Renfe Spain Pass Purchased - Trouble Booking Ticket

I looked at the schedule on the regular Renfe website, and there's an "i" code beside all the Granada-Cordoba trains. It's not translated into English, but I think it's explaining that part of the trip is by bus. (This situation has been mentioned by others on the forum.) I believe the final sentence indicates that people using the Renfe Spain Pass have to go a station to get tickets for trips beginning in Granada. I'm unable to copy the text out to include in this post.

Could it be because part of that route requires a bus? I booked Granada to Cordoba for a date in May. Granada to Antequera is currently by bus. Antequera to Cordoba is AVE train. I believe the remainder of the AVE route is under construction.

Thank you both for your kind input. That is a shame. I was not aware that part of the journey would need to be by bus because there is construction on the part from Granada to Antequera.

I see using my Spain Pass that I can book a train from Antequera to Cordoba, which would be about a half hour train ride and there are many trains available that day. So that isn't bad.

It also says with these Spain Pass bookings that you can use other transport within 3 hours. So perhaps they would not charge me for the bus ride portion.

How long would the bus ride portion take do you think from Granada to Antequera?

Also, does anyone happen to know how far the bus station in Antequera is from the train station in Antequera?

So I assume I could book the Antequera to Cordoba train ticket online first with my Spain Pass and then see if I can get a bus ticket from Renfe somehow when I get there?

Or should I just perhaps not book anything and talk to Renfe at one of the train stations first when I get to Spain to see how I can arrange this?

Maybe it would be best just to take the bus the entire way. Looks like it is a 2 and half hour bus ride. If I did that though I doubt Renfe would refund me a portion of the cost of the Spain Pass I purchased.

The bus is a "fix" provided by Renfe from the Granada train station to the Antequera train station while work is ongoing on those tracks (upgrade). It has nothing to do with the bus companies or the bus station. As far as I can understand the Spanish with some internet translation, the reservation has to be made at the station, maybe the Granada station, maybe any Renfe station in Spain.

Let's hope that Priscilla comes along and looks at this, since she is fluent in Spanish and has a lot of experience interpreting Renfe. If you don't hear from her soon, send her a PM.

Thank you so much for the input Chani. Great. If they provide a bus right from the Granada station to the Antequera station that would be great. I just wonder how long one would have to wait for the train in Antequera to leave and what time the bus would leave Granada. I know you don't know those answers, but those are just questions that come to mind.

I was already thinking maybe I should just take a bus from Granada all the way to Cordoba. I think that might end up being much quicker than taking a bus and changing to train and it is only about a 2:40 journey by bus.

I'm just noticing that your travel date falls near Easter. Although I still feel like you could wait till you get to Spain to deal with this, I have no experience traveling there during the holiday period. It would be great to hear from someone who can address the likely demand for transportation between Granada and Cordoba on April 10.

Here's how you can see the precise bus and train times for the trip:

• Go to the Renfe website.
• Select Granada and Cordoba for origin and destination (start typing and choose from pull-down list).
• Choose travel date.
• Choose time of day.
• Click "Buy".
• Click on price of preferred departure time.
• Click on "+ Detalles".
• Click on "See route".

For the departure I chose (9:40 AM), the bus arrives at Antequera Santa Ana Station at 11 AM and the train departs at 11:23 AM. Total time for the trip is 2 hr. 14 min.

Here's an earlier thread from this forum with useful information.

Thanks so much acraven for all that info. I had done all that you said already on the Renfe website a day ago. I didn't realize though it meant it was a mixture of taking a bus and train. At the time I saw the word "bus" next to the booking, but didn't realize it means I would have to take a bus too. Even when you change the Renfe website to English it still shows parts in Spanish. Here is a screen shot of what I captured yesterday from the Renfe site and I was also looking at the same departure time you suggested at the time:

https://postimg.org/image/cvzbofi0z/

I did forgot it is Easter weekend and you might be right that transport will fill up quickly and be more difficult to arrange.

