General Renfe Question

[Juspassinthru]

I’ve travelled extensively and when in Spain, I’ve travelled one Renfe. My question is this, will the ticket machine work with a US credit card without a PIN? I’ve had problems in other countries because it asks to enter your PIN. I have not used the ticket machine in Spain but the station I plan to use does not have a ticket window. Thanks in advance.

 

[trecile]

I’ve travelled extensively and when in Spain, I’ve travelled one Renfe. My question is this, will the ticket machine work with a US credit card without a PIN? I’ve had problems in other countries because it asks to enter your PIN. I have not used the ticket machine in Spain but the station I plan to use does not have a ticket window. Thanks in advance.

I have used the Renfe app and paid with PayPal. No messing around with the ticket machines, and I have the ticket on my phone.

 

[Juspassinthru]

I have that as well, I’ve never used it to purchase a ticket, I’ll find out soon how well it works.

Thank you.

 

[naplesdon]

My experience is any machine that accepts a credit card with a chip is going to ask for a four digit pin.

 

[natefaith]

The app and website GoEuro (also called OMIO now) also works well, for searching itineraries and for purchasing. We use them all the time and have been pleased.

 

[trecile]

I have that as well, I’ve never used it to purchase a ticket, I’ll find out soon how well it works.

Thank you.

I have found the app much easier to use than the website

 

[Robert Long]

I carry two different credit cards, both chipped. At a bus station in France the machine rejected one cc asking for a pin, and accepted the other. The ticket machine in Madrid gladly accepted my VISA credit card no pin.

Buen Camino Bob

 

[John Sikora]

I have used my chip and no pin card successfully but to be honest I haven’t done much of that since I use Rome2Rio and/or the app for Renfe. I’ve also used PayPal without problems to pay for tickets.

 

[HeidiL]

I've seen a lot of Renfe machines that accept cash. If pincodelessness is a problem, why not pay in Euros?

 

[JeepsNRoses]

I used the Trainline app by Capitaine Train, TL EU, extensively for bus and train tickets in France and Spain. usually I checked Rome2Rio app as an easy way to see travel options, then I used Trainline to ck availability and buy, cancel, or change tickets. I did not experience any issues with missing tickets, double charges, or slow refunds. When it was feasible I asked a desk clerk or a shop keeper to airprint tickets for me just in case.

 

[Juspassinthru]

Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your help. Sounds like US cards which have no PIN are iffy at best. RENFE app seems like the best idea with cash as a backup. However I get there, I’m leaving Ferrol at 0700 on June 2nd headed towards Santiago. Buen Camino.