Renfe - timetable | PolishTrains

At a glance

• Renfe operates one of the best-developed rail networks in Europe, covering all major urban centres
• AVE high-speed trains reach speeds of over 300 km/h; Madrid to Barcelona takes around 2 hours 30 minutes
• Tickets can be purchased up to 80 days in advance, with the best fares available for early bookings
• Alvia trains combine high-speed and standard tracks to reach cities not served by dedicated AVE lines
• International services connect Spain with France, including Marseille, Lyon, Montpellier and Nimes
• Student discounts are available with an international ISIC card; a loyalty programme exists for passengers aged 14-25

The Renfe network is one of the best developed in Europe. Trains run between all major urban centres, as well as to many smaller towns and cities. AVE high-speed trains connect Madrid with Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, Malaga, Zaragoza or Córdoba, reaching speeds of over 300 km/h. This reduces the journey time between the capital and the coast to just a few hours, for example from Madrid to Barcelona the journey takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes and to Valencia less than 2 hours.

Renfe's daily timetable also includes services operated by Alvia trains, which can adapt to different types of track, combining high-speed lines with standard ones. This makes it possible to get from Madrid to Bilbao, San Sebastián or A Coruña, among others, without changing trains. For passengers travelling along the east coast, high-speed Euromed trains run between Barcelona, Tarragona, Castelló de la Plana, Valencia and Alicante.

Avant units run on medium-haul routes, created for people who want to reach smaller towns while maintaining the comfort and punctuality characteristic of Renfe. For this type of journey, passengers can choose between the routes: Madrid - Segovia - Valladolid, Málaga - Córdoba - Seville, Granada - Málaga or Granada - Ciudad Real - Puertollano. There are also a number of overnight connections with sleeper cars and couchettes, which make it possible to travel long distances in comfort, for example from Madrid to Galicia or the north of Portugal.

Renfe runs train traffic throughout the week, with the highest intensity on weekdays and holiday periods. On major routes such as Madrid - Barcelona or Madrid - Seville, trains run up to every 30 minutes. At weekends, the timetable proposed by Renfe is slightly less frequent, but still guarantees great flexibility in the choice of departure time.

The morning hours are dominated by service and business connections, while the afternoon courses are tailored to tourist traffic. During the summer season, Renfe increases the frequency of courses to coastal regions such as Valencia, Alicante and Malaga. It is easy to check current departure and arrival times on the carrier's website, mobile app and also on the PolishTrains website, with the possibility of filtering the results by train class, journey time or ticket price.

Although Renfe's main focus is on developing domestic connections, the carrier also plays an important role in international transport. Working in partnership with the French railways SNCF, it offers high-speed AVE International services that connect Spain with France. With these, it is possible to travel directly from Barcelona or Madrid to Marseille, Lyon, Montpellier or Nîmes, as well as to the southern regions of France.

This type of service is very popular because it allows passengers to move between countries in a fast and environmentally friendly way, without having to check in at airports. Trains run daily and the journey time from Barcelona to Marseille, for example, is around five hours. In addition, the carrier operates journeys to the Portuguese city of Porto. Routes to Porto are operated jointly with the Portuguese carrier Combios de Portugal .

The Spanish rail system is centralised around Madrid, which acts as a major interchange. From Madrid Puerta de Atocha - Almudena Grandes station, AVE trains leave for Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and Malaga, among others. Madrid Chamartín - Clara Campoamor station, on the other hand, operates services to the north of the country - to León, Santander and San Sebastián.

Renfe's timetable has been designed to allow easy transfers between different categories of train - both within the same city and between regions. In practice, this means that several connections can be used with a single ticket, making it easier to travel with changes. The Larga Distancia ticket can include transfers within a single order, and AVE tickets additionally include a free local journey 4 hours before and after the journey.

Where to find out what journeys are offered by Renfe? Train timetables can be found on the carrier's website and on the PolishTrains website, which presents the available courses in Polish. The search engine allows you to filter by departure time, route and type of train, and it only takes a few minutes to buy a ticket.

On PolishTrains, tickets are available electronically, with the option to save them on the mobile app or print them out. The system also reminds you of an upcoming departure and allows you to easily manage your order - change the date, return the ticket or download an invoice. Importantly, you will need an international ISIC card to benefit from student discounts . Tickets for Renfe courses can be purchased approximately 80 days in advance.

With such an organised offer, travelling by Renfe trains in Spain and Europe becomes not only fast, but also extremely convenient and stress-free.