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I am planning a full circular tour of Spain in September and am finding it very difficult to get any mention of local trains - i.e. those without the need for a reservation. Basically I am talking about travel between the main cities along the Mediterranean as a start.

Some of these journeys require two or even sometimes three trains each with a reservation! Is there a way around this, or was I too optimistic (or naive 😯)?  Is the answer perhaps to travel between smaller towns?

Edit: Perhaps I should ask how much reservations cost in Spain and how much in advance they need to be bought (from a station en route).

 

You can (sometimes) find routes that don’t need reservation in the Rail Planner, selecting ‘no seat reservations’. (Although the Trip Planner is not the best for planning, and often gets its data late, it’s useful for this trick. Always verify train times with the operator, and don’t look too far ahead.)

Generally, if a reservations is needed, you should expect to pay at least €4 for a Media Distancia train, up to €10 on an AVE. More in first class (where available). Seat61 has the info:

https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm#Spain

Sometimes these are available from the Interrail website, but not for all routes. You can also buy at a ticket office (any RENFE office in Spain).


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