Trip vs trip

Al Andalus Express – Madrid to Seville vs Andalucia by Rail

Two ways to do a similar journey. Every number below is from the operators' own published details, verified on the dates shown on each trip page.

	Al Andalus Express – Madrid to Seville Great Rail Journeys	Andalucia by Rail Cox & Kings
Duration	9 days	7 days
From price	$9,342	$2,531
Price per day	$1,038	$362
Rail share	78%	29%
Pace	fast	relaxed
Comfort	luxury	premium
Guiding	Independent Holiday	The support (if required) of an English speaking local representative
Countries	Spain	Spain
Named trains	Al Andalus Express	,
Nights on board	yes	no

Which one, honestly

For value: Andalucia by Rail costs the least per day here: $362 against $1,038 (Al Andalus Express – Madrid to Seville).
For time on the train: Al Andalus Express – Madrid to Seville spends the most of the trip on rails: 78% rail share, against 29% (Andalucia by Rail).
For pace: Al Andalus Express – Madrid to Seville runs fast; Andalucia by Rail runs relaxed.

Hotels in Madrid and Seville are offered as a choice (for example a 4-star or 5-star option in Madrid), so which one you get depends on what you book.
Day 1 in Madrid has no guided activity: you arrive and are transferred to your hotel to explore independently before joining the train the next day.
The evidence lists no specific departure dates for this itinerary; confirm current departures with Great Rail Journeys.

Each day in Seville, Córdoba and Granada is left at leisure with no guided activities included as standard; an English-speaking local representative is available only if requested.
Entrance fees and local guides are included only 'where applicable', so some sights, such as the Alhambra in Granada, may need to be booked and paid for separately; the evidence recommends booking Alhambra tickets in advance due to limited availability.
The evidence lists no current departure dates for this tour.