Buying renfe tickets
 

Hi,

Train tickets are now available from Seville to Barcelona for end of May and I like to ask few questions before buying.

I'm looking at getting Turista class tickets, but thinking of Promo+ as it allows to choose seats. Not sure how important is being able to choose seats anyway? Is there a preference which side to sit when traveling from Seville to Barcelona?

If choosing seat is not a big deal I found that buying tickets from loco2.com is slightly cheaper than Renfe (probably due to better exchange rate between AUD/GBP compared to Euro?) and also is hassle free compared to horrible Renfe website, but loco2 doesn't offer P+, you can only choose 'Prefer windows seats' etc.

So what to do you think, worth going trough all the pain with Renfe just to be able to choose seats or go with slightly cheaper loco2.com?

Thanks in advance.

One more question - we are getting new passports, so passport number will change - if we buy tickets on renfe with old passports could it be a problem when boarding the train?

If you don't have any luck at Renfe.com, then use Petrabax.com, the official USA agency.

You do not need your passport number. And as far as which ticket, try the Preferente Plus discount tickets. You'll have access to the first class lounge in Sevilla and a meal, as Long as it'a the AVE.

Thank you, already purchased via Renfe, was simple process.
One thing I don't understand about pricing - if I choose 1 adult I get following prices (in Euros):

Turista - 46.65 (P) 52.45 (P+) 116.60 (F)
Turista Plus 56.00 (P) 63.00 (P+) 140.00 (F)
Preferente 58.95 (P) 68.80 (P+) 196.50 (F)

As you see difference between Turista and Turista Plus or Preferente is not that great.

Now if I choose to buy for 2 tickets I get following prices:

Turista - 58.30 (P) 64.15 (P+) 116.60 (F)
Turista Plus 84.00 (P) 91.00 (P+) 140.00 (F)
Preferente 117.90 (P) 127.75 (P+) 196.50 (F)

The difference between Turista and Preferente is huge, I wonder why?

The more expensive fares are fully refundable, the cheaper fares P are not. The best fares on most trains are the Turist Plus.

I'm guessing the reason is this.

Most booking systems can't mix and match price levels in the same transaction.

So if there's one 56 euro ticket left, and lots of 84 euro fares at the next price level up, then you can book one person at 56 euros, but if you select 2 adults the system is incapable of suggesting 56+84, all it can offer is 2 x 84.

That's the case with many systems, including airline ones, I think.

"we are getting new passports, so passport number will change"

Do you mean you are renewing passports? {assumption that you ar US citizens}. In that case, you have same passport number.

We usually get Turista Plus......
No one is going to look at your passport on the train

Thank guys. Yes, we are renewing passports, but we are from Australia and passport number does change. I won't worry about it as passport number is not printed on the ticket anyway.

Regarding prices I'm still puzzled why do you have to pay much more for a ticket if you buy 2 instead of 1. I don't believe that the reason is because there is no seats left for 2 people as trip is still some 3 months away and when I was choosing seats there was only 2 seats occupied in whole train!

I booked tickets for 2 on RENFE in the past and never notice such an increase.
It is puzzling...

Yeah, very strange, you can try it yourself - try booking from Seville to Barcelona in May, choose 1 adult and check prices and then 2 adults, you get way more expensive tickets.

So if you buy one ticket you can buy preferente class for 58.95, but if two adults then price is 117.90, double!

Should of bought two single tickets for me and my wife and then select seats next to each other, don't know if system would allowed it, but I don't see why not? Anyway, too late now.

Yes, I tried it before posting...don't get it. Not my experience .
There is plenty of time...take a look a few weeks from now if have not purchase the tickets already.

<Do you mean you are renewing passports? {assumption that you ar US citizens}. In that case, you have same passport number.>

This is not the case. You get a new number when you renew.