When you want to travel
Booking strategy
Fare buckets (AVE / Larga Distancia)
Booking timeline (9-week window)
Ico = discounted non-exchangeable, Promo = cheapest but non-exchangeable/non-refundable, Standard = mid, Flexible = full refund/exchange but most expensive. Promo tickets sell out first on busy routes.
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How to read results
- Optimal book date is the best day to actually click "buy" 鈥?usually when the booking window first opens for the cheapest buckets.
- Ico tickets allow a single date/time change for a small fee (around 鈧?0鈥?0). Promo tickets do not 鈥?they are non-exchangeable, non-refundable. Both are sold in limited quantities.
- Standard / Elige fares offer flexibility for ~50鈥?00% more than Promo. Pick these if your plans are uncertain.
- Media Distancia / Cercan铆as are regional. Cercan铆as can usually be bought the day-of, but Media Distancia on competitive routes (e.g. Madrid鈥揤alencia regional stopping service) fills up a week ahead.
Limitations
- Renfe occasionally opens new bookings in 6-week blocks when timetable changes; dates can shift by hours.
- Ico and Promo quotas are dynamic 鈥?once a bucket sells out, the next-best fare is shown.
- This tool assumes a regular departure (Tue/Wed/Thu). Friday and Sunday long-corridor trains fill up Ico and Promo within days of release.
- Iryo and Ouigo use different bucket structures. Use the AVE optimizer (Tool 01) for those.
FAQ
Is Ico cheaper than Promo? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Promo is the absolute floor; Ico is a step above with limited flexibility. Both are usually much cheaper than Standard.
What is "B谩sico"? On some AVE services Renfe has renamed Elige 鈫?B谩sico. Basic and Elige are mid-tier 鈥?full exchangeable for fee.
Can I book Renfe with a non-EU passport? Yes, but you'll need to physically collect tickets at station with the passport used to book.
What about the Abono Recurrente? For trips within ~1 month, "Abono Recurrente" gets you 10% off Ico/Promo tickets. Stack with Ico.