Travel Guide
Unlimited Train Pass Will Allow Travelers To See All Of Spain For $250
Apr
If you’re heading to Spain this summer, and it’s your first time in this sun-drenched European country, you’re probably thinking Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville are great places to start.
You’re not wrong: as the capital, Madrid boasts a wealth of world-class museums and stunning architecture. Barcelona, by contrast, is its artsy seaside counterpart, dominated by the iconic Sagrada Família Basilica.
And let’s not forget Seville, with its Islamic-era landmarks, lush Mediterranean gardens, and balmy weather. But there’s still so much that often goes overlooked. As beautiful as these three major cities are, they only offer a glimpse into what is an even more diverse and vibrant country.
If you’re keen on discovering more of Spain, their national rail operator, Renfe, has exciting news:
One Train Ticket To Explore All Of Spain
With Only A Few Caveats
Recently, Renfe launched the Spain Pass, which works similarly to Deutsche Bahn’s widely-acclaimed Deutschland-Ticket (just with a few tweaks).
Much like the German pass, Renfe’s new offer allows you to travel across the entirety of the Iberian territory without pre-booking a journey. However, you must pre-select the number of ‘journeys’ at the moment of purchase.
The cheapest Spain Pass starts from €220, or around $250, and it’s valid for 4 journeys in Standard seating. If you’re selecting 4 journeys, and Comfort seating, the price bumps up to €290—$333.
At 6 journeys, you’ll be set back by €310, or $356 (in comfort, that’s $477).
Meanwhile, 8 journeys cost €390, or roughly $448 ($603 in comfort), and finally, the priciest pass grants you 10 journeys for €455 in Standard (an estimated $523), and €610 in Comfort ($701 based on the current exchange rate).
The Other Conditions For Using The Spain Rail Pass
The Spain Pass has no pre-defined origin or destination, so this means that, during its validity date, which runs from your first trip, up to a month later, you can travel freely across the network for 4, 6, 8, or 10 days.
You can use it all of Renfe’s Larga Distancia (or Long Distance) trains, including their high-speed AVE, which links large cities like Madrid and Barcelona, as well as regional, Media Distancia trains, and Avant, the Media‘s high-speed equivalent.
For most high-speed and long-distance trains, you will need seat reservation, though as a Spain Pass holder, you can select your seat at no cost—unless, of course, you have a Standard fare, and you want to upgrade to Comfort for a particular journey.
In that case, please refer to Renfe’s customer service.
When planning your first trip, which ‘activates’ your pass, you must log into your Renfe account, and access the ‘My passes’ page in your personal area.
You will then be able to indicate the date and train you wish to travel on. Alternatively, you may reserve a seat directly at ticket offices, at any train station with Renfe representatives, travel agencies, or by phone (just make sure you have your Spain Rail Pass number).
Additionally, always travel with your passport, even if you’re simply taking a day trip, and returning to your base city in the evening: the pass can only be issued to residents outside Spain, plus they cannot be transferred, so you will need ID to access the train.
Where To Go With The Spain Pass?
Technicalities aside, what are some lesser-known Spanish destinations you could visit with a Spain Rail Pass?
If you’re purchasing the 4-journey ticket, here are some ideas of where you could go:
- Girona, a colorful medieval city near Barcelona lining a scenic Oynar River
- Toledo, known for its ocher-colored, walled Old Town perched on a hill
- Zaragoza, easily distinguished by its multi-towered, multi-dome riverside basilica
- Córdoba, home to a richly-decorated Moorish mosque-turned-cathedral
Now, if you’re going for the 6-journey one, we would add these two:
- Segovia, an ancient city backed by a Roman-era aqueduct
- Cuenca, a UNESCO-listed settlement famous for wooden houses hanging to cliff-sides
We actually wouldn’t recommend you book an 8 or 10-journey ticket, unless you’re planning to use trains every other day during your 1-2 week stint in Spain, or you’re staying a whole month in the country—in that case, that’s an average 3-4 days in each city or area with a 10-journey pass.
That being said, if that’s your plan, and you have time for an additional 4 destinations, here’s where we would go on top of the previous 6:
- Bilbao, for the Guggenheim Museum, pintxo bars and the delectable Basque cuisine
- Donostia-San Sebastián, a laid-back resort Basque town encroaching on a sandy beach
- Gijón, a culturally-rich port city featuring a well-preserved, 16th-century Cimadevilla
- A Coruña, boasting scenic coastal pathways and a 1st-century Roman lighthouse
Keep it in mind, it is also an option to use a Spain Rail Pass to travel within a single region, as opposed to going on long, cross-country journeys:
There’s a lot to be discovered in Andalusia alone, from the Pueblos Blancos to the scenic Costa Del Sol, or in the Basque Country, an autonomous territory best known for its vibrant riverside metropolis Bilbao, and village-dotted, mountainous hinterland.
Catalonia itself is worth spending a week or two in: beyond Barcelona and Girona, you could visit the idyllic coastal towns of Tossa de Mar, Cadaqués, or Begur, or the hidden medieval town of Vic, home to a colorful Old Town, and an arcaded main square.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
