Rail Europe Adds Renfe Reservations for Passholders
Rail Europe has expanded its service by enabling Eurail and Interrail Global Pass holders to book seats on Renfe-operated trains directly through its online platforms. This includes Spain’s high-speed AVE, Alvia, Euromed, and Intercity trains, along with selected cross-border connections to France. The feature rolled out to all Rail Europe sales channels, and aimed to streamline train travel in Spain with a faster and more defined reservation process.
Prior to the arrival of the global pass, travelers with Renfe seat bookings online were somewhat locked into queueing at train stations only or using third-party booking systems. With this change, Rail Europe continues its integration of major European operators after already including SNCF, Eurostar, Trenitalia, and others. The service now covers most of Spain’s key long-distance routes, with additional access to Media Distancia regional trains expected soon.
The update provides travelers with a clearer overview of which Spanish journeys require reservations and at what cost. This allows them to plan ahead with more certainty, reducing last-minute stress or the risk of missing preferred departure times. The feature is especially useful in popular itineraries such as Madrid-Barcelona or València, where seat demand is usually high, particularly during peak demand periods.
Spain is now easily reached from Rail Europe's booking system which means a more smooth/ flexible trip for travelers. The integration also supports multi-country itineraries, making it easier to include Spain in a broader European journey. Additionally, connections between Spain and France, such as Marseille to Madrid, are more straightforward to arrange, further encouraging rail travel over other modes of transport.
This makes it a lot more flexible and frictionless to explore Spain by train. By removing a key barrier—difficult seat reservations—it encourages more people to take advantage of Europe’s rail networks, reinforcing sustainable travel and enriching the experience of discovering new destinations at ground level.