Senior Discount Card

[Don McKay]

Will be arriving in Madrid on a Wednesday at 8 a.m. Taking train to Leon at 2:40 p.m. Would like to purchase a seniors discount card at airport and then purchase train ticket. Can that be done or should I purchase train ticket prior to leaving Canada and forgot about the seniors discount? Please advise.

 

[whariwharangi]

Cost of Senior card is 6 Euro. It gives 40% discounts on selected days.

Cost of ticket on this Wednesday's 1440 train is 38.40 Euro. With 40% discount cost of ticket is 23.04 Euro. Net saving is 9 Euro.

You should be able to buy Senior discount card and Renfe tickets at the airport Cercanias station or the Chamartin Station prior to boarding your train.

Information about Senior's discount card is here.
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/tarifas/tarjeta_dorada.html

I wouldn't normally consider purchase of tickets in advance for onward travel on a day arriving by plane. Too often there are significant flight delays. You have lots of time though and buying in advance may result in significant savings.

You could try purchasing Senior Discount Card and tickets from Renfe Sales point in Canada.

Renfe's International Sales Points
http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/viajes_internacionales/puntosventa_internacional.html

 

[tominrm]

Yes, as whariwharangi says you can buy the discount card (Tarjeta Dorada) at the airport train station. But I am not sure about 40% discount. I think it is about 25%. In my past experience if I buy ticket online in advance, sometimes it is cheaper than buying a ticket at the station using the discount card.
Another advantage of buying the ticket online is that if you show your ticket at the airport, they will give you free Cercania ticket to the train station where your real train trip starts in Madrid (either Charmartin or Atocha).

 

[Bradypus]

But I am not sure about 40% discount. I think it is about 25%.

That is explained in one of the RENFE links posted above by @whariwharangi : 25% discount on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and 40% discount on other days.

 

[C clearly]

That is explained in one of the RENFE links posted above by @whariwharangi : 25% discount on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and 40% discount on other days.

And sometimes there are special prices that have similar discounts for non-seniors, and the seniors' discount does not apply further.

 

[Patch]

Thanks, very useful to know

 

[movinmaggie]

Cost of Senior card is 6 Euro. It gives 40% discounts on selected days.

Cost of ticket on this Wednesday's 1440 train is 38.40 Euro. With 40% discount cost of ticket is 23.04 Euro. Net saving is 9 Euro.

You should be able to buy Senior discount card and Renfe tickets at the airport Cercanias station or the Chamartin Station prior to boarding your train.

Information about Senior's discount card is here.
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/tarifas/tarjeta_dorada.html

I wouldn't normally consider purchase of tickets in advance for onward travel on a day arriving by plane. Too often there are significant flight delays. You have lots of time though and buying in advance may result in significant savings.

You could try purchasing Senior Discount Card and tickets from Renfe Sales point in Canada.

Renfe's International Sales Points
http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/viajes_internacionales/puntosventa_internacional.html

Thanks for this very helpful indo....perhaps these Senior discounts are only valid within Spain? I just went to Renfe's international site in Canada to inquire about train assistance in Scotland where I'll be walking this Spring. I did ask about Senior discounts. They don't issue discounts to Seniors; the only discount is for rail passes, but because as I only require a 'to and from' trip, a pass it really not necessary.

 

[whariwharangi]

Thanks for this very helpful indo....perhaps these Senior discounts are only valid within Spain? I just went to Renfe's international site in Canada to inquire about train assistance in Scotland where I'll be walking this Spring. I did ask about Senior discounts. They don't issue discounts to Seniors; the only discount is for rail passes, but because as I only require a 'to and from' trip, a pass it really not necessary.

Renfe is Spain's national railway. I doubt Renfe would offer discounts on train trips in Scotland as the trains there are operated by Abellio under the banner of Scotrail. The international sales point in Canada is a travel business and is not owned by Renfe.

Scotrail
https://www.scotrail.co.uk/

UK National Rail does offer Railcards for Seniors which applies on Scotrail fares. At £30 per year you'd need to consider if it is worth it for a one-of journey.
http://www.senior-railcard.co.uk/

 

[movinmaggie]

Renfe is Spain's national railway. I doubt Renfe would offer discounts on train trips in Scotland as the trains there are operated by Abellio under the banner of Scotrail. The international sales point in Canada is a travel business and is not owned by Renfe.

Scotrail
https://www.scotrail.co.uk/

UK National Rail does offer Railcards for Seniors which applies on Scotrail fares. At £30 per year you'd need to consider if it is worth it for a one-of journey.
http://www.senior-railcard.co.uk/

I though it might be something like you've so helpfully explained. Many thanks.

 

[fraluchi]

I seem to remember that some offices request proof of being a permanent resident in order to obtain the discount.
This was not the case when I traveled on buses last month (October 2016): they applied a discount without questioning. Same with RENFE in Madrid. Maybe my grey hair and fluent Spanish (apart from an honest look ) were sufficient proof?

 

[movinmaggie]

I seem to remember that some offices request proof of being a permanent resident in order to obtain the discount.
This was not the case when I traveled on buses last month (October 2016): they applied a discount without questioning. Same with RENFE in Madrid. Maybe my grey hair and fluent Spanish (apart from an honest look ) were sufficient proof?

As it happens, I also hold an EU passport; perhaps that will help....just as soon as I get it renewed.

