How do I reserve seats on the Eurail in Spain?

You can make seat reservations through the Eurail.com website for 95% of all European trains. To do this, you need a Eurail Pass and a Eurail.com account. You can also book many trains through our Rail Planner App.



In 2026, Spain remains one of the more "reservation-heavy" countries for Eurail pass holders. You must have a seat reservation for all high-speed AVE, Alvia, and Avant trains, as well as many long-distance "Intercity" services. These reservations cannot usually be made at a local ticket machine; you must either book them through the Eurail website/app (which carries a booking fee), at a RENFE ticket counter once you arrive in Spain, or through a third-party service like Polrail. For 2026 travelers, a high-value "pro-tip" is that Spanish train reservations often sell out days in advance during summer. If you can't get a reservation, look for the "Media Distancia" (Regional) trains; while they are slower, many do not require reservations, allowing you to use your Eurail pass spontaneously. Note that a standard AVE reservation typically costs €10 for 2nd class (Turista) and €23 for 1st class (Preferente), which often includes a meal at your seat, making the 1st-class "upgrade" fee a surprisingly good value for long trips like Madrid to Barcelona.

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Your seat will be automatically assigned when you complete your reservation. You may change your assigned seat and choose a different seat at any time after your booking is complete by viewing your reservation in the Amtrak app or on Amtrak.com.

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We advise you to start making reservations at least 2 months in advance. Many high-speed and night trains can already be reserved from 3 months in advance, and will get fully booked in that period.

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Because some trains are more expensive than others, or historically have received less income from Eurail/Interrail to cover the large amount of passholders making use of those trains (Spain and France mainly). Reservations are usually a fraction of the cost of regular 1st class tickets, with some exceptions.

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The email says this: “Remember, you'll need physical copies of your reservations to show the conductor on board the train, along with your eurail Pass. Showing this email won't be enough, so make sure you keep your print-outs somewhere safe.”

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On all trains covered by Interrail/Eurail: No, just as long as you can carry it. Be aware stowing away large suitcases on busy trains can be a bit difficult, but there often are luggage racks. There are some exceptions on “low-cost” trains, that I know: Ouigo (France & Spain) and Avlo (Spain).

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Yes! All long distance trains in Spain and even some shorter distance regional ones require a seat reservation, you cannot just turn up and hop on.

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The Seat Selection add-on allows you to choose the seat in which you will travel. Travel with your most loyal friend for just €10 more.

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Many trains offer you a choice of seat types. For day trains, your choice of seating depends on the extra facilities and amount of legroom. For night trains, your choice ranges from a reclining airline-type seat to a private cabin with a comfy bed.

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The perks. Traveling first class usually means spacious, comfortable seats, amenities such as USB-ports, free Wi-Fi and – in some cases – complimentary drinks and meals. Sometimes the perks of traveling first class even start before boarding the train, with access to lounges and priority check-in.

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Here's how the 7pm rule works If your overnight train is leaving after 7pm then you can put in the following day's date on your rail pass and use one rather than two days of travel for the overnight trip.

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Passengers with an adult ticket can take a maximum of two bags (up to 85cm long) including rucksacks, suitcases or ski equipment and one small item of hand luggage. Child passengers (4-11 year olds) can travel with a maximum of one bag (up to 85cm long) and one piece of hand luggage.

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Advance tickets can be an especially smart buy for popular high-speed trains (such as France's TGV trains and Italy's Le Frecce trains), which frequently sell out.

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How do you avoid a seat selection fee? If you're traveling with a group, the best way to avoid a seat selection fee is to book your seats at the same time. If the airline is assigning seats for you, it typically seats people under the same record locator number together.

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