Renfe Rail Pass
 

This may be of interest to those who need to make several AVE journeys within a month. It's open to international visitors to Spain with a passport (so I believe expats too can benefit). The pass ranges from 4 to 12 journeys - 160 Euros (4 journeys) to 385 Euros (for 12 journeys) if you use tourist class; 225 to 540 Euros with business class.

http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/via...ass/index.html

Spanish link giving prices

http://ave-renfe.edreams.es/general/...fe-spain-pass/

I don't know yet if it will cover the new Madrid-Galicia route; next year the Madrid-Zamora section will be up-and-running, but the section from Zamora to Ourense will still be the older slower track.

Re: Renfe Rail Pass
 

Interesting, however it would be nice if you could purchase a 4 journey pass and use it for a couple to do a return journey. But it doesn't appear to be possible.

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No, that's right. The pass is allocated to a person and is non-transferrable.

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I can imagine a situation where a couple on holiday in one city would use it for a day trip or longer to visit another city.
I.E. Sevilla to Madrid

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Well I suppose Renfe don't want to lose their normal higher fares (although there are other deals you can make in advance) for one-off return deals.

I'm certainly going to use this in a coming visit - I wanted the excuse to use the high speed train anyway, and I like to visit different parts of Spain too. I may even choose the business class deal - it includes free food and drink, and the use of the VIP waiting rooms. 225 Euros for 4 journeys across long distances on holiday doesn't seem so bad. Of course, this deal have a better choice next year, assuming the Alicante and Zamora stretches are up-and-running. Even without those I can tie in journeys to Malaga, Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona..etc

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Presumably a 'journey' is from A to B no matter how many changes of train rather than each train being considered a journey.

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Well this is an interesting question, as the AVE network isn't yet comprehensive on several routes. For example if you want to go to Leon or even Asturias from Madrid, you'd get the AVE to Valladolid, and then need to change to the older slower network. This will change in the coming years (I understand the Leon link is due to open by 2015 and they have already put lines/tunnels along part of the Asturias route), but yes, does this new pass cover the route? It may be it will only cover the first part and then you have to buy a ticket for onward links using the existing train network.
Edit: fairly sure that the pass will not cover non-AVE journeys, with the exception of commuter links in cities.
I suspect also that if you travelled from Barcelona to Malaga, you'd use up two journeys (one journey to Madrid and then change to the Malaga train), but I'm not totally sure on that. In fact there may be trains already that cover the entire journey.

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There is a direct service from Malaga to Barcelona. They built a "bypass" south of Madrid so it could go direct. It opened about a year ago.

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The ticket allows you to complete your journey by Commuter train provided that it connects with the place of origin or destination of your booking.

Re: Renfe Rail Pass
 

Fred is that AVE all the way?

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Yes, I edited my post, just as you entered this. But a commuter train would only be a relatively short stretch - for instance arriving at Atocha in Madrid and getting the cercanias to eg Alcala or Pozuelo. It wouldn't include a normal train service from Madrid to say Salamanca.

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That's interesting - I knew about the bypass, and knew that a direct service from Valencia to Seville is now running. I didn't know there is a service from Barcelona to Malaga.

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Yes, all the way. 5hrs 36mins.

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Thanks

For as little as €57.35 each way

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I went on the Malaga to Barcelona AVE last year, it was brilliant, It did not go into Madrid at all, but it cost me a lot more than that (140euros). Most current journeys seem to be around the 140 for touristica. How do you find them for less than 100, certainly not on the RENFE web site.
Pete

Re: Renfe Rail Pass
 

Were there many other passengers? I only ask because 5 and a half hours is a long time for a journey. I know with a flight you have to factor in getting to the airport, check-in times and the rest, but even so I would still think many people going all that distance would prefer a 1 hour flight.

Re: Renfe Rail Pass
 

Go to:-
https://venta.renfe.com/vol/index.do...oma=en&pais=UK

Put in a return journey dated a month or so in advance. I used 24/9 out 1/10 return.

You could of course buy the €258.10 each way business class

Re: Renfe Rail Pass
 

The flight is 1hr 40 mins by Ryan Don'tcare at about €75 for the same dates.

But as it would be a holiday what is wrong with admiring the countryside, stretching your legs and traveling in relative comfort?

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And with as much luggage as you like!

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Yes Fred the wife makes a good packhorse

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Good point. There are any number of small niggles that make flying (especially with the cheap flight operators) full of stress and anxiety. Will they charge £35 to print my ticket if I mislay it? Will they charge £5 per person per flight for "card charges" Will they stop me taking food/water onto plane so we have to buy their overpriced offerings? Etc etc. Of course the rail service is trying to adopt the flight method, so we'll probably see some of this rubbish creep in there.

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if you're taking Sevilla to Barcelona for example there's a street down the side of the station where, if you're lucky you can find a free parking place. I've recently heard from a Spanish friend that if you book just after the tickets are released (I think that's 3 months in advance) the prices can be MUCH cheaper. It's so much nicer than taking a flight that if we can get it anywhere near the cost of a flight we'd always chose Ave over a flight.

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I understand that if you go Preferente from Malaga they give you 48hrs free parking at the train station.

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Someone has kindly filmed various sections of the Barcelona to Malaga journey. They claim it's the longest route of high speed rail in the world.

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Thanks Fred they are quite cheap for mid week journeys.
The one we used was from Puente genil - Herrera to Barrcelona: we actually missed it as the taxi turned up too late ( he forgot the booking) so Renfe transferred us ( 3 adults) onto the next days train for 100euros ( total) Next morning taxi driver turned up bright and early got us to station in plenty of time gave me 100euros and did not charge us for the journey!
Pete