I want to buy AVE tickets on line to travel from Barcelona to Sevilla. It is my first time and so I have to put in my passport number. Has anyone had trouble picking up the tickets in Spain this way? Can I go to any RENFE office to pick them up before the day of travel?
Posted by
Chicago
4 posts
It's not as easy as it sounds. I've been trying to buy sweet, sweet estrella-fare discounted tix for a 5/7 Barcelona - Madrid trip all week without success. So far I've...
Tried a few times with 3 different cards to book the same trip, all are denied with the "G001 Transaction could not be processed" denial.
Called two of my credit cards to pre-authorize transactions from Europe.
Tried again without luck.
Called RENFE (Spanish nat'l rain system) at (0034) 90 224 3402 to book. A nice lady told me I needed an "international" MasterCard. She couldnt book me over the phone.
So yeah. It ain't a piece of cake. But good luck anyway!
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Maureen....you won't be picking up tickets, you'll be printing them off at home. They come as a .pdf file, so save a copy of that file on your home computer, so you can print them out again, if necessary.
To get the most options for your journey, book Barcelona-Madrid, and Madrid-Sevilla. Start with the last leg first and work your way back, checking the timetables before you do a real booking. Half an hour's connection time should be an adequate minimum in Madrid, since you're arriving and leaving again from the same spot in the same station.
Since they start loading new fares into the system at midnight Spain time each night (7 pm eastern, currently) try to avoid booking between about 7 and 9 pm eastern, and you will hopefully avoid having the problems Chris is experiencing.
Posted by
OP
Chicago, Il
5 posts
I though the first time I puchase tickets from the US I have to pick them up in person and show my passport as an ID?
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Nope...not for a while now.