I took 5 train rides in Spain, earlier this year in March . You should arrive about 50 minutes in advance. Give yourself time to find and use the baños publicos. Find where the line to go through security is. 30 minutes might be enough time to navagate the train station and get through the line but give yourself 40 minutes for a comfortable cushion of time. After 7pm in Toledo the train station was not crowded compared to the other stations I was at. At all stations, I had to put my bags through a luggage scanning machine, the staff had to look at my passport and ticket, I had to walk through a metal detector shaped like a door frame, and in Toledo and possibly somewhere else too, an employee waved a metal detecting wand over me. In Madrid and possibly Seville and/or another station, the line was long but moving quickly enough. Before or after you get past security, you have to find which track your train will arrive next to. The track number is shown on big digital screens, but not until 10 to 30 minutes in advance. Seating is assigned. Your ticket shows the number of your train car and the seat number. You only step from the platform onto the train about 5 to 10 minutes in advance but you should be on the platform before your train arrives, not rushing through the station or at security.
For more information, please visit our website.
If you didnt prepare snacks beforehand, you have two ways to fill your hungry stomach: the mobile snack trolley and the dining car. A train staff will push a stuffed cart from one carriage to another, selling different kinds of snacks, like biscuits, drinks, melon seeds, dried bean curd and etc. Or you can walk to the restaurant car, choose one Chinese style set meal and bring back to your seat to enjoy. The restaurant car is arranged in the 5th coach for a 8-coaches high speed train and 5th, 13th or 9th on a 16-coaches train. Disposable cups and boiled water are available at the two parts of each carriage.
High speed trains are equipped with both squatting toilets and western-style toilets at the junction of coaches. There is a sign on the washroom door showing the specific type and an upper screen will show if someone is occupying or available. Inside the small room, the train provides running water, soap, paper, disposable seat cover. And you can find specialized toilets for the disabled and changing area for baby. To avoid unpleasant occasion, youd better bring your own toilet paper.
Link to ACE
You dont need to worry about where to place your luggage on train for there are plenty of rooms. If your luggage is super huge and heavy, you can put it in the large luggage area at the head or end of your coach. This area can contain suitcases exceeding 28 inch or even larger size. For convenient, you can also place your case and bags in the luggage rack overhead your seat. Small carry-ons and personal stuff can be arranged at the folding table or hang on the pothook in front of your seat. Considerately, there will be more extra space before the first row and behind the last row for public use.
All coaches on train are installed with many groups of fire extinguishers, emergency facilities between each carriage. Fire alarm system is installed at the end of each coach. Besides, an automatic fire alarm system is allocated on the roof. When you walk to the toilet and pass from one coach to another, you can easily see many emergency symbols on two sides. You may consult from the attendant for more details and guide onboard.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website high speed rail ticket checking machine.