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Here’s how you can obtain a free travel pass on Spain’s rail services
Spain’s leading rail operator Renfe has announced that passengers who use its Cercanías, Rodalies and Media Distancia services can now apply for a pass that allows customers travel completely free between May 1 and August 31. Thanks to a government subsidy, rail passengers can ‘purchase’ free travel passes for each four month period, so the current ticket is still valid until the end of April.
In addition, users of Renfe’s Avant trains can benefit from a 50% discount, with new routes included on the medium-distance services between Ourense and A Coruña, Madrid and Salamanca and Murcia and Alicante.
How to apply for the free travel pass
Most of the rail tickets can be ordered through the Renfe Cercanías application although passengers wanting to travel on the Media Distancia lines will need to use the Renfe website.
Passes can also be obtained at all train stations and vending machines, but customers will have to register first. Before ordering, passengers will be required to indicate their usual origin and destination stations.
Those who use the app to claim Cercanías or Rodalies passes will be sent a QR code that can be downloaded to their mobile and scanned at train stations.
As has been the case since the free travel measure was introduced, passengers will be asked to pay a 10 or 20 euro deposit, redeemable at the end of the four-month period.
It’s important to note that deposits will only be returned to passengers who have made at least 16 trips during the subscription period. Deposits made with credit cards will automatically be refunded while passengers who have paid with cash will have to apply at a station ticket office.
Terms and conditions
When the scheme was first launched, problems arose due to passengers booking seats on multiple trains and failing to cancel them. To prevent this issue, Renfe has implemented certain control measures: passengers will only be allowed to make four trips per day on the same route, and users will not be able to book two trips in the same direction until enough time has passed after the departure of the first.
If Renfe believes a passenger is abusing the system, for example by not cancelling unused seats, their season ticket will be suspended and their deposit won’t be returned. Customers will receive two warnings before their pass is cancelled.
Finally, the rail operator has launched a new subscription service for Media Distancia lines that can be ordered for children under the age of 14 that don’t have ID. Through the Renfe website, parents can purchase a maximum of four tickets for their youngsters.
Image: Renfe
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