Renfe tickets versus Rail Europe

Okay, I'm trying to go from Madrid to Barcelona on the night train, 9/15. Leaves Madrid at 22:50 that evening. Four passengers. It has a pull-down for type of Compartment, but there's nothing to pull down. Then it wants me to Request Preferences and lists different rates/compartments for Lady/Gentleman/Family/etc. But there are no links, nothing to click on to say "yes, I want to buy this."

The English version of the website has had some problems booking overnight trains since everything was revamped several weeks ago. If you use the Spanish language version of the site, it will allow you to book your overnight tickets. Start at www.renfe.es and click on "Compra de Billetes." If, because of your past visits to the website, it comes back to the English page for booking, simply click on "Bienvenido" at the top left and you'll switch back to Spanish.

My planned travels are within less than 60 days. Usually they let you reserve/buy within 60 days.

What you're probably looking at is the "schedules" page, where the little balloons pop up with classes and fares. You can click on them to go to the purchasing page.
To go faster, go to the RENFE site, switch to english, then click on the Purchase label along the upper right. That will open a new page where you can enter origin, destination, and date, and purchase tickets.

I've gotten as far as Purchase and typed in Madrid-to-Barcelona with a date. Then it asks me to request preferences but gives nothing hyperlinked to click on. The "Continue" button goes nowhere.

Sorry Kathy....I just ran thru the process and it worked just fine. What is the date and time you propose to travel?

How do you switch to English? Just looked at it and I don't see it anywhere - usually there is a little flag or something...?

Kira....if you go to www.renfe.com, you'll see the words for "Welcome" in seven different languages near the top left. Click on "Welcome" in English and you'll get there. Or use this direct link, http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/index.html . Don't use the "Passengers-timetables" window that shows up....unless you're just checking for schedules. Instead, click on "purchase" towards the top right, and a new window will open where you can scan the schedules, pick the trains, and purchase the tickets.

do you have to register to buy tickets?

Ambrosia....no, you do not. It's simply a convenience to store information for repeat purchases.

Norm, your comments were very helpful. I was finally able to get through using the Spanish version. You're right; the overnight trains are a real hang-up on the English version. I've been able to book 3 out of 4 trips that I need, at significant savings over Rail Europe. There are tricks to be learned; it pays to sign in so you don't have to repeat all that personal information. When giving an American phone number (required), one leaves out the spaces or dashed in between the 10 digits.

Credit card usage was difficult. I tried 3 different cards (as suggested by Rick Steves) before finally calling my credit card company and asking what the problem was. They said Spain was a risky country for credit card fraud, and that I was being deliberately blocked but that they could temporarily unblock me. Which they did.