That total time of 2h. 14 min. for the trip is a lot better than I thought with the bus and train connection timed very closely. That would be great if I can do that. I was thinking the 2h. 14 min. would be just the train part alone. If that is the total combined time for both then it would be fine.

I also just got am email reply from [email protected]

The email said the following and it sounds like I can't book anything until I get to Spain and go to a Renfe train station, but which wont be until around the 27th of this month. I hope it wont be too late then to book something for this travel time in the morning from Granada to Cordoba on April 10th seeing that it will be a holiday period:

Dear Customer,

We get in touch with you to inform you that if you want these trains AVE-BUS you need to go with your Spain Pass to the RENFE train station and reserve it there.

Thank you for using our services.

Regards.

Marc, Easter is April 16, so you're traveling during the week before but not actually on Easter weekend itself. I think you're going to be fine.

I wouldn't worry too much about the train filling up. Cordoba is not a super-popular destination during Easter Week (unlike Sevilla and Malaga). Keep an eye on the trains and buses for that day. If the train sells out, you'll see it and be able to book the bus.

Thanks, I didn't look at the calendar and realize Easter is April 16th. I should already be in Barcelona by then. I will be at the train station in Valencia on April 3rd to take a train down to Sevilla. Hopefully if I book my ticket from Granada to Cordoba for the 10th in Valencia on the 3rd, then that should still be enough advance time?

By the way , are you aware that the transfer station between Granada and Cordoba is Antequera Santa Ana and not Antequera ( Ciudad ) . That distinction may be the cause of your problem

Thanks Steven. I had just tried to book the ticket from Granada to Cordoba. I didn't try for anything else. But that was the ticket they didn't let me book online. Will have to do it when I get there it seems.

You're welcome ! Just for the future , regardless of which country you are traveling , there are often multiple rail stations in the same city or town . Some even have similar names , for instance , in England , visitors going to Bath ( a popular destination ) must choose Bath Spa , as the station , not Bathgate ( in Scotland ) or Matlock Bath ( Derbyshire ) . Major cities , London , Paris , Vienna , etc can have six or more major rail terminals . When uncertain in cases like that , selecting " all stations " ( Todas ) in Spain , will allow the booking computer to choose the correct station . I only bring this up , since you are new to posting here , and It's a technique that you will find useful on subsequent trips . Knowing how to utilize Europe's rail systems is one of the best tools for travel . Spending some time on this site will provide great rewards on your future travels - http://www.seat61.com/ and the premier site for plotting trips even if not traveling in Germany - https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml

Thanks for the tips. I used todas when I booked Cordoba to Barcelona. Cordoba only had one station, as with Granada. Seville had 2 and the high speed train only goes to one of them I believe. On the Renfe site it can get difficult with various stations of the same name as you said. Luckily I haven't made any mistakes thus far. No plans to travel by rail in any other countries at this point, but who knows. I'm based in Asia so most of my travel is on this side of the world usually.

Marc,

You've received helpful advice from the others.

I researched the Renfe website but did not find the information to help you with your dilemma, regarding not being able to reserve your train ticket from Granada to Córdoba.

I decided to call Renfe and was told that you'd have to reserve this ticket at any Renfe office (once you arrive to Spain).
The reason being that this route is still under construction, which means that you will need to take the bus (provided by Renfe) from Granada's train station to Antequera Santa Ana station, where you will transfer to a train that will take you the rest of the journey to Córdoba.

In terms of taking the bus (Granada >> Córdoba), it sounds like it's a seamless process.
Steven (from White Plains NY) actually can attest to this since he took the Bus-AVE combination from Granada recently.

Have a wonderful trip!

Don't forget to book your Alhambra tickets!

Thank you so much Priscilla for calling and checking it all out. Thank you, yes, I also have my Alhambre tickets already. I bought tickets for 2 days actually through Spain Ticketmaster online to give myself more time. I am not actually sure where I have to go to pick up my tickets. I haven't really looked into it. I guess I bring my receipt with me to Alhambre and they will sort it out.

