Free Rail travel in Spain.

[MickMac]

Quick question ?
"Spain has just extended its free train travel scheme through to December 2023. Earlier this year, free train tickets were introduced for short and medium-distance journeys. It started on 1 September and was originally meant to end 2022."
I note rail travel is free in Spain is there a qualification for those tickets or do you have to be Spanish or EU resident.

 

[ivar]

I believe you have to be a Spanish resident... the details here (in Spanish):

Abono gratuito para viajeros frecuentes | Renfe

Utiliza el nuevo abono gratuito de Media Distancia para viajeros frecuentes y muévete gratis hasta el 31 de diciembre ▷

www.renfe.com

 

[ivar]

Trains have been fuller than normal due to this. So book early!

 

[kulkija]

I had a free Renfe Cercanias ticket for 9/2022-12/2022, and I also have a ticket for 1/2023-4/2023. I’m an EU citizen but not a Spanish citizen.

 

[Zoran K.]

Trains have been fuller than normal due to this. So book early!

I tried to book train from barcelona to Pamplona for 2nd July but it is not possible yet because I am not booking from Spain. Same thing happened to me in 2019 and by the time I could book, most of the tickets were sold out and I couldn't catch the last bus from Pamplona to SJPdP so I had to take taxi.
Is there any way to book train tickets for July 2023 now, some other website maybe?

 

[Vacajoe]

There’s a lot of rules behind this “free” train travel, so don’t plan on this actually being an option that will work out for you. It’s only available on certain commuter routes (regional and local lines), you have to pre-purchase a card for one specific route, you only get that cost discounted back to you after multiple rides on that route, it’s only good for each quarter of the year, and so on.

While it’s open to all humankind (EU or otherwise), it’s doubtful to be of much value to a pilgrim just passing through the country enroute to a Camino starting point.