Portugal Travel map

If you'll be taking three or more long train rides in Spain, a rail pass can make sense. Otherwise, it's unlikely to save you any money, especially if your train travel doesn't extend beyond Spain. A rail pass doesn't provide much hop-on convenience in Spain, since many trains require paid seat reservations, as indicated in train schedules (see for more Spain-specific reservation advice). Furthermore, many areas of Spain aren't well served by its train system — for many trips.

How do I see whether a rail pass makes sense for my trip in particular?

Map shows approximate costs, in $US, for one-way, second-class tickets. For first-class fares, add 50 percent.

Use this map to add up approximate pay-as-you-go fares for your itinerary, and for the number of days you expect to spend on the train. Fares shown on the map include reservations when required, but they cost extra when using a rail pass. Dashed lines show bus connections, and dotted lines show ferry routes, neither of which are covered by rail passes.

Also, follow the links below for:

• More tips for figuring out whether a pass makes sense for your trip
• The basics on choosing among rail passes
• More tips for getting the most out of a rail pass
• General advice on deciding between first and second class
• Fare-estimate maps outside Spain & Portugal
• Answers to frequently asked rail-pass questions

What are my options for rail passes that cover Spain?

Choose one of the passes below to check prices and to buy your pass (orders are fulfilled by Rail Europe).

Eurail Global Pass: 20% Off Sale →

► If your train travels include France as well as Spain, it's worth noting that seat reservations on the direct France–Spain TGV trains (Paris–Avignon–Barcelona or Marseille–Barcelona–Madrid) cost the same with a single-country Spain Eurail Pass (or France Rail Pass) as they do with a Select Pass covering both countries ($13–32 in second class or $17–41 in first class, depending on distance). However, other Select Passes that include Spain, but not France (such as a two-country Portugal–Spain pass) only cover you to/from the French border, not in unnamed countries.

Extra tip #2: If you're considering a two-country Italy–Spain Select Pass, note that it doesn't cover any train travel through France (it does, however, get you a 20 percent discount on Grimaldi Lines ferries between Italy and Spain, as do other Select Passes and the Global Pass). If you're considering adding France to your Select Pass just to cover that stretch, keep in mind that you can also cover that route by buying a separate point-to-point train ticket (roughly $130 in second class) once you get to Europe (or fly).

Extra tip #3: If you're considering a two-country Portugal–Spain pass, note that it's priced in the highest category, even though neither of these countries, when part of a three- or four-country Select Pass, fall in the highest price tier. That means that, oddly enough, you may be able to save money by adding a third country (France or Italy) onto a two-country Portugal–Spain pass. The Portugal–Spain pass only makes sense over a three-country pass for one kind of traveler: adults over 26 who'd like the option to save money by getting a second-class pass (since travelers over 26 don't have a second-class option on three- and four-country Select Passes).

Do I need to make seat reservations on Spanish trains?

For most trains between most major destinations, yes, you do. Seat reservations can sell out well in advance of the train's departure, especially for people traveling with a rail pass, so book your seats as soon as you feel comfortable committing to a certain time and date (you can book up to 60 days out, though Spanish train schedules may not be published all that far ahead of the seasonal adjustments to the schedules, which usually happen in mid-June, September, and December). Most seat reservations cost $10–20 in second class; first-class reservations cost $35 for trips that include a meal.

Extra tip: Between Madrid and Toledo, you'll pay just as much for a (required) seat reservation with a rail pass as you would in flat-out paying for a point-to-point ticket, so it makes no sense to use a pass on this stretch.

Any tips for buying point-to-point train tickets in Spain?