Anyway, I was thinking about going to Toldeo as well and I just tried to book both Cordoba to Toledo and Toledo to Barcelona with my Spain Pass. Can't do either one. Same thing on the Renfe website when I try and book it. Says no tickets available on my dates. This Spain Pass has turned out to be a real nuisance. I thought buying the Spain Pass would simplify things, but it probably would have been cheaper and easier just buying individual tickets for each journey. Too late now though.

The point is when you go to buy the Spain Pass online it tells you how wonderful and easy it is to book any train online with no limit on distance, etc. But when I try and book tickets with the Spain Pass it has been mostly nothing but problems and hours trying to understand this as there is no information to clarify anything.

So I don't know what the issue is with Cordoba to Toledo and Toledo to Barcelona and why it wont let me book those routes, but at this point I don't even really care why anymore. I just want to be able to book my tickets online as I was lead to believe I could do when buying this Spain Pass.

When you go to the regular Renfe booking page it shows a train in the morning from Cordoba to Toledo on the date I want to travel. It also shows it is a AVE-AVANT train with a transfer in Madrid.

So maybe it is that any trains that involve a transfer can't be booked online with the Spain Pass. I don't know what the exact situation is, but if that is the case then they should have just said so at the beginning.

If it wasn't going to be so much hassle to just cancel all the tickets I booked already on the Spain Pass, and rebook them individually, then I would do it. But there is also a 15% cancellation fee on the Spain Pass I bought, which is equal to about 30 Euros.

I think you have nailed the issue: Toledo is on a spur line, so you must transfer in Madrid to go to any other city. I believe that is flummoxing the Renfe computers.

And I suspect you are right that the Spain pass, like many rail passes, is calculated to appeal to tourists who think it will make life simpler when, in fact, it's not usually a problem just to buy (cheaper) point-to-point tickets. It takes a pretty experienced traveler to figure out on which (rare) trips a rail pass adds enough convenience to be worthwhile. Consider yourself lucky that you didn't spend even more than you did.

I'm particularly fond (not) of the Eurail folks' practice of giving a free day on passes purchased during certain periods and prohibiting refunds on all such enhanced passes. If the traveler subsequently figures out (here or elsewhere) that the pass was not a financially-prudent purchase, he cannot even get 85% of his money back.

Marc,

I'd never heard of the Spain Pass until I read your post yesterday and searched the Renfe website. ( I think it may be something new, but not worth the cost or the trouble in my opinion)

I can certainly understand your frustration trying to reserve your train tickets with that pass.
Since you've already purchased it, then you may as well get the tickets you need with it.

As Acraven has explained, you'll need to
transfer trains in Madrid when traveling to Toledo (and to Barcelona).

So... If you want to travel from Córdoba to Toledo, you need to book 2 separate tickets, one to travel from Córdoba to Madrid ( Atocha NOT Atocha Cercanias); then one from Madrid (Atocha) to Toledo.

If traveling to Barcelona from Toledo, you'll need one ticket from Toledo to Madrid (Atocha); then another one from Madrid to Barcelona.

Regarding where to pick up your Alhambra tickets, you may find that information on this recent post

Hope this helps. :-)

Thanks acraven. I think you nailed it. The computers maybe can't handle anything but standard line bookings online for the Spain Pass. It would have actually been a bit cheaper or the same price to book the tickets individually from the start, but I thought Spain Pass should simplify everything. Foo on me for being so naive. And, yes, 15% (30 Euros) to cancel my 4 journey pass after you figure out all the limitations of it.

Thank you Priscilla. You can actually book a trip from Cordoba to Toledo as one trip/ticket. It just requires that train change in Madrid. But again, for some reason this ticket can't be booked with the pass. Anyway, I think Toledo is off the plate at this point so not a big bother after all. I think I am going to skip it.

As for Alhambra, I bought two passes. The general one for the second day so I could get access to the palaces at noon and the first day I bought a cheaper 13 Euro ticket so I could go see the gardens. I didn't look at the time on that one when I bought it, but I am looking at the ticket now and it says I can have access all day from 8AM to 8PM and there was talk on that link you provided where someone said something like the gardens also have limited time access. Maybe I read the link you posted too quickly though. I will read it again more closely later, but i think my gardens ticket gives me all day access as I said.

