rtwin80days

Has anybody used the "Spain Pass" as listed on RENFE website - http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/via...ass/index.html

Summary:
"Renfe Spain Pass is a pass that allows non-residents in Spain to travel around the country.

This pass is active for 6 months as from the date of issue and is valid for 1 month as from the date on which it is first validated for a journey.
Customers can choose between two modalities: Business/Club or Tourist, for adult. Customers can choose passes of 4, 5, 8, 10 or 12 journeys, to be used within 1 month.
It is valid for all AVE Long Distance and Medium Distance trains (excluding couchettes).
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.
It can be purchased on Internet and at authorized travel agencies and stations.
With the rail pass finder bookings can be made free of charge on Internet and at authorized travel agencies and stations."

My train travel will be between 1) Madrid-Seville, 2) Seville-Granada, 3)Granada-Barcelona. There may be day trips from Madrid to Segovia & Toledo, and from Seville to Cordoba. For this route, does it make sense to go for this pass, or to buy point-to-point tickets?

Cheers

WomBatt

This pass is very new (weeks old). As with any pass, you can only know if it will be value if you do the maths. comparisons against point to point purchase,(purchased in advance at discount or not).

rtwin80days

WomBatt, you are right, it was being advertised as new offering on the RENFE website, when I went there to book my tickets.

I ran the calculations. As of now, it is cheaper by ~ 50 euros on total expense of point-to-point ticket of ~ 230 euros. But I am not sure whether reservation of seats is separately required despite having this Spain Pass.

WomBatt

Not quite sure what you are saying - you cannot reserve seats, you purchase. Therefore you must with the pass get your ticket/seat allocated.

PalenQ

if you go the discounted ticket route via www.renfe.es then, if you want to lock yourself into some hard to or impossible to change in practice perhaps ticket weeks in advance that would be the cheapest way to go

A pass is good for folks who want flexibility to decide which train they will take once there, not weeks ahead of time and be locked in. (if that is the case in Spain as it is in nearly all other countries with similar online discounts, sold in limited numbers and which to guarantee should be booked far in advance.

Not sure how the Renfe pass compares with Renfe's Spain Railpass it markets thru RailEurope in U S but check the following sites not only for loads of great stuff on Spanish trains but pass prices - www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id30.html - assume Spain Railpass is more expensive than the Renfe in Spain pass but not sure - think it is calendar days - unlimited and on overnight trains the 7pm rule rules - board a n overnight train at 7pm and your pass is valid the whole next day so long long trajectories can be done in only using one day on a pass.

rtwin80days

PalenQ, I had checked these sites. The RENFE Spain Pass is slightly different and relatively new. It comes in denominations of 4, 5, 8, 10 or 12 journeys, to be used within 1 month.

WomBatt, I meant that I may need to pay additional sum to reserve seats in some trains, despite having a Spain Rail Pass. Is this understanding correct?

PalenQ

With a Spain Eurailpass that is the case - I too wonder if the new Renfe version charges about $12-15 on top of the pass on AVE-type trains?

rtwin80days

PalenQ, that is what my confusion is too! If not, then this seems a good deal.

WomBatt

With your original link and quote there is nothing I see as a further rip off.

rtwin80days

WomBatt, through the "Season Passes" tab on RENFE website, I reached https://venta.renfe.com/vol/indiceAbonos.do

This clarifies no reservation fee is required although reservation is necessary. Acc to this link, reservation of seat can be done online, although am unable to find the link for the same.

PalenQ

So with this pass seat reservations are free? Seems like they would charge a nominal fee at least to reserve the seat like in most other countries?

rtwin80days

PalenQ, as per the link shared just above your response, it clearly states no fees for seat reservations, although you still need to actually reserve the seat.
Isn't this too good to be true?

PalenQ

Isn't this too good to be true?> would seem like it - but it clearly states that! So sounds like a great deal for you and your plans. I know with Eurails you do have to pay 10-12 euros or so per each seat per each segment if you have to change, etc and nearly all long-distance trains in Spain now make seat reservations obligatory to avoid standing, etc. I guess.

rtwin80days

I calculated for my actual routes and it does not cover the trenhotel overnight from Granada to Barcelona. So would have to book individual tickets. However, it still stands that this pass is great if you are covering major AVE & medium-distance trains within Spain.

PalenQ

Spain Eurailpass does cover the overnight train fare for hotel trains but does not cover the sleeping accommodations which are extra above the fare - are you sure that is not the case with that pass as well?

rtwin80days

RENFE Spain Pass is valid for only AVE & medium-distance trains. My Granada-Barcelona overnight train was not covered. As it was my most expensive train, it did not make sense for me to go for the pass then.

PalenQ

Well the Spain Eurailpass does cover that train so did you check that pricing? It covers all trains in Spain. Current prices- http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id30.html - of course you have to figure in about $12 or so for mandated seat reservations on AVE type trains. Probably discounted tickets on www.renfe.es better but if you want flexibility to decide which trains to take once there full fare may be more than the pass?

Bill_Rolfes

We also are looking into the Renfe Spain Pass. We notice that it is sold by "Journey", but Eurail passes are sold by "Day". What constitutes a "Journey"? We are not clear if a day trip, for instance from Madrid-Barcelona and back, would be 2 journeys or just one (round trip) journey. Can anyone clarify that?

PalenQ

ttt I would love to know as well!

PalenQ

ttt ??? but if it means 'journey' then I would think it means each way is a separate journey.