Spain has launched its own rail pass this year, inspired by similar options in countries such as Japan, Italy and Germany, which will allow international travellers to explore Spain more easily by train, offering multi-journey tickets.
The pass is mainly aimed at international tourists who want to explore Spain more flexibly and economically, but it’s also a great option for foreign students, business travellers and holiday home owners who temporarily reside in Spain, as it is not available to residents.
Offered by Spain's national rail operator, Renfe, the pass is personal and non-transferable. It will be valid for six months from the date of purchase and will allow travel within one month after booking your first trip.
The pass can purchased on the Renfe website and requires proof of identity such as a passport.
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How does it work?
The pass will provide access to all-high speed services including the use of commuter trains with a choice of seating options between Standard and Comfort.
Travellers must choose between 4, 6, 8 or 10 journeys at a time. Once purchased, you will be able to reserve seats on national Long Distance trains including the AVE, regional trains and Avant trains with seat reservations.
Passengers can indicate the route they want to take by logging on to the Renfe website and going to 'My Subscriptions'. They can they select what day and which train to travel on. The passes are also available at travel agencies, ticket offices or by phone. To pass through the control gates, travellers must carry their passports with them as well as the ticket.
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How much does it cost?
A standard seat pass is priced at €220 for four journeys to €455 for 10 journeys meanwhile a comfort seat pass is priced from €290 to €610 for four and 10 journeys, respectively.
Children aged between 4-13 years benefit from reduced fares starting at €165 for four journeys, while children under four travel free if they do not occupy a seat.
All the prices for each ticket can be seen below:
Standard Seat
Four journeys: €220 (€165 for children).
Six journeys: €310 (€225 for children).
Eight journeys: €390 (€285 for children).
Ten journeys: €455 (€340 for children).
Comfort Seat
Four journeys: €290 (€215 for children).
Six journeys: €415 (€305 for children).
Eight journeys: €525 (€380 for children).
Ten journeys: €610 (€455 for children).
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Are the rail passes worth it?
If you’re coming to Spain for just a city or beach break then this isn’t for you, because you’ll likely only be using trains to go from and to the airport or to the coast and back again.
It’s aimed at visitors who plan on travelling around the country visiting multiple destinations in one trip. For example, if you fly into Málaga and then also want to visit Madrid, Zaragoza and Barcelona, it could be a good option as you’ll be visiting at least four places with long distances between them.
If taking less than four train journeys, it won’t be worthwhile getting the pass.
The most economic option is to get the 10-journey ticket with a standard seat, whereby each trip will cost €45.50 for an adult and €34 for children.
But it depends where you’re going and the distances you’ll be covering. For example, if you just plan on going from Málaga to Seville and then to Granada and back again, it would cost you a total of €220 for an adult standard ticket. This is a total of €55 per journey.
But looking on the Renfe website, prices from Málaga to Seville start from €24.95 and from Seville to Granada from €41.10. As these prices can be a lot cheaper than €55, depending on the times of day, you’d be better off not getting the pass as you won’t be saving money.
But, if you’re planning on travelling a lot, around 10 journeys of long distances that will be more expensive, then it will definitely be worth it.
Alex Dunham, The Local Spain editor
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