, eggs, tomatoes, crackers, bread, and chocolate. I opted for the Spanish menu which was quite good for a train meal.
As for the train itself, the ride was very smooth. We went up to 190 miles per hour passing by the idyllic, Spanish countryside of green hills, castles, farms, and small towns. The smooth ride caused me to fall asleep, and I arrived in Madrid before I knew it.
Conclusion
Overall, my experience aboard Iryo was amazing as a newbie to European rail systems. From their user-friendly website to their spacious and well-serviced first-class cabin, Iryo is changing the game as a newcomer to Spanish rail transport services. If you’re seeking a stress-free ride and fair-priced, first-class experience from Sevilla to Madrid, look no further than Iryo.
