Starting December 12, 2026, passengers on certain regional and medium-distance routes in Spain will be able to travel without a prior seat reservation. Plans are also in place to make it easier to bring along bicycles and pets.
Spain Expat Press Editorial Team
by Marlon Gallego Bosbach
The Spanish railway company Renfe is changing its travel terms and conditions for selected regional and medium-distance routes. Starting December 12, 2026, the requirement to reserve a numbered seat before a journey will be dropped on several connections. At the same time, the company intends to make it easier for passengers to bring along bicycles and pets.
With this change, Renfe aims to simplify the process of purchasing tickets and boarding trains. The new model is designed, in particular, to meet the needs of passengers who regularly use regional trains for commuting or other everyday travel. However, the changes do not apply to the entire Spanish rail network; initially, they will only affect selected routes.
These routes are affected
The changes apply to connections within several autonomous communities, including Galicia, the Valencian Community, Murcia, Extremadura, Aragon, Castile and León, as well as Navarre and the Basque Country.
The affected routes include, among others, the connections between A Coruña–Vigo Guixar and A Coruña–Ferrol in Galicia. The Valencia–Alicante–Murcia–Cartagena line is also part of this transition. In Extremadura, it affects sections such as Cáceres–Valencia de Alcántara and Badajoz–Villanueva de la Serena.
Further changes are planned for the Burgos–Vitoria–Pamplona–Zaragoza, Valencia–Teruel–Zaragoza, and Salamanca–Valladolid–Palencia routes. Some of these lines represent segments of longer rail connections.
The abolition of seat reservations means that passengers on the affected routes no longer require a pre-assigned seat. However, this does not guarantee that a seat will be available. Consequently, shortages may still occur, particularly on trains with high occupancy.
Bicycles can be taken along at no extra charge
In addition to the seat allocation policy, Renfe is also adjusting the terms for transporting bicycles. On the affected routes, the current surcharge for bringing along complete, non-dismantled bicycles is set to be eliminated.
With this, the company aims to make it easier to combine train travel with cycling. The change is particularly relevant for passengers who wish to take their bicycles along when commuting to work, going on excursions, or traveling between different cities. All other existing terms and conditions of carriage remain unaffected.
Relaxations are also planned regarding pets
Further changes concern the carriage of pets. For animals weighing up to ten kilograms that travel in a transport carrier, the current additional charge is to be dropped. A similar relaxation of the rules is also planned for dogs weighing up to 40 kilograms.
According to the company, the exemption from additional fees already applies to certain fare options and is set to be extended to other relevant routes in the coming weeks. With this move, Renfe aims to make rail travel more accessible for people traveling with their pets.
Renfe opts for greater flexibility
With these changes, Renfe aims to make its regional and medium-distance service offerings simpler and more flexible. In addition to the elimination of seat reservations, lower extra charges for bicycles and pets are also intended to make using the trains more attractive.
The new terms will apply to selected routes starting December 12, 2026. This does not entail a general abolition of seat reservations for all Renfe trains. Furthermore, the announced reform does not automatically include any changes to standard ticket prices.