 

[Patch]

UK National Rail does offer Railcards for Seniors which applies on Scotrail fares. At £30 per year you'd need to consider if it is worth it for a one-of journey.
http://www.senior-railcard.co.uk/[/QUOTE]

National Express (long distance coach/bus operator) also do a senior discount card. http://www.nationalexpress.com/offers/coachcards/senior-coachcard.aspx

The UK Senior railcard is valid for the whole of the UK (Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England)

In addition seniors get free off peak bus journeys, but only in their country - but I am pretty sure you have to be a resident to qualify for this.

 

[Tincatinker]

Thanks for this very helpful indo....perhaps these Senior discounts are only valid within Spain? I just went to Renfe's international site in Canada to inquire about train assistance in Scotland where I'll be walking this Spring. I did ask about Senior discounts. They don't issue discounts to Seniors; the only discount is for rail passes, but because as I only require a 'to and from' trip, a pass it really not necessary.

The UK equivalent is the Senior Railcard available to the over 60's for a mere £30 and entitling them to a 33% discount on just about all fares bar peak travel in London & the South-East where most rail journeys are undertaken. Probably worthwhile if you are planning extensive rail travel in the UK, or are contemplating one of the premium priced journeys such as the West Highland sleeper, but you may need to spend some time on http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/default.aspx and with a pocket calculator to hand to work out whether the effort to return ratio is anywhere near the 'gain' end. Further confusing information is available at http://www.senior-railcard.co.uk/

I have always found the Tarjeta Dorada to be a beneficial investment but I tend to travel mid-week.

 

[C clearly]

I seem to remember that some offices request proof of being a permanent resident in order to obtain the discount.

This does not seem to be the case. I have bought the Tarjeta Dorada 2 or 3 times in different places, by using my Canadian passport as identification, and having no address in Spain.

 

[Kanga]

Yes, I also have had no problem getting the Target Dorada in Spain, using my Australian passport as identification and without a Spanish address.

If I ever do need a Spanish address I use that of the Madrid hotel in which I will spend my last night before flying home.

 

[jo webber]

Great information. We can both qualify for the discount card. Thank you!!!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have a Tarjeta Dorada. I have never used the senior fare. There has always been a special fare offer that was lower than the Dorada!!

 

[jburr3708]

I have used the tarjeta dorada in Spain buying it at Atocha station at the same time as the train ticket. I used a US passport and got a 40% reduction. Well worth it since it is valid for 12 months from date of issue. For €6.00 there is not much risk.

 

[Kanga]

I bought a target dorada in May last year and wondered why I'd bothers, as I only had one train trip during that Camino and normally I would only get one camino out of a 12 month period. How wrong was I! Unexpectedly I came back in the autumn and used it again to and from Madrid, and then in May of this year where I used it a third time to and from Madrid. Pretty good.

 

[FLEUR]

That is explained in one of the RENFE links posted above by @whariwharangi : 25% discount on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and 40% discount on other days.

Yes, 're the discount s that's correct. You need I.D.(passport). when you buy the senior card €6. Very easy and extremely useful. One of the joys I'd being over 60

 

[FLEUR]

Between Sarria and Finisterre I somehow lost my carte dorada. I asked at the Renfe bureau next to the Pilgrims'office in Santiago whether they could sell me another, half expecting to be sent to the train station. The assistant asked for my passport, checked on her computer and 're issued my card FOC. Amazing!

 

[Rod Murray]

Will be arriving in Madrid on a Wednesday at 8 a.m. Taking train to Leon at 2:40 p.m. Would like to purchase a seniors discount card at airport and then purchase train ticket. Can that be done or should I purchase train ticket prior to leaving Canada and forgot about the seniors discount? Please advise.

We did all our bookings online, as far in advance as possible to make tickets the cheapest (although we are not (yet) seniors. Booking well in advance was very inexpensive e.g Barcelona to Ponferrada 1st class Preferente was 45 euros

This site gives volumes of info about Spanish train travel: http://www.seat61.com/Spain-trains.htm

We used the Renfe app for iPhone to keep all our tickets and boarding passes

 

[Kevin F. O*brien]

Will be arriving in Madrid on a Wednesday at 8 a.m. Taking train to Leon at 2:40 p.m. Would like to purchase a seniors discount card at airport and then purchase train ticket. Can that be done or should I purchase train ticket prior to leaving Canada and forgot about the seniors discount? Please advise.

Hello Don, just to fill out Whariwharangi's very accurate and informative reply. "Tarjeta Doradas" (Senior discount) tickets cost, as mentioned 6 Euros. They cannot be bought anywhere though. Barajas, Chamartin, Atocha and other main railway stations sell them. They cannot be purchased online and they are only valid for use in Spain. You don't have to be a resident, a passport is sufficient. The amount of discount varies according to the weekday involved. Midweek gives around 40 percent and it goes down to 25 percent on the weekend. I arrived once on a morning flight, and got the AVE to Leon on the same afternoon, having purchased my TD at Chamartin. Saving (Wednesday) 40 percent. NB. Once you have the TD you can use it with its unique serial number for ticket purchase online.

 

[scott almburg]

Will be arriving in Madrid on a Wednesday at 8 a.m. Taking train to Leon at 2:40 p.m. Would like to purchase a seniors discount card at airport and then purchase train ticket. Can that be done or should I purchase train ticket prior to leaving Canada and forgot about the seniors discount? Please advise.

Check out www.loco2.com for train tickets. You can pick senior pricing. There are non-flexible, semi-flexible and flexible tickets available - depending on if cancellation, refunds or rescheduling are needed There is a 11:05 train that is less expensive than the 14:40 train. You can download the ticket in PDF form and print out. Note: You may have trouble using a credit card on Renfee, but they take payments via Paypal as well.