Tarjeta Dorada Card question (rail discount pass over 60)

Posted by Renee (Tacoma, WA, USA) on 01/14/23 06:00 PM

If anyone has recently used the Tarjeta Dorada Card and can offer some explanation to the actual discount.
On one part of their site they state: "The 50% discount is valid every day of the week" https://www.renfe.com/es/en/suburban/cercanias-feve/fares/discounts/over-60s

On another part: "Discounts=On AVE and Larga Distancia (long distance high-speed) trains. 25% discount on any available price. On Avant (mid-distance high-speed) trains. Monday to Friday: 25% discount. Saturdays and Sundays: 40% discount. On Media Distancia (mid-distance) trains. 40% discount"
https://www.renfe.com/es/en/viajar/prepare-your-trip/descuentos/mayores-de-60

I'm trying to figure out if it's best to buy advance tickets or just wait and buy in Spain once I purchase the senior discount card for 6E. I can confirm all but one segment of rail travel in advance.

Posted by Bill Sinclair

Barcelona

01/14/23 10:37 PM

109 posts

Hi,
""The 50% discount is valid every day of the week" this applies only to local trains,, i.e. Spanish = Cercanias, Catala` = Rodalies.
"I'm trying to figure out if it's best to buy advance tickets or just wait and buy in Spain once I purchase the senior discount card for 6E. I can confirm all but one segment of rail travel in advance."

You cannot buy local and ordinary regional train tickets online.

It always works out better to buy your long-distance AVE/high-speed train tickets well ahead of time.
Be aware that as well as the high-speed AVE and AVANT services (operated by RENFE — the national rail operator) there are now three low-cost high-speed train operators:
https://avlorenfe.com/vlc/home.do?c=_MnTL
https://www.ouigo.com/es/en
https://iryo.eu/en/home[enter link description here]3

Get here and then buy a Trajeta Dorada. You can purchase a Tarjeta Dorada at any RENFE station — it takes as long as it takes the ticket clerk to input your name and passport number. Avoid the long lines at prinicipal stations such as Madrid-Atocha and Barcelona-Sants and go to any local station ticket office.

It is now possible to renew a Tarjeta Dorada online…so, if you're thinking you might re-visit Spain next year or the year after, you can do it all online and buy your tickets at a discount online well ahead of leaving the States.

Enjoy your visit.

Posted by Renee OP

Tacoma, WA, USA

01/15/23 09:21 PM

518 posts

Thank you Bill. That is a helpful explanation.

Posted by Bill Sinclair

Barcelona

01/15/23 10:55 PM

109 posts

@Renee No problem. Glad to help,
Recently helped sister-in-law visiting from the States for Christmas to get a Tarjeta Dorada. On January 2nd this year she used it to travel from Barcelona to Girona on an AVANT high-speed train and then a regional train to Portbou and then over the border into France and to Collioure for a total of 17€. She was thrilled (RometoRio told her same journey via Perpignan would cost 76€, and take an hour or more longer) Had she taken a regional train the whole way (adds a half-hour/hour to the total journey time) it would have cost only 10,10€. Enjoy using your TD. All the best.