How to easily purchase train tickets online

[John Sikora]

I think I'll go back later

 

[henrythedog]

I think I'll go back later

To be fair if he’s shifting 550 people a minute that French bloke’s earning his steak frites today.

 

[Bradypus]

I'm taking a train from Malaga to Sevilla next week. RENFE's website wasn't very cooperative when I booked it. So I used the Trainline Android app instead. Very quick and straightforward with none of the card payment problems that sometimes make booking with RENFE a pain in the posterior

 

[Anniesantiago]

I just buy my bus and train tickets when I'm in Spain.

 

[henrythedog]

I'm taking a train from Malaga to Sevilla next week. RENFE's website wasn't very cooperative when I booked it. So I used the Trainline Android app instead. Very quick and straightforward with none of the card payment problems that sometimes make booking with RENFE a pain in the posterior

Yup, Trainline (used to be Loco2) is excellent; although the rebranding/buyout significantly increased the premium vs the original ticket-issuer.

It’s cheaper going RENFE direct, but only if you don’t account for personal time and frustration.

 

[trecile]

I just buy my bus and train tickets when I'm in Spain.

You can often get much better prices on train tickets if you book them ahead.

 

[Anniesantiago]

You can often get much better prices on train tickets if you book them ahead.

Maybe but that hasn't been my experience. I use my tarjeta dorada - though I generally prefer the bus.

 

[Bradypus]

It’s cheaper going RENFE direct, but only if you don’t account for personal time and frustration.

The price difference was about €1.50. Fair enough for the convenience I think!

 

[Kathar1na]

I guess that there is a waiting line on the Renfe website today because of this:

Spanish operator Renfe will begin operating low-cost, high-speed Avlo services between Madrid and Valencia from February 21, with tickets on sale from January 20. Tickets will start at €7 each way, with 2200 seats available per day.​

There was a similar queue for train tickets in December when they released tickets for Madrid-Santiago for €5 on the new high-speed train to Galicia when it was inaugurated. I don't think that you can beat this kind of price for a long-distance high-speed train trip with a Tarjeta Dorada.

I find it actually impressive that the Renfe website can deal with such a high demand in such a short time.

 

[Kathar1na]

And you have to be lucky if you want to buy a ticket for €7 for Madrid-Valencia today, even on Trainline:

 

[OTH86]

You can often get much better prices on train tickets if you book them ahead.

But not always...

 

[Kathar1na]

There are reports in the Spanish news today about yesterday’s waiting times and queues on the Renfe website when the tickets for the low cost high speed Avlo train for Madrid-Valencia became available for the first time.

Renfe says that they sold 25,000 tickets within 4 hours. The sale had started at 8 pm Spanish time.

 

[Kathar1na]

Renfe vende 25.000 billetes en cuatro horas en el estreno del Avlo a Valencia

El nuevo servicio de alta velocidad ‘low cost’ se pondrá en marcha a partir del 21 de febrero

elpais.com

 

[Steve Taylor]

Yup, Trainline (used to be Loco2) is excellent; although the rebranding/buyout significantly increased the premium vs the original ticket-issuer.

It’s cheaper going RENFE direct, but only if you don’t account for personal time and frustration.

Didn't Loco2 change to Rail Europe? I use Rail Europe a lot, as The Trainline charges a booking fee, I think, The Renfe site can be frustrating, but I managed to negotiate it three times recently. By the way, when I used my Starling Bank card via PayPal to pay for one of the tickets, it charged me twice, but the second payment was then returned about 10 minutes later

 

[henrythedog]

Didn't Loco2 change to Rail Europe? I use Rail Europe a lot, as The Trainline charges a booking fee, I think, The Renfe site can be frustrating, but I managed to negotiate it three times recently. By the way, when I used my Starling Bank card via PayPal to pay for one of the tickets, it charged me twice, but the second payment was then returned about 10 minutes later

You are correct, I was mistaken. Yes Loco2 became Rail Europe.

I first came upon it on a recommendation from ‘themaninseat61’

 

[Sue127]

A slight deviation, but it looks as though I'll be using a train for the first time in Spain this year. Do you have to validate actual tickets before getting on the train? Can you use online tickets?

 

[Bradypus]

No and Yes in that order No need to validate paper tickets. Tickets bought online are fine - you can show the train staff the PDF ticket you received on a mobile phone or paper printout. If you use an Android or iPhone app the ticket will probably be saved as a QR barcode which you show the staff. Being a cautious type I prefer to print a hard copy just in case of phone problems on the day.