Travel By Train Around Spain Using a Rail Pass
With its large size and excellent high-speed rail network, Spain is ideally suited to exploring by train, and buying a rail pass can make a lot of sense. With a rail pass, you can enjoy unlimited train travel across Spain, giving you ultimate flexibility and convenience for your journey.
Probably the best Spanish rail pass to buy is the Interrail or Eurail One Country Pass for Spain. These passes work in almost the same way, with both offering unlimited train travel within Spain. The main difference lies in eligibility: Interrail is for European residents, while Eurail is for travellers who live outside Europe.
Below you can find out more about these Spanish rail passes, including whether they are worth buying for your travels and how to actually buy and use them.
ONE country pass SPAIN
As the name suggests, the One Country Pass Spain is exactly that – a rail pass that is only valid within Spain. This Spanish rail pass offers unlimited train travel across the entire country for the entire duration of its validity. If your trip is limited to Spain, it is a great option to consider. However, if your journey is part of a wider trip across Europe and includes countries beyond Spain, a Global Interrail or Eurail Pass, which is valid across the continent, is likely the better choice. For more information about the, take a look at our main Interrail page or Eurail page.
Note that the One Country Pass Spain cannot be used by residents of Spain, given that this rail pass is solely intended for foreign tourists.
Below you can find an overview of the available rail passes for Spain. Seniors aged 60 and above, as well as youths aged 12 to 27, benefit from discounted prices. Children aged 4 to 11 travel for free when accompanied by an adult with a valid rail pass. To buy your Spanish rail pass, simply click on ‘buy pass’ for the Eurail or Interrail One Country Pass Spain you want to buy, then choose first or second class, apply a discount if your eligible, and complete your booking.
Interrail one country pass SPAIN:
eurail one country pass SPAIN:
HOW DOES THE ONE COUNTRY PASS spain WORK?
Within its validity period, you can use your Eurail or Interrail One Country Pass Spain for unlimited travel on all trains operated by Renfe, Spain’s national rail company. This includes premium AVE high-speed trains as well as other services such as Alvia, Euromed, InterCity, and Avant. The pass is also valid on Renfe commuter trains, known as Cercanías in most of the country and Rodalies in Catalonia. It’s also valid on the FEVE narrow-gauge trains in Northern Spain, which nowadays are fully integrated into the Renfe network.
Besides Renfe trains, your One Country Pass Spain is also valid on the high-speed trains of Iryo.
However, do note that Interrail and Eurail passes are not accepted on Euskotren in the Basque Country, and local services operated by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Catalunya, Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana, and Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca. These rail passes are also not valid on trains operated by Ouigo España or Avlo, Renfe’s low-cost high-speed brand.
The One Country Pass Spain comes in a varying number of travel days within a set timeframe. For example, a “4 days in a month” pass gives you unlimited train travel in Spain on four separate days within a one-month period. This one-month period does not have to align with a calendar month, as it usually starts on the day you activate the pass – typically your first day of travel. Having used your first travel day, you can then decide yourself when to use the remaining three travel days, provided they all fall within one month of your first day of travel.
The biggest benefit of an Interrail or Eurail Pass for Spain is the freedom it provides. Instead of having to purchase separate tickets for each journey, you can travel on any train included in your pass, making it easy to be flexible with your plans. This is ideal for spontaneous travel, as you can decide when and where to go without locking yourself into a fixed schedule ahead of time.
For travellers aiming to cover a large part of Spain in a relatively short time and spending many hours on trains, an Interrail or Eurail Pass can also offer great value compared with buying standard point-to-point tickets. Since Spanish high-speed trains are priced dynamically, fares on popular routes and at peak times can become very expensive – particularly close to the departure date – meaning a rail pass can lead to significant savings.
reservations
Long-distance trains in Spain require mandatory seat reservations. This means that if you intend to travel on Renfe’s AVE, Alvia, Avant, Euromed, and EuroCity trains, as well as many Media Distancia services, you will need to book a seat in addition to your Interrail or Eurail pass. This also counts for Iryo high-speed trains. Trains often sell out, particularly during the summer and around public holidays, so it is important to reserve your seats as soon as your travel plans are confirmed.
That said, if you are travelling on routes with several departures each day, or during the low season away from major national holidays, it is usually possible to make last-minute reservations at the railway station.
Interrail and Eurail passholders can make seat reservations for Spanish trains most easily through Rail Europe. Read our article on Interrail and Eurail reservations to learn more about this topic
a spanish rail pass doesn't always make sense
Whether the Interrail or Eurail One Country Pass Spain is right for you depends on your travel plans. If your itinerary is fixed and you are able to book several months in advance, point-to-point tickets can often be cheaper than a rail pass, as Spanish train fares are generally good value. This option also avoids the added step of having to make separate passholder seat reservations, as a standard point-to-point ticket already includes a reserved seat.
However, discounted advance fares are usually non-changeable and non-refundable, so if flexibility matters to you, a rail pass is often the better choice.
To search for and buy Spanish train tickets, you can use the booking tool below from the reliable platform Omio, which sells tickets for all train operators in Spain. It allows you to easily compare fares from Renfe, Iryo, and Ouigo España and choose the service with the best price or timetable.
Enjoy the great sights of SPAIN by train
Whether you want to enjoy the urban highlights of Madrid, Barcelona, or Valencia, delve into Spain’s rich history in Andalusian cities such as Seville and Granada, relax on the beaches of the Costa del Sol around Málaga, or travel to beautiful regions like the Basque Country or Galicia, a rail pass allows you to reach a wide range of destinations across Spain by train.
Buy your rail pass now and hop on a fast high-speed train to see all the beauty that Spain has to offer!