Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

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A. L. Breguet
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Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2023 5:35 pm

Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by A. L. Breguet »

Can anyone suggest reputable alternatives? I generally avoid third-party booking sites, but I am having endless problems with the RENFE site. (We are in the U.S.) Thanks.

Raileurope.com?

Thetrainline.com?

Omio.com?

Petrabax.com?
ZinCO
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Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 8:42 pm

Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by ZinCO »

I use thetrainline.com every time I'm in Europe. Mostly for UK/Netherlands/Germany/Austria, but I would trust them with Spain as well.
beardsicles
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by beardsicles »

Definitely Train Line. Renfe has usually worked for me in the past but it’s agonizing and impossible when it doesn’t.
ikowik
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Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2014 5:52 pm

Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by ikowik »

I have used Petrabax
https://petrabax.com

Much easier to use than the Renfe site, no issues with booking tickets. There is a small surcharge though. And the Renfe site, if you can get it to work, gives access to more discounted fares on the non-Ave trains (slower, but adequate for tourist travel)
GreendaleCC
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by GreendaleCC »

Depending on how many rides you need, have you looked at the Spain Pass? A good reason to use the Renfe site.

https://www.renfe.com/es/en/viajar/prep ... spain-pass
Topic Author
A. L. Breguet
Posts: 52
Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2023 5:35 pm

Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by A. L. Breguet »

Thanks for your replies. Just bought one on Trainline--slightly more expensive than RENFE, but WORTH IT! Very quick and easy! We will be back for more!
Strummer
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by Strummer »

Looks like you've got your answer but I will add that the best resource I've found re: train travel in Europe is seat61.com.
ZinCO
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by ZinCO »

Strummer wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 12:52 pm Looks like you've got your answer but I will add that the best resource I've found re: train travel in Europe is seat61.com.
Absolutely true. And he recommends Thetrainline, which is why I started using them...
muffins14
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by muffins14 »

Probably also easy to just do this in person at the train station
Crom laughs at your Four Winds
talzara
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by talzara »

muffins14 wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:14 pm Probably also easy to just do this in person at the train station
It's easy, but it could cost more. Trains that accept reservations use dynamic pricing. The later you buy the ticket, the more it costs.
talzara
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by talzara »

A. L. Breguet wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 6:05 pm Can anyone suggest reputable alternatives? I generally avoid third-party booking sites, but I am having endless problems with the RENFE site. (We are in the U.S.) Thanks.
beardsicles wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 7:46 pm Definitely Train Line. Renfe has usually worked for me in the past but it’s agonizing and impossible when it doesn’t.
Are these payment problems or other problems?

European websites are required to use 3D Secure. Some of them turn it off for Americans, but it doesn't always work. If you do a lot of travel in Europe, it's worth it to get a card that supports 3D Secure. It's not just about saving a few dollars on train tickets. Sometimes you need to book tickets to popular tourist attractions in advance, and there are no third-party booking sites.
Millennial
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by Millennial »

talzara wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 2:08 pm
Are these payment problems or other problems?
Renfe's site is just not ready for prime time, especially if you are not fluent in Spanish. Constant timeouts, won't stay in your selected language, and some parts don't translate even when you do select a language.
THY4373
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by THY4373 »

Probably late for OP but when travelling by train in Spain don't forget to check out the competitive train lines. Spain and a few other countries have opened their tracks to competing services. These tickets are not always listed on the Trainline and certain not on RENFE website. I travelled Iryo in first class between Madrid and Barcelona for less than $50 and the rolling stock Trenitalia was nicer than RENFEs and the ticket price cheaper.
TravelforFun
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by TravelforFun »

Another vote for TrainLine.

TravelforFun
muffins14
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by muffins14 »

talzara wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 1:59 pm
muffins14 wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:14 pm Probably also easy to just do this in person at the train station
It's easy, but it could cost more. Trains that accept reservations use dynamic pricing. The later you buy the ticket, the more it costs.
I sort of doubt that basic local train travel has dynamic pricing in Spain. Is that really true?
Crom laughs at your Four Winds
talzara
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by talzara »

muffins14 wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 10:09 am
talzara wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 1:59 pm It's easy, but it could cost more. Trains that accept reservations use dynamic pricing. The later you buy the ticket, the more it costs.
I sort of doubt that basic local train travel has dynamic pricing in Spain. Is that really true?
I did not say anything about "basic local train travel." I said "trains that accept reservations."
an_asker
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by an_asker »

A. L. Breguet wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 6:05 pm Can anyone suggest reputable alternatives? I generally avoid third-party booking sites, but I am having endless problems with the RENFE site. (We are in the U.S.) Thanks.

Raileurope.com?

Thetrainline.com?

Omio.com?

Petrabax.com?
If you have not already done so, check out seat61.com - Mike usually has excellent all around advice.
Super Hans
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Location: Washington, D.C.

Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by Super Hans »

I've used Renfe's site from the US a lot, paid with a US credit card, and haven't had any trouble. In fact, I've been doing this since 2000 when I was a real Internet pioneer.

It might be worth trying a few times to avoid the problems inherent in using intermediaries.
Millennial
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by Millennial »

muffins14 wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 10:09 am
talzara wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 1:59 pm
muffins14 wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:14 pm Probably also easy to just do this in person at the train station
It's easy, but it could cost more. Trains that accept reservations use dynamic pricing. The later you buy the ticket, the more it costs.
I sort of doubt that basic local train travel has dynamic pricing in Spain. Is that really true?
Yes, and it can be more than double if you don't book in advance. I'm not sure what you mean by "basic local train" but generally that wouldn't describe something that you're trying to book on Renfe's website anyway. Their subways and "commuter rail"-type train (for instance - both Metro and Cercanias in Madrid) are static pricing / no reservations. But if you're going inter-city, it's generally reservations and dynamic pricing.
Theseus
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by Theseus »

muffins14 wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 10:09 am
talzara wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 1:59 pm
muffins14 wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:14 pm Probably also easy to just do this in person at the train station
It's easy, but it could cost more. Trains that accept reservations use dynamic pricing. The later you buy the ticket, the more it costs.
I sort of doubt that basic local train travel has dynamic pricing in Spain. Is that really true?
I don't know about Spain, but just came from traveling Budapest, Vienna, Prague. And yes there is some level of dynamic pricing. Prices are cheaper if bought in advance. Gets more expensive closer to the date. And most expensive at the station. This is what I observed for my routes/trains I took.
muffins14
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Location: New York

Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by muffins14 »

Thanks for the details. I was indeed thinking mostly about trains within/around cities, and something like the cheap train from Madrid to Barcelona or Zaragoza or Valencia
Crom laughs at your Four Winds
UpperNwGuy
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Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by UpperNwGuy »

muffins14 wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 6:25 pm Thanks for the details. I was indeed thinking mostly about trains within/around cities, and something like the cheap train from Madrid to Barcelona or Zaragoza or Valencia
Sorry, but those trains have dynamic pricing.
muffins14
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Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 4:14 am
Location: New York

Re: Alternatives to booking on RENFE (rail travel in Spain)

Post by muffins14 »

UpperNwGuy wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 6:30 pm
muffins14 wrote: Tue May 30, 2023 6:25 pm Thanks for the details. I was indeed thinking mostly about trains within/around cities, and something like the cheap train from Madrid to Barcelona or Zaragoza or Valencia
Sorry, but those trains have dynamic pricing.
Correct, I meant thanks for clarifying that
Crom laughs at your Four Winds
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