Committing... and transport query?

So for some context...

I started the Camino Frances from St Jean waaaay back in August 2016, and walked to Burgos. In spring of 2018, I did the stretch from Burgos to Leon. It was April, and all indications would have been 'expect weather similar to the UK'. I mercifully checked the forecast - because it randomly snowed for the first couple of days and a couple of folks were caught out walking in shorts and t-shirts. A bit different to the predicted scorching heat of the Meseta, but I'm glad I didn't try that stretch in summer either!

At the time I toyed with whether or not to take the Salvador. Reading some of your reports, having looked at some reassuring photographs of the mountain paths on Gronze (my parents went on an over-60s walking tour in Eastern Europe and my dad's feet literally didn't fit on the path), and not caring particularly if I reach the cathedral in Compostella in just under three weeks or if I come back another time to finish, but definitely caring about avoiding the crowds likely to be on the Frances this year... I'm going to bite the bullet, take the Salvador in August and join the Camino Primitivo after that.

So... here's a question:

I'm flying into Madrid for logistical reasons which include living on a small rock. I've looked for direct trains and buses from Madrid to Leon, for the beginning of August, and they're all showing up as fully booked. When I checked one of the sites, it did indicate that tickets were only actually released by RENFE maybe a month in advance. Does anyone know if this is the case of if I need to hurry and book those indirect tickets via Valladolid?

Even if I were walking the Frances I'd want to get to Leon since that was my last stop (I think it was technically Reliegos).

Thanks

Thanks all,

I thought this was likely the case but I wasn't sure since the sites are all different (and the RENFE site itself is even worse than the SNCF one, as we all know - it won't even let me enter a date other than today!).

I'm more likely to use Bahn.de to find out when the trains run (and all the possible connections that the local country's website doesn't list) and then book through Trainline just for ease and because I already have the app. The Bahn.de trick is really useful for French trains since the SNCF doesn't always show you all options, just what they think is reasonable. So, for example, I already know two possible options with changes of train, which RENFE doesn't list at all.