Renfe, Iryo or Ouigo? How to Get Cheap Train Tickets in Spain

You have a meeting in Seville, a friend landing in Málaga or simply a free weekend and a wish to finally see Córdoba. You open the Renfe app, and the same trip costs a very different amount depending on the day and the departure you pick. Buying train tickets in Spain feels like a lottery at first, especially when coupon sites keep promising discount codes that never seem to work.

So where do you actually get the cheapest seat, and when should you book? Three companies now run high-speed trains between Madrid and Andalusia, and each one sells its own tickets. This guide shows you who runs which trains and what a journey typically costs. You also learn which discount cards pay off for residents and what is really behind the promo codes online.

Train tickets in Spain: where to buy and what they cost

You buy train tickets in Spain most cheaply from the company that runs the train, on its own website or app. Between Madrid and Andalusia you can choose between Renfe with its AVE, Iryo and Ouigo, and all three serve Córdoba, Seville and Málaga. On its budget brand Avlo, Renfe advertises seats from 7 euros on some routes, and Ouigo starts adult fares at 16 euros. Those prices only exist for early buyers, though, because Renfe sells AVE seats at dynamic prices that climb the fuller the train gets.

Básico, Elige or Prémium: which Renfe fare fits you

On AVE and long-distance trains, Renfe also makes you pick a fare type. With Básico you sit in standard class and pay 10 euros plus any price difference for a change. If you cancel, you get nothing back. Elige gives you one free change and returns 70 percent of the price if you cancel. Prémium lets you change as often as you like and refunds you in full up to seven days before departure. It also gets you into the station lounge. That suits you if your plans might still shift.

Discount cards come on top of these prices. If you are between 14 and 25, you can buy the Más Renfe Joven card. It costs 50 euros and stays valid for a year. On AVE and long-distance trains it takes 30 percent off. On Avant, Media Distancia and Cercanías, the regional and commuter trains, you save 25 percent.

Over 60, you pay 6 euros a year for the Tarjeta Dorada, which you buy at a station ticket office. It gets you 25 percent off AVE and long-distance trains and 40 percent off Media Distancia. Families with official large-family status (título de familia numerosa) save 20 percent in the general category and 50 percent in the special one. Renfe grants that on every train except the international AVE to France.

If you commute, a monthly pass beats any single ticket. Since January, the Abono Único costs 60 euros for 30 days of unlimited travel. It covers all Cercanías and Media Distancia trains and state-run interregional buses. Born in 2000 or later? Then you pay 30 euros, but you first register on the website of the Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible to get a personal code. If you’re travelling around Andalusia on a tight budget, weigh these savings against the cost of living in Andalusia.

• Buying early: works for everyone, because the cheap seats on dynamically priced trains sell first.
• Familia numerosa: official large-family title required, valid on all Renfe trains except the international AVE.
• Más Renfe Joven (ages 14 to 25) and Tarjeta Dorada (over 60): annual cards you buy once and use on every trip.
• Abono Único and youth passes: monthly passes for commuters, the youth rate only with a Ministry code.

How to Buy Renfe Tickets: Step-by-Step Guide

Buying works the same way whether or not you use a discount, and only the activation differs. For a card discount you select it when you book. Carry the card with you, because staff can ask to see it on board. For the youth passes you register at least 24 hours before your first purchase and then enter your personal code, as the Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible explains for its programmes. None of this needs a Cita Previa appointment, since you buy online, in the app, at a ticket machine or at the counter.

Why Verano Joven didn’t show up, and what works instead

If the Verano Joven discount didn’t appear when you booked this summer, the rules of the programme are usually the reason. In 2026 it only covered trips between July and September. You also had to be 18 to 30 and hold Spanish nationality or legal residence. Your personal code became valid 24 hours after you registered. Tried to book straight away? Then the discount simply wasn’t there yet. Registration closed on 30 September, which means there is no Verano Joven discount to apply right now.

Without a card or code, your best lever is timing: book as early as you can, before the cheap seats are gone. Long-distance Renfe tickets carry your name. Your passport number or NIE number has to match exactly, and residents find it printed on their TIE card. No NIE number yet? Sort that out before your first big trip with our guide on applying for your NIE number.

1. Open renfe.com or the Renfe app and select “Comprar billetes” (buy tickets).
2. Enter your departure and arrival stations, date, time, number of travellers, and the type of train you want (Cercanías, Media Distancia, Avant, or AVE).
3. Choose your fare type (Básico, Elige or Prémium) and, if you have one, your discount: Más Renfe Joven, Tarjeta Dorada or familia numerosa.
4. Enter your personal details, including your passport or NIE number, and add a personal code from the Ministry if you travel on a youth pass.
5. Choose your delivery method: digital ticket in the app, a printable PDF, or a printout from the ticket machine.
6. Pay by credit or debit card and complete the purchase – your ticket is issued instantly, with no Cita Previa required.

The documents you’ll need when buying your ticket

Depending on your discount, Renfe asks for different proof. Without it, the reduction can be refused at purchase or during a ticket check. Have these ready.

• A valid ID document (passport, NIE number, or TIE residency card) for personalised tickets
• Título de familia numerosa as proof for the 20% or 50% family discount
• Your Más Renfe Joven card (ages 14 to 25), Tarjeta Dorada (over 60) or Carné Joven
• Your personal code from the Ministry of Transport if you use a youth pass or the youth rate of the Abono Único

Renfe Discounts in Practice: What to Expect at the Station

In theory, buying a ticket couldn’t be simpler, but plenty of travellers trip up over small details. The Renfe app often only shows your options once you’ve entered the exact travel date and train type. Third-party sites usually add a small booking fee. Compare the final price with the operator’s own site before you pay.

Common pitfalls when buying tickets and on board

The most frustrating trap is the coupon site. Pages promising a “Renfe promo code” with half off are everywhere, yet Renfe publishes no general discount code. We found none of those codes on Renfe’s own website. The codes that work are personal ones from Ministry programmes, and Renfe announces its own campaigns on its promotions page.

The second trap is the name on the ticket. The ID number has to match, and handing a Básico ticket to someone else costs you 40 euros. The third trap is the cheapest fare itself. A Básico ticket you can’t use is money gone, while Elige would have returned most of it.

Travelling on a family discount or a discount card? Take the card or family title with you, or the reduction can be refused at the ticket check. Commuting between Andalusian provinces often means combining the train with other transport. Think of a long-term car rental in Spain for the final stretch from the station or an airport transfer from Málaga.

Checking three websites for the same route takes time, especially when you want to see Renfe, Iryo and Ouigo departures side by side. A booking platform that sells all three in one search saves you that comparison, and it helps when your journey continues beyond Spain. Before you pay, compare the final price with the operator’s own site, because platforms often add a small booking fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

Train tickets in Spain are cheapest when you book early and directly with the operator. Avlo and Ouigo start at 7 and 16 euros. AVE prices climb as the train fills up, so the date you book matters more than any code. With a card, seniors and young travellers save another 25 to 30 percent. Large families save up to half the fare.

Where people lose the most money is on discounts that don’t exist. A promo code from a coupon site only wastes your time. A Básico ticket you can’t use costs you the whole fare. With Elige you would have got 70 percent of it back, so pick the flexible fare whenever your plans aren’t fixed yet.