Renfe train ticket cancellation

Wow, that is unusual. There has to be some type of a system problem if each ticket was automatically cancelled two days before. The only way you going to get an answer is to find a good English speaking agent in the Renfe office. I don't recall ever seeing a similar problem.

Almost sounds like there was something you needed to do to confirm the tickets. We have used a number of Spanish trains over the years with no problem similar to what you described. May need local input.

That must have been maddening. I've never heard of anything like that, either. I would not let it rest, but I'm not sure the best way to attack it beyond contacting Renfe.

I have not come across anything like this in many a journey in forty years and does not make a jot of sense, sorry I cannot help. There are English speaking customer services in larger stations who might have explained matters.

I also have never heard this issue reported before. How did they notify you? Was it done by an agent scanning your ticket right before boarding or a conductor checking tickets onboard? (No other check in procedure is necessary.) Were you confirming tickets at stations days in advance?

It does sometimes happen that a train runs with fewer coaches and you have to find a seat in another area, or that a train departure can be cancelled due to strike or other issue, but neither of those cases require you to buy a new ticket.

Erin,

This is very odd... It's unfortunate that this happened to you.

I thought we were all set, until we arrived at the Barcelona train station and Renfe informed us that our tickets to Sevilla has been cancelled - a mere two days before our journey! As we progressed, the same thing happened at each station - our tickets were "annulato" a few days before our trip, costing us no small amount of stress and extra money as we were forced to re-purchase tickets at the station, at much higher prices.

A few questions for you...

• When you first purchased your tickets did you register on the Renfe
  website (http://www.renfe.com)?

• Did all your tickets have a ticket # & a record locator#?

• How did you manage to pay with a credit card? (As far as I know, the Renfe website does not accept U.S. credit cards)

• When you were told that your ticket had been cancelled, did you request to speak with a supervisor?

I just researched the Renfe website & there is an option to cancel your own ticket, but Renfe does not cancel tickets (except for the reasons explained below)

I was intrigued by your post, so I called Renfe directly (in Spanish), & asked how or why your tickets would be cancelled.

Here is what the Renfe representative explained:

• Renfe will not cancel anyone's ticket, unless there is a train strike, and in that case, one can board any other train running that route, and passengers do not need to pay extra money for such.

• Another reason a ticket would be cancelled, is if you make any changes to the original ticket, but then you'd have had the option of printing a new ticket.

• Another reason for your tickets not being valid, is if you booked your tickets from a different website & not from the official Renfe website: http://www.renfe.com

• Normally, foreign credit cards are not accepted on the Renfe website.

So... I really don't understand why your train tickets were cancelled, but I'd have definitely had dealt with the issue with a Renfe supervisor while in Spain.

Edit to add:

If you're still in Spain, I'd suggest you speak with a Renfe supervisor (some of them speak English) regarding your ticket cancellation issue, & please do give us an update.

I also find it odd and curious. It sounds like you did everything normal - used the RENFE website, had confirmations and the credit card was charged. The only things I can think of is either some kind of computer system error on their end, something you did unknowingly to cancel the reservations, or you bought tickets that weren't valid for you (say a senior discount ticket).

At least you were credited for the original ticket costs.

PS - RENFE does accept foreign credit cards, it's just a pain getting the transactions approved. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. That's why it is now just easier to use their Paypal option.

Yes, Renfe does accept US credit cards. Until my most recent trip, when I used the PayPal option, I have always used a US credit card. This is, indeed, puzzling and frustrating. I don't know that it is helpful to say that Renfe does not cancel tickets when they clearly did this time. I do hope you will report back if there is ever an explanation. Never heard of anything like this before.