International AVE reservations

  • 21 June 2023
  • 13 replies
  • 1373 views
Schelte
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Renfe has just opened regular ticket sales for the reintroduced AVE services between Barcelona and Lyon and Madrid and Marseille. I have called their customer service and I've been told interrail is valid on those for €10 in Elige (standard class) and €13 in Comfort (1st class), and that I could book these reservations online. The latter I've not been able to find out how, but hopefully the first statement is correct.

I suspect these reservations can be made through Renfe's ticket office. Possibly later also through DB (and other channels with access to Renfe's system).

Currently tickets on the sections Valence-Nimes-Barcelona-Madrid are on regular sale for just €19, and from Lyon/Avignon/Marseille for €29, so it's probably not really worth to use a travel day for that (unless you have a continuous pass or more travel plans in the same day).

Interrailing seems difficult at first sight, but it's pretty amazing.

13 replies

T
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Thanks for the news ! I've contacted them twice on Twitter and they didn't really answer my question, they gave me the pages to buy a discounted Interrail pass...

Great that they accept passes but if only it could be booked online...

Schelte
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SBB is also able to sell domestic reservations in Spain right? Maybe check within a few days whether they are able to sell these too?

Even having bought a paper Interrail pass through Renfe's site, I've not been given any information on how to reserve Renfe trains - I'd expect more people would need to know how to get out of the country. 

Interrailing seems difficult at first sight, but it's pretty amazing.
R
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I have called their customer service and I've been told interrail is valid on those for €10 in Elige (standard class) and €13 in Comfort (1st class), and that I could book these reservations online. The latter I've not been able to find out how, but hopefully the first statement is correct.

That is great news. Although I fear booking pass reservations will be the same as for domestic Renfe reservations, could you maybe try Renfe once again and ask them for specific instructions how to book online?

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
A
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SBB is also able to sell domestic reservations in Spain right? Maybe check within a few days whether they are able to sell these too?

Even having bought a paper Interrail pass through Renfe's site, I've not been given any information on how to reserve Renfe trains - I'd expect more people would need to know how to get out of the country. 

 

Nobody is able to sell RENFE passholder reservations online and RENFE seem perfectly fine with this arrangement.

T
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Userlevel 7
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SBB is also able to sell domestic reservations in Spain right? Maybe check within a few days whether they are able to sell these too?

Even having bought a paper Interrail pass through Renfe's site, I've not been given any information on how to reserve Renfe trains - I'd expect more people would need to know how to get out of the country. 

Yup they should be able to. I'll have a try in the next days, good idea.

R
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Nobody is able to sell RENFE passholder reservations online and RENFE seem perfectly fine with this arrangement.

Renfe made Eurail stop selling their reservations online 3 years ago. They're the cause that Renfe pass holder reservations are not available online.

But maybe they've changed their mind.

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
Schelte
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Renfe made Eurail stop selling their reservations online 3 years ago. They're the cause that Renfe pass holder reservations are not available online.

But maybe they've changed their mind.

With 50% off the 10-day pass for Spanish nationals+residents under 30, I'd expect them to reconsider this or minimally improve their communication on this topic. 

That is great news. Although I fear booking pass reservations will be the same as for domestic Renfe reservations, could you maybe try Renfe once again and ask them for specific instructions how to book online?

I'll try later again, though with little hope. 

Interrailing seems difficult at first sight, but it's pretty amazing.
Schelte
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Userlevel 6
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I tried calling again. Got told I would be passed on to the website support department but the call was ended. Unfortunately, I suspect this won't get me much further in finding out how these reservations can be booked other than from Spanish ticket offices.

Renfe's conditions under "AVE Francia" (specific conditions for those AVE trains to France, applicable for both domestic and international journeys on that route) explicitly state Interrail & Eurail are valid on these international trains for all origins and destinations, with a fixed supplement. This for the time being only appears in the Spanish version of their terms, not in the English translation. 

The Premium service is only offered on domestic Spanish journeys, which is why that is only available for trips within Spain.

Interrailing seems difficult at first sight, but it's pretty amazing.
T
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Userlevel 7
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Finally something clearly written, thanks !

I went today to a SBB ticket counter and they couldn't find the train... whether with the train number (they knew the trick) or with the train stations. They tried on the 3 reservation systems they use ! I could get some interesting info at least (for other trains)…

We also had a look on renfe.com to get more info but with no success.

They expect the train to appear at some point so I'll try again in a few days.

R
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They expect the train to appear at some point so I'll try again in a few days.

Thanks for your efforts!

I also expect them to appear at some point. Renfe is never early with anything so I wouldn't be surprised if that's like 3 days before they start running...

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
R
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Userlevel 7
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Renfe now say that their trains AVEs from/to France are available via Hermes:

That could mean pass reservations are or will become available via the same channels as their domestic reservations.

See:

https://www.renfe.com/es/en/regulations

(under "AVE (high-speed) France”)

Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
Adlet Birtanov

Hello,

are there any experiences with the new trains already? Where travelers able to buy reservations in Spain or through other channels?

L

Hello,

are there any experiences with the new trains already? Where travelers able to buy reservations in Spain or through other channels?

Hi, I'd be very much interested in information on this as well! It still doesn't seem possible to buy any reservation for AVE International via the Interrail reservation planner.

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