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Question

Reservations for four travelling together south of Barcelona / Madrid, only ever two available?

  • August 29, 2026
  • 3 replies
  • 16 views

Michelle L

Hi all,

I have adventured without flying with my family for many years but this is my first time planning a trip using an Interrail pass. We’re planning a trip to Morocco next summer. If I can combine outward / inward train travel in the UK with the Eurostar it should come out as more economical then buying advanced tickets, but only if I can work out the reservations in Southern Spain!

And this is where I am coming unstuck...

I want to travel Barcelona - Málaga outwards, then either return the same way or go Málaga - Madrid - Avignon in July / August next year (yes, I really like advanced planning!!). 

I am using Rail Europe to check reservation prices and to get an idea of likely availabilty of reservations. Trouble is, if I request three or four reservations at once there are none available no matter how far in advance I ask to book. But if I ask for two, reservations are possible on many trains with only a week or two notice. Are there really only two pass holder reservations available on Barcelona - Málaga / Málaga - Madrid trains? Or is this a funny quirk of the system? A lot of my reading suggests making Interrail work is trickier in Spain…

Many thanks in advace for any advice offered.

 

3 replies

Marvin Heer
Engin-ius
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  • Engin-ius
  • August 29, 2026

@Michelle L Seems like this is more a problem with raileurope.com as i tried it myself and for more then 2 people raileurop.com results in no reservations. But for the same train happyrail.com (another place which sells spanish reservations) gives results for 4 people. 

But yes reservations can be a bit of a hassle. (One of the reasons ihave not yet made my way to portugal as it would mean crossing france and spain)

 


Michelle L
  • Author
  • Rail rookie
  • August 29, 2026

Thanks ​@Marvin Heer. Yes, it’s a shame that the pass is so much less straightforward in Spain! I looked at happyrail.com but I haven’t bought our passes yet and as far as I can tell I can’t get info on reservations available and costs without adding pass numbers.

But since you suggested you have found only two reservations on raileurope.com but four on happyrail.com I went back to raileurope again for another go. If I add two reservations for a train to the basket, then go back and add another two reservations to the basket as a seperate request then I can add four for the same train! I guess that means the seats might not be together but it gives me more confidence that I will be able to make the reservations I need when I have passes and they open up bookings on the trains I want to travel on 😊


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  • Railmaster
  • August 29, 2026

Happyrail will show availability without filling in pass numbers or even any details. Just select "Reservations” instead of "Tickets”. If you then see a price, then there should be availability.


Michelle L
  • Author
  • Rail rookie
  • August 29, 2026

Ah great, thanks I’ll try that