I also tried www.alsa.es
every website will not allow my payment to go through.. with multiple cards. I even tried using other peoples cards. Visa and everything. The bank says its the website. Any advice is appreciated. thanks!

Call your bank to allow charges in Spain on this card for a specified period of time. That might solve the problem.

Possible issues, but not too much help (other than Don’s suggestion) for how to get this to work…

1. Debit cards are sometime a problem due to a daily withdrawal limit, even if the transaction is below your limit. Try a credit card if you were using debit.

2. Once a card has been refused, it’s unlikely that a different card will work on the same transaction. Starting over, if you haven’t already tried that, might work. A different person starting out a new transaction with a different card (pre-cleared as Don suggests) might work..

3. Some European travel providers don’t accept non-European issued credit cards on-line, period. You can not purchase Italian train tickets from trenitalia.com with a credit card that wasn’t issued by a European bank, even though you can use your credit card at the kiosks or at a ticket window. I was unable to purchase a ferry ticket on-line from Tallink — but used the rejected card to buy the tickets at the office in Helsinki.

4. Bus tickets seem to be a bigger issue than others… I’ve never successfully bought a bus ticket on-line, but I assumed that was specific to my transaction (where, when, bus company, etc.) as opposed to a generic problem.

I booked through alsa.es I found out that they DO NOT accept non-spain issued credit cards even if they are VISA.
You have to use PAYPAL and it works just fine.
Thank you for your suggestions!

Now to book a flight from Barcelona to Ibiza, and Ibiza to Rome.

used skyscanner.. but these airlines have crazy baggage fees. Vueling, Ryanair, etc. And I will have my large backpack with me. Ferry is expensive as well and only leaves on thursday/fridays. But I will figure something out.

Thanks again guys!

hey, there are also other ways how you can get to Madrid and around it the city has special passes for students so don’t forget to take your student ID, of course if you are over 18 years.

heeeeeeey, i forgot to say that students Id can give you up top 40 % discount at museums and even nightclubs, use it wisely