Travel Through Spain With Free Train Tickets To End Of 2023
Anyone planning a visit to Spain is in luck, as travelers can take advantage of a new scheme to encourage people to travel by train. In fact, locals and visitors alike can get free train tickets to use within Spain up until the end of 2023. This initiative is set to save people money, but also to encourage people to use the railway and leave their cars parked at home. It’s a win-win situation for locals, international travelers, and the environment while reducing their carbon footprint. Read on to find out how to score free train tickets in Spain.
Free train tickets in Spain
The free train tickets initiative was first launched in September 2022. Basically, it allows anyone (including international travelers) to enjoy free train travel on commuter trains and medium-distance rail journeys with the rail service, Renfe. Meanwhile, the announcement comes at a time when other EU countries, including Austria and Germany, are offering discounted rail travel programs.
However, Spain is the first to offer fully subsidized rail travel for everyone. However, it is important to note that the offer only relates to certain trains
How does the new rail initiative work?
Basically, free train tickets are available to anyone in Spain through the end of 2023 but only apply to certain services. Firstly, free rail tickets only apply to Renfe-operated commuter trains (Cercanias and Rodalies) and medium-distance journeys under 300 km (186 miles). The new initiative doesn’t apply to Renfe’s high-speed AVE rail service that connects destinations like Madrid and Barcelona.
However, the free rail service does allow international visitors to travel between multiple cities. For instance, in Andalucía, a free train journey could be enjoyed from Seville to Córdoba or Cadiz, or any day trips from major Spanish cities. As opposed to driving or flying, taking the free rail service allows people to relax in comfort, watching the beautiful scenery passing by.
Multi-journey train tickets
Secondly, the free rail tickets scheme only applies to multi-journey tickets, and not single tickets. Under the scheme launched from September 2022 to December 2022, a traveler would pay a deposit of €10 (US$9.77) for commuter trains. For medium-distance journeys, the deposit is €10 (US$19.55).
Under that scheme, the holder would receive a refund of their deposit after completing 16 one-way journeys. It is believed that the same scheme will apply to the extension of the free ticket service in 2023.
Meanwhile, if you don’t happen to make 16 trips, and forfeit the deposit, you will still save a lot of money on train fares in Spain. One example is that if you are staying in Madrid and want to take day trips to Segovia and Toledo, you would normally pay €40 or more for tickets. However, with the new promotion, you would only pay the €20 deposit.
How can you take advantage of the free train offer?
To be able to take advantage of the offer, travelers need to download the official app for the train line Renfe here. International visitors will also require their passport number to sign up for the initiative.
Why did Spain launch this initiative?
Initially, the initiative was to help Spaniards in the cost of living crisis, due to inflation, stagnant wages, and the pandemic. The initiative allows commuters to save hundreds of euros to ease their cash flow. However, it was extended to include foreign visitors.
When the launch was announced, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said:
I am fully aware of the daily difficulties that most people face. I know that your salary is getting less and less, that it is difficult to make ends meet.
Meanwhile, the decision has now been made to extend free rail travel through to at least the end of 2023. Also, extending the offer to visitors to Spain, also allows tourists to save money on getting around. Meanwhile, it also gives them the incentive they need to choose Spain over another possible European destination. Equally important, the initiative is set to alleviate environmental pressures. It will encourage people to choose the train rather than their car.
Meanwhile, if Spain’s Minister of Finance María Jesús Montero has her way, they want to make the program permanent. She said in a statement:
We are going to convert this policy into a structural one and we will see the concrete results of public transport to reduce CO2. It is a priority policy in the coming years.
How can Spain afford the initiative?
Reportedly, more than 700 million euros have been put aside for the initiative. This is set to provide free train tickets through at least the end of 2023. Read more about the free rail service here.