Free Train Travel in Spain for Habitual Travellers

Scope Free Train Travel in Spain

The focus of this article is free train travel in Barcelona and Catalonia but the information contained is valid for other parts of Spain.

Introduction to Free Train Travel in Spain

First, there are multiple transport networks and rail operators in Catalunya:
1. TMB metro, trams and busses
2. Renfe Rodalies/Cercanies (commuter trains)
3. Renfe Regional/Medium Distance (inter city trains within a region)
4. Renfe AVE/AVANT (High speed/Long distance trains)
5. Ouigo (High speed/Long distance)
6. Iryo (High speed/Long distance)
7. FGC commuter trains va the (Anoia-Llobregat & Valés commuter lines)

for a breakdown of each network see my Public transport guide.

Only Renfe Rodalies/Cercanies and Renfe Regional/Meduim Distance Are participating in the scheme for "free" train tickets.

The scheme was announced in July 2022 as part of the Spanish Government's effort to reduce the cost of living following skyrocketing inflation after covid. The goverment are subsidising the national rail operator, Renfe.

The Free Train Tickets scheme will continue into 2025.

RENFE Abono Ticket Validity

Instead of buying a normal single, return or monthly season ticket, the The free train travel scheme works where a traveller purchases an Abono ticket covering a four month period.

Costs for the Abono are:
• Rodalies/Cercanies: 4 month Abono is a €10
• Regional/Media Distancia: 4 month Abono is a €20

The Renfe Abono tickets are valid for four months and at the start of each four month cycle you will have to purchase a new abono ticket paying the 10 or 20 euro deposit. The Abono tickets can be purchased usually a few days before the start of each 4 month cycle.

1. Four month cycle: Valid from 1st January to 30th April
2. Four months cycle: valid from 1st May to 31st August
3. Four months cycle: valid from 1st September to 31st December

Renfe will refund the previous cycle's Abono in the first weeks of the start of a new cycle if you have met the criteria of making at least 16 journeys in the four month cycle. If you make less than 16 journeys, Renfe will retain the 10 or 20 euro deposit.

The Renfe free train tickets scheme is only designed for commuters that make the same journey for work multiple times a week from the same origin and destination station and is not valid to get off the train at intermediary stations.

How to Purchase an Abono Ticket

Note: You need to know what transport network you would like an Abono for: Rodalies/Cercanies (€10) or Regional/Media Distancia (€20).

You can purchase the Abono ticket at ticket machines and station ticket offices using the touch screen to input your personal details such as DNI/NIE/TIE that you previously registered on the Renfe Portal. The bank card that you use to purchase the ticket is the one that Renfe will use for the refund.

Alternatively, travellers that are registered on the Renfe web portal can obtain the Abono online, which will be a QR code via the Renfe app on the mobile phone. You will have to use the QR code in a ticket machine to obtain the physical paper ticket with the magnetic strip that will allow you to get through the ticket barriers at the stations.

On August 24th 2022, Renfe published a video (in Spanish) explaining the process in more detail.

How to Register on the Renfe Web Portal

• Step 1: Register using this link.
• Step 2: Download the app for renfe Cercanies for Android or Apple.
• Step 3: Purchase ticket through the app selecting origin and destination station, date and time of travel.
• Step 4: In the drop down select a tariff "Seleccione una tarifa", Chose the new "Abono gratuito para viajero frecuente".
• Step 5: This will generate a QR code and a 7 digit pin that you can find in the menu "Comprar billetes - Mis billetes".
• Step 6: When you arrive at the station present the QR code and 7 digit pin in the self service ticket machines or ticket office where you will receive a physical train ticket for the journey. Remember to validate your journey before starting and to ensure it counts towards your minimum of 16 trips.

source: Renfe Cercanies abonos.

Other Rail & Transport Network Discounts

1. TMB network: Monthly season tickets that include Barcelona trams, metro and buses had been reduced by upto 50% for the T-usual, the T-jove (for under 30 year olds) and the T-70/90.
2. T-casual 1 zone: which I habitually use is a ticket of 10 trips for travel inside the city which is not discounted.
3. Hola BCN cards: are also not discounted.
4. FGC lines: discoults if using monthly season tickets such as T-usual, T-jove and T-70/90 when you chose the relevant corresponding zone.
5. FGC tourist train lines like the Cremallera de Montserrat and Cremallera de Nuria are not discounted.

Some of Renfe's Avant and high-speed AVE (Alta Velocidad España) services may have a 50% discount if the travel time is less than 100 minutes but many of these schemes have been discontinued. for cheap high speed train travel check the Ouigo and Iryo train operators.

Source: Gencat Abono Gratuito Article.

Source: TMB Fares reduction page.

Renfe Abono Updates and Recent Anouncments

UPDATE 1: This scheme has been extended into 2024. I have been using it to buy an Abono Gratis ticket, recently to explore Tarragona, visiting over multiple days. In January and February I will be exploring new places using the free train travel pass.

UPDATE 2: Recently I have seen some articles that suggest that the free train tickets Renfe Abono scheme will terminate at the end of August 2024. However checking on the Renfe webite it appears that the Abonos Gratis tickets will be available for the cycle of September 2024 to end of December 2024.

UPDATE 3: Abono Gratis tickets for the first period of 2025 (1st January to 30th April) have been confirmed and can be purchased from the 27th December 2024.

Source: Renfe Abono Gratis

Source: Renfe Abonos Gratis para Cercanías y Media distancia

Source: Renfe Abono Rodalies Catalunya

My Opinion and Conclusions

While free train travel is fantastic news for people that make the same habitual journeys to and from work, the scheme is also collecting a lot of personal data about passengers and does require multiple steps to set up and benefit from. Aditionally, when you make your first train trip and select the free ticket option this will be recorded as your chosen destination and you will only be able to make free trips to this destination.

The scheme does not include any provision for travel for tourism and does not cover the Montserrat Cremallera and Vall de Nuria Cremallera. The Hola BCN card is still the same price. This scheme is targeted specifically at citizens who commute for work. However, The Abono can be used for leisure travel if you are prepared to travel to the same place in each four month cycle. For example I used the Abono to visit Tarragona on multiple occasions.

The best way to travel for tourism and leisure and one off trips is still to buy a return ticket, with most train tickets being cheap compared to other cities in Europe.

To explore where you can go by train in Catalunya see my pages on:
• Travel up to one hour from barcelona by train or bus.
• Travel 1 to 2 hours by train from Barcelona
• Travel 2 to 3 hours by train from Barcelona