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Hi, Annie, I can add a little more to all the info you've given. There is a frustratingly huge vocabulary associated with Spanish trains, but an equally impressive overall service, so I guess it's worth the frustration.
AVE are the long distance high speed trains. Routes here: http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/larga_distancia/productos/index.html (And based on that link, it looks like AVE is a generic term that also includes the whole list of trains over on the left of that web page, Alvia, Altaris, etc).
Avant are also high speed trains, like the AVE, but they are for shorter distances.
Routes here: http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/mediadistancia/descuentos_y_abonos/avant/index.html
Ancho Metrico seems to be the new name given to FEVE since RENFE took it over.
Convencional -- means all the "regular" (non-high speed) trains.
Cercanias-- are the commuter trains. Spain's big cities all have them: http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/cercanias/
It's curious that the high speed train discounts are kind of flipped -- on AVE you get 40% off on weekdays, but on AVANT you get 40% off on Sat and Sun. Must have to do with their ridership statistics.
And btw, thanks for the tip on the museums. I have had a tarjeta dorada card every year for the last three years and this is the first time anyone suggested it had a use other than on trains!
Buen camino, Laurie
I used mine at Valencia's Opera House in 2012
I note Piogaw's calculations don't include the 6 euro cost of the card. It doesn't seem worth the bother.
Just depends on where you're going.
If I'm taking the train from Madrid to Caceres this year, it will save me €40, plus on the train from Santiago back to Madrid I'll save another €50. That makes it worthwhile for me.
Just depends on where you're going.
If I'm taking the train from Madrid to Caceres this year, it will save me €40, plus on the train from Santiago back to Madrid I'll save another €50. That makes it worthwhile for me.
A possible update for buying RENFE tickets on-line from the US -- I bought one yesterday (1 Mar 2014) - Madrid to Pamplona on 15 April for €32.40. Buying the ticket was not a problem - the Fraud part of my Credit Card was. By the time they sorted themselves out, I'd lost the €26.00 ticket. I wonder if RENFE, like airlines, have a limited number of tickets in each category that Laurie mentions above. I'm eligible for the tarjeta dorada, so you all can maybe let me know if the price I paid was really discounted. It's done, so it's all ok.
Also, Laurie, when was the last time you stayed at Bruña Hostel in Madrid -- looks like a nice, simple place to stay in a good location, but the website indicates the last "revision" was in 2008.
Thanks all, for your great information!
Terry
Is there any way to get a Tarjeta Dorada while still at home in the U.S.? I would like to book my tickets ahead and use the discount if possible. I know this is an older thread but it is what came up when I did a search.
Which train ticket(s) are you planning on purchasing? To where from where and what month?
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