A new regular feature from Charitable Traveller Magazine, our team of experts answer your travel queries. In the hot seat this month is Melissa Tilling, founder of Charitable Travel
I’m planning to take my family on holiday to southern Spain this summer during the school holidays, but we’d like to take the train from London over a couple of days and I’m confused about how best to book it. Because it’s the school holidays I’m keen to book as early as possible, but I understand some train tickets aren’t available until a couple of months out. I don’t want to miss out on accommodation by waiting until nearer the time we’re due to go, what can I do?
Melissa: Train travel to Spain is a really great idea, in support of both reducing carbon emissions and taking a slower approach to travel with the joy that brings. Booking with Charitable Travel means we can offer options with tour operators who can confirm train tickets much further in advance than a customer booking rail-only direct with the train operators. You can plan knowing that your arrangements are firm for both rail and accommodation.
The other key advantage is that you have support on hand during your journey should a connection be missed by unplanned operational delays. With this help, you’ll never be alone in a rail station with no onward plans. I took a quick look with one of our favourite travel partners who offers an 11-night rail trip including seven nights in Estepona on the Costa del Sol with four nights in stops en route each way to break up the journey, travelling 18 August 2024, and the price for two rooms for two adults and two children under 12 comes in at around £1,479pp. Eleven nights flying came in just £300pp cheaper but created 83% more CO2 emissions and is way less fun!
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