Marc,

I bought a cheaper 13 Euro ticket so I could go see the gardens. I didn't look at the time on that one when I bought it, but I am looking at the ticket now and it says I can have access all day from 8AM to 8PM and there was talk on that link you provided where someone said something like the gardens also have limited time access.

You can read about the Gardens ticket here, but do keep in mind that you need to enter the Palace of the Generalife during the hours specified on your ticket (morning or afternoon):

The admission time to enter these areas is not controlled (except the Palace of the Generalife, which has a limited capacity), wherefore you can make the visit during the Morning or during the Afternoon Visit Hours specified on your ticket.

Do reconsider visiting Toledo. It's one of my favorite cities in Spain ;-)

Thanks. Below are screen shots of my two tickets I bought. I don't see any time frames mentioned for the Generalife gardens ticket for the 8th. Maybe I am missing something. The ticket on the 9th is definitely a noon slot for the palaces.

https://postimg.org/image/8lbsm15wx/

https://postimg.org/image/9ovwxzqk1/

Thanks also for your thoughts on Toledo. Will have to put it on the list for my next trip to Spain. I felt it would have been trying to do too much on this trip if I went there. Already visiting 5 cities. Didn't want to feel so rushed in each place.

By the way, even if that ticket for the 8th only gives me gardens access that's fine and not to the generalife palace itself. It's enough for me to sit in the gardens a bit and relax. That's kind of what I wanted to do on the first day.

One last update on this and which confirms in my opinion that the Spain Pass Renfe offers is a bad idea. I had tried to book tickets using my Spain Pass online from Cordoba to Toledo and from Toledo to Barcelona. Remember, this pass is suppoed to allow you to book all trains within Spain without limitation on distance or anything according to what is on their website. In both cases on these two routes though the site gave me the same standard message saying no tickets available on my selected dates when I tried to book them. So I wrote to Renfe and below is their reply. I haven't bothered to reply to them again to ask if this means that combined trains are not offered with the Spain Pass at all or if it means one needs to book them at a train station in Spain with your Spain Pass in hand. Either way, just too many limitations on that Spain Pass. The whole ideas was to be able to book all your train tickets online in advance to make life easier once you arrived. I would just "Pass" on it if I had it to do all over again.

Madrid, March 16th 2017

Dear Costumer:
We are contacting you regarding the email you sent us.
Combined trains are considered as two trains, so it is not possible to reserve these kinds of trains with your Renfe Spain Pass.

If you need more information about this, you may consult the next link:

http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/viajes_internacionales/spainpass/index.html

If you need further information do not hesitate to contact us.
Best regards

Posventa On Line
Dirección Comercial
[email protected]

Marc,

I'd suggest you contact Renfe's customer service directly at (34) 902 320 320.

I believe they answer their phones 24/7 because I've called them at all different times before.

Have you tried booking your tickets separately; Córdoba to Madrid, then Madrid to Toledo?

Like I mentioned before, I think the Spain Pass is new and I wouldn't recommend it either.

Hope it all works out for you :-)

Thanks Pricilla. I am inValencia right now. I decided not to go to Toledo on this trip so I don't have to worry about that.

I also decided to keep my Spain Pass as a result.

Yesterday I also went to the train station and was able to book the Granada to Cordoba ticket there with my Spain Pass, which was the original problem I had when I started this thread. So it seems all train issues have bow been resolved.

Thanks again.

Hi Marc,

I'm so glad you were able to get your train tickets.

Have an amazing trip!

Thank you again Priscilla.

By the way, I tried about 3 different Caxia ATM machines to print my Alhambra tickets here in Valencia, but without any success.

Is perhaps it only possible to do at Caxia ATM machines in Andalusia?

If so, I am headed to Seville in a few days. Perhaps I can do it from a Caxia ATM there?

Thanks again.