If I buy a one country Eurail pass for Spain, can I reserve my seats in advance on line or do I have to do that before the day of travel at the train station or on the day of travel at the train station? If I can reserve my seat online, what website would I use?
Posted by
California USA
4103 posts
To answer your question about Eurail pass and seat reservations, you can book seat reservations for trains that require a seat reservation on the Eurail app, RailPlanner, ahead of time. You can also book reservations at train stations ahead of time or day of the journey if there are still seats available. You can also book a seat reservation without buying a ticket from many national rail companies. I’m more familiar with Germany, France, the Netherland, etc. Read the seat61.com section on Spain to understand more about the rail system and when/if seat reservations are required.
You should also price the cost of the Spain Eurail pass you are considering buying and specific journeys on the Spanish rail site https://www.renfe.com/es/en to see if would be worth it for the journals you have planned.
Posted by
California 🦋
5294 posts
I highly recommend checking this informative and helpful website before buying any kind of transport pass: seat61.com/Spain
What’s your itinerary?
When will you be traveling to Spain?
Keep in mind that buying discounted point to point tickets (in advance) may be more economical than any type of transport pass.
Wishing you a great trip!
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you for your responses. I went back to the Seat61 website. It makes a bit more sense but I still have a question.
We plan to use the train from 1. Barcelona - Valencia 2 Valencia to Madrid 3 Madrid to Malaga 4 Malaga to Barcelona. If we have to change trains ( in Madrid on travel #4) would that be considered 2 tickets per that trip or just 1 ticket.
I was looking at buying the Renfe 4 train pass.
Posted by
California USA
4103 posts
Simple answer. When you buy a train ticket from point A to point B but have to change trains in town or city C it is considered one ticket. You can, with some train companies, choose a stopover in connection point C of a certain duration of your choosing. That would still be one ticket. You cannot buy a ticket from A to B but get off at your connection city and reboard different train.
Posted by
Washington DC
28082 posts
The "Renfe Spain Pass" web page defines a trip as "a long-distance train from A to B without making a train change."
Despite considerable Googling I couldn't find the price for the Spain pass--perhaps because it is for non-EU folks and I'm currently in Italy. I wouldn't assume it will save you money. There are now some additional players in the Spanish train-travel market, which might lead to better availability of low-cost tickets. The Spain pass would only work on trains run by Renfe. You can see all the competitors on thetrainline.com, but I'd prefer to book tickets directly with the operating rail company.
The Renfe web page says seats can be reserved online at no additional cost. I don't know how to do that but would guess you'd start on renfe.com.
I know one of the selling points of a rail pass is the flexibility--you don't have to buy tickets way ahead of time in order to get a good price. However, Spain is a country where the fast trains between major cities do sometimes sell out. I often see "Full Train" notices on renfe.com when I check schedules. It is not safe to assume that you can travel on the spur of the moment between Barcelona and Madrid or between Madrid and Seville. I don't know anything about seat availability on the Barcelona-Valencia and Valencia-Madrid trains.
Posted by
Lake District, England
7886 posts
Prices and purchasing for the RENFE Spain Pass are here-
https://venta.renfe.com/vol/payPassesCard.do?c=_K8JJ
4 journeys-195 Euro
6 journeys-275 Euro
8 journeys-350 Euro
10 journeys- 410 Euro
This is RENFE's own web page about the pass, which is for anyone living outside Spain
https://www.renfe.com/es/en/viajar/prepare-your-trip/abonos-ave-y-largadistancia/renfe-spain-pass
Posted by
Australia
1072 posts
We are in Spain at the moment (30 days into our 60 day trip) and travelling by train and bus. For us, the Spain pass was not economical. One of us has a Tarjeta Dorada (senior discount card) and one doesn't so the advance fare price was better for me as the non-senior and as good as the senior rate for my senior companion. Our Renfe train fare from Camp Tarragona to Valencia (same route as Barcelona to Valencia) was €14.50 each booked in advance.
I used the Trainline to find the trains I wanted as it shows the competitors to Renfe over the long distance routes who can be much, much less expensive. For example we caught an Iryo train from Madrid to Zaragoza and it was €18- when the Renfe train over the same route taking the same amount of time was around €70-.
Do your math, but if you know when you want to travel we found the advance booking discounts gave us a much better outcome then a rail pass.