Can we use MC/Visa, our ATM? I saw an answer that suggested only Pay Pal. We will be traveling by train from Madrid to Seville then to Granada. From Granada to Barcelona. What is the best way to purchase high speed train tickets. Thx!
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4103 posts
I have used my usual credit card to buy a Spanish train ticket through www.trainline.eu with no problem. The Man in Seat 61 discusses ways of buying rail travel in Spain.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
4658 posts
Where are you from? I paid on line on the renfe website with my Visa card (with Verified by Visa) first time, no problems....but being from Canada, I have the Verified by Visa option and a true chip and pin card for machine purchases in European metros or purchase machines. I never use credit cards at ATMs, always my bank debit card.
US travelers seem to have less satisfaction with their cards.
Posted by
OP
Ridgefield
52 posts
We are from U.S. Finally have "pins" on credit cards here. What is verified Visa?
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23777 posts
US credit cards are chip and signature. No true chip and pin cards except for a couple of cards. Pins on US credit cards are used for cash advances from ATMs. Unless it is an extreme emergency, cash advances are a very bad item because of the fees. Verified VISA is a higher level of security for the card and the merchant. Go the the VISA web site with your card and follow the steps.
Posted by
17 posts
you can take a train from Barcelona to Granada?
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
If you are buying advance train tickets online from Renfe's website, US credit cards rarely work. I tried my Capitol One Visa, which is enrolled in Verified by Visa, and not only did it not work, but it didn't even get through to Capitol One to be rejected (I was on the phone with Capitol One while trying to buy the ticket). Paypal went right through with no problems, so that's the way to go. It doesn't cost you any extra to use Paypal, and if you like, you can delete your card information from Paypal right after the transaction goes through (so neither you nor anyone else can use your Paypal account for anything else without re-entering your credit card info).
I followed all the directions on this Tripadvisor tutorial, and the ticket purchase went through fine: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187514-c80518/Madrid:Spain:Buying.Renfe.Tickets.Online.html
I never bought tickets at a station in Spain, so I don't know the situation there with credit or debit cards.
They are currently building the high speed link to Granada. Until it's done, you take a train to Antequera, then a Renfe bus from the Antequera train station to the Granada train station (not the Granada bus station). These connections are coordinated, and Renfe will sell you the whole ticket as one transaction. I see the OP is going in the opposite direction, so they would go to the Granada train station to get the Renfe bus to start their trip to Barcelona.
Posted by
Boston
209 posts
Has anyone used the goeuro app?