Pleeeeeeeeeese Helpppppp with Renfe! Think I'm going insane!

The Visa card needs ot be "verified". Unfortunately, I cannot instruct you as to how to do that.

I had to get my Spanish Visa verified.. just to buy at Renfe.. whereas others have had to do nothing.

Hopefully another frequent user will tell you the tricks!

I think AMEX is NOT accepted at ALL from ANY country at renfe.

Worst case scenario you can call and get the Estrella fare on the phone.

It's usually in the way you enter numbers. For example don't put dashes in phone number boxes. It's always something maddening like that.

Perhaps it's something new, but in Jan 2008 I used my Amex to purchase tickets on Renfe and had no trouble at all.

Lissa,

I feel your pain. About once every month of so someone posts about the frustration of trying to deal with the Renfe web site.

I had the same problem earlier this year. It just wouldn't work. Again and again, it didn't work. I tried two different credit cards without any success. And then it did work. I have no idea why. I didn't do anything differently.

All I can say is keep trying and you'll probably end up with your tickets - and maybe a few gray hairs from all the aggravation.

Maybe they fixed that "amex" rejection problem. I have to admit.. it was probably quite awhile ago I was told that by them on the phone. LOL.. like maybe years it seems! Time flies!

lincasanova, yk, Egbert and Shanti I appreciate your suggestions. I, too, have read all of the horror stories associated with the Renfe ticket purchase, but thought I had it beat this time with Benny's help.

Shanti, like you, I'm a determined thing and will keep trying. I'm curious which card worked for you?

Egbert, I tried not using dashes, too. I even attempted to complete the sale using the Spanish language version once I became familiar with the requirements.

If it doesn't work, not the end of the world. Will buy from here or once we're in Madrid.

Muchas gracias all! Lissa

Good luck. I should have mentioned that I used the Spanish version of Renfe to buy all my tickets, even though I don't speak/read Spanish. I found the English version very buggy - at least back in 2008.

AmEx is widely NOT accepted in Spain due to its high commissions and unhurried reimbursement process.

A few months ago I tried to get Barcelona to Madrid tickets but the charge did not go through. I then used a different card, Capital One Visa, and it worked. I think it's just a matter of try, try again.

ttt

Lissa,

It was either MasterCard of Visa. Sorry, I don't remember.

Any luck yet?

Misery loves company I am in the pool too. Right now I am familiarizing myself with the site.... Two additional questions:

1. For the past few days, I can see tickets up to Dec 12th 2009 but not after that. If it is 60 days or 62 days I would expect that each day I would see it advancing but I don't see that, it has been up to Dec 12th for the past few days. Is that usual or am I missing something

2. Someone mentioned that you can buy Estrella tickets by phone? Is that so? Can I call from the USA and book on the phone using a US credit card? The Estrella fare is not as good as the Web fare of course but better than the general fare...

1. Yes, the fares post-December 12th haven't been loaded yet. I've been checking daily, too.

2. Yes, you can buy Estrella tickets on the phone. Folks here have booked them by calling from the USA and using a US credit card, no problem. You'll probably have to notify your cc company beforehand, so they don't block your account.

I tried to book estrella fares the other day for a friend with a NZ card.. they wouldn't accept it.

I really can't figure this company's system out, and I LIVE here!

Shanti-I've been working the last few days and haven't tried but have NOT given up. Will let you know if I'm ultimately successful.

Revulgo-Am back to trying the Visa. Thanks for the tip.

yk-Am going to do it both ways, Ingles y Espanol until success!

Isaldanha-Benny from Malaga (Tripadvisor member)has posted very helpful step by step instructions if you need them.I found them to be a great help as I mentioned in my earlier post. Will probably also call when we get closer to and make arrangements if I am not successful online.

Lissa

I purchased my ticket from Narbonne, France to Barcelona on www.raileurope.com and had no problem. This would perhaps avoid the problem with credit card numbers not being accepted as mine went through without a hitch.

Lissa: Yes I have read Benny's instruction and also the seat61 instructions, both of which are very good. As dry run for an earlier date, I got smoothly as far as entering my credit card number and stopped there...

charp45, I did check raileurope but for the renfe internal tickets, if you book through rail europe you cannot get the heavily discounted web or estrella tickets.

Lincasanova: I feel better after hearing you say that even you can't figure it out

I have booked tickets for travel in France at the SNCF website and my credits card went through with no problem; looks like renfe likes to throw out curved balls...Let all keep trying...cheers...

Letha

Success! I got my Renfe tickets today. Thank you all for your helpful comments and support through this difficult process.

Turns out as lincasanova mentioned in an earlier post, it was the Visa issuer who was blocking the sale-not my bank. They called me after I purchased the first round of tickets from Madrid to Ronda to confirm my travel plans. Visa removed the block and no more problemos, although I DID have to Verify with Visa before they allowed the transaction. A screen just popped up out of nowhere, I filled in the required info and completed the sale. I also used the spanish version to purchase. I had filled out the forms so many times, I knew each line by heart!

Unfortunately, I was able to get the web discount one way only....bummer, but was happy that I was successful overall.

Isaldanha- Stay with it!

Again all, you have my thanks.

emalekween, congrats. Thanks for reporting back and telling us what the problem was. Hopefully this will help others in the future.

great!

I'm glad that it finally worked out.

emalekween,

I liked the way you individually answered each one of the persons who posted. How considerate and creative!

Ha, how inspiring.... yes I will keep trying though Renfe is still not showing tickets past Dec 12th, I sent them and e-mail and got this amusing response:

"Normally the information about the trains is available 62 days (some trains 120 days in advance) in advance for high velocity, long distance trains and regional trains. However, there are occasions where changes to the service make the information unavailable on pre-specified dates. Because of these changes there is a possibility that the website will not
show any available trains for the dates which the changes are being made. This does not mean that there are no trains on these dates, it only means that we are not currently aware if the trains will be available."

Meanwhile my son who was waiting for post Dec 12th Renfe tickets from Granada to Barcelona found Vueling plane tickets for $37 this morning and booked that.

I will keep at it, but have also been looking at Bus tickets which are very reasonable too..

This link to the labor calendar of spain and each province may help you know when you are travelling on or near a heavy holiday period.

http://www.empresuchas.com/calendario-laboral-2009/

Bingo, got my post Dec 12th tickets this morning online using my US Master card.

Letha

Does anyone know the correct phone number to call Renfe from the US? The numbers I try don't go through...My guess is that they really don't want to offer us the discount..or someone would have fixed this long ago...need that number please!!

johnb