The Spanish government has released a program to help the population during difficult economic times, by offering free train tickets for the commuter trains (Cercanias/ Rodalies). This program started in 2022 and has been prolonged ever since. It is not only pocket friendly but also environmentally friendly!
Commuter trains in Spain are not as boring as one might think, as you can reach the most stunning little towns and villages around big cities in Spain.
Furthermore, Media Distancia trains (between two big cities) are also free, but only on the Renfe network, as this is the national operator that provides the free train tickets in Spain.
I have lived in Spain for almost a year and this is one of my favourite perks! The trains are clean, fast, and very enjoyable. A train ride is always a nice idea!
How can you get the free train tickets?
The process is pretty straightforward. You input your details on the app, Renfe website or the ticket machines in train stations and pay a 10 euro deposit for the Cercanias/ Rodalies trains or 20 euros for the Media Distancia routes. If you manage to complete 16 trips by the end of the second quarter (by 31 august 2024), you receive your deposit back. Even if you don’t, it is still worth it!
I will show you exactly how to get the pass below.
Until when can you use the tickets?
There is a small catch here. If you buy a pass for a date in April, it will only be available until the 30th of April (end of the first quarter).
But, if you choose to buy the pass for a date beginning from 1st of May, you can benefit from it until 31st of August. A summer filled with nice memories! I also suggest going with this option so you can get the most out of it.
Step by step guide on how to get the free tickets
Cercanias / commuter pass
When I heard about this program last year, I was very excited! But found very little info on how to actually do it. I managed to figure it out on my own so you don’t have to!
I will show you how to get the free tickets for the Ceranias train, the commuter routes. Stay tuned for ideas on destination ideas from Valencia. I will share them soon!
The method I used is via the app. It is called “Cercanias”, you can download it from App Store/ Google Play, as you can check below.
Next, you need to select your city, mine is Valencia:
Choose a destination you are interested in, so you can continue. It is not so relevant, as you can use the pass for any destination on the Cercanias route from the selected city.
You also have to choose the date to travel.
I suggest if you want to maximize the travel time, to choose a date after 1st of May, so the pass will be available until 31st of August. If you choose a date in April, it will only be available until the end of April.
Next, they will show you the timeline, click on “buy”:
Now, you will have to choose the option “Ab. Recurrente“:
The next stept is clicking on “Pay”, the price should be 10 euros. This is the deposit that will be returned if you complete 16 trips. You would need to make an account if you don’t have one already.
You will be provided with a QR code that you can use to access the trains, by validating it.
Media Distancia / Medium distance pass
For Media Distancia, it is even easier, as you can check on this link the passes for the second quarter (May-August). It is designed in a way that you can only select the cities that are eligible for this program.
If the link above for Media Distancia is not working, as it happened to me once, you can try this one, choose Media Distancia/ Long Distance:
Then, scroll down and choose your desired pass, you can make one for kids as well. First quarter ends in April, the second one is from May to August.
This pass is a bit hidden in the website, but not impossible to find. Please be aware that this comes with some additional conditions such as:
- You can do a maximum of 4 trips per day and only between the selected cities, you cannot get off in-between
- You need to cancel the trip 60 minutes before if you will not make it, if you don’t do that for 3 consecutive times, you will be restricted from this program
- You need to occupy your assigned seat, or you may be considered absent from the trip
- You cannot go in the same directon twice, unless triple the amount of time allocated for the travel has passed since the train left. For example, you leave at 6 in the morning, and the duration of the trip is one hour. You cannot travel again in the same directon until 1hx3, 3 hours later, so at 9
I hope this helped, let me know if you have any questions!
I also wrote a guide on How to benefit from free public transportation in Valencia, Spain, if you are under 31 years old (Simple Steps) which you may be interested in!