My friends and I have bought our rail pass for our trip this summer. The book that we got with it says that reservations are required for the trains in Spain. One of my other friends had the same issue and she just reserved all of the tickets (she had a railpass too) when she got to Europe. My other friend said she and her friends reserved them before they even left the US. Which is best to do? I was looking at the Renfe website to investigate, but after I filled out the page in English it would always revert back to Spanish. Any help is appreciated! Thanks
Posted by
Houston, Texas, USA
34 posts
The fast trains require reservations (i.e. Madrid to Barcelona) Reservations guarantee you seats, whereas if you waited and just hopped on, you might have to stand. When I have a definite time I need to leave a place (like to catch a plane), I'll make reservations. Otherwise I enjoy the freedom a railpass can truly give you. Hey, I'll be there in June!
Posted by
OP
Shreveport, Louisiana, USA
2 posts
if you get to one city and you are leaving it later, do you make the reservation for that later train as soon as you get there? how does it work? do you just show them your railpass and then pay extra for the reservation? last time I was in Europe I didn't have to worry about all of this! So now I'm confused. aghh
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Be careful...the faster trains in Spain REQUIRE reservations and supplements above and beyond what you've paid for your rail pass. If you hop on one of these without a reservation, you will be fined. You can try to book reservations when you arrive, but you may be out of luck on the popular trains, especially since reservations set aside for passholders are very limited. The safer option would be to book your reservations through RailEurope, but you'll pay more. You can't book reservations alone through the RENFE website.