Tarjeta Dorada

[Steve Z.]

For folks Sixty years of age or older, there is a discount card available at the RENFE stations, It's called: "Tarjeta Dorada" or (Gold Card). It provides discounts of 25% on weekend travel and 40 % during the week, off peak, on RENFE trains. We found this € 5,15 investment worth while just in the fare from Santiago to Madrid.

 

[lynnejohn]

Hi Steve Z. -

Great discount, isn't it? Here is more information on a previous thread:

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/tarjeta-dorada.20600/

 

[peregrina2000]

For folks Sixty years of age or older, there is a discount card available at the RENFE stations, It's called: "Tarjeta Dorada" or (Gold Card). It provides discounts of 25% on weekend travel and 40 % during the week, off peak, on RENFE trains. We found this € 5,15 investment worth while just in the fare from Santiago to Madrid.

I agree that it is a very good discount. It also applies on the RENFE cercanias (commuter) trains.

The cards last for one year and are easy to buy at the RENFE offices. The office at the Madrid airport T4 is always empty and a great place to buy your tickets and your tarjeta dorada.

 

[gerardcarey]

I used it in 2012 for the night train from Santiago to Barcelona.
Great discount, but next time I'll take a sleeper.
The seats are good, but not that good.

 

[vicrev]

Hi Steve Z.....Do you have to be a Spanish national ,or from a European country to get the discount ?......Vicrev

 

[piogaw]

Hi Steve Z.....Do you have to be a Spanish national ,or from a European country to get the discount ?......Vicrev

Hello vicrev,

You do not have to be a spanish national to obtain a tarjeta dorada. Any nationality can applied for one at any renfe office. Just present your passport when applying and renfe will issue you an id card with a reference number. Everytime you buy a renfe ticket at the counter, just present your tarjeta dorada and the discount will be applied immediately. You do not have to ask for the discount. If you purchase a ticket through the ticket purchase machine in the station, you will be asked to pen in your reference number to be avail of the discount.

Hope this helps. Buen camino.

 

[vicrev]

Thanks piogaw....................Vicrev

 

[Steve Z.]

Hello vicrev,

You do not have to be a spanish national to obtain a tarjeta dorada. Any nationality can applied for one at any renfe office. Just present your passport when applying and renfe will issue you an id card with a reference number. Everytime you buy a renfe ticket at the counter, just present your tarjeta dorada and the discount will be applied immediately. You do not have to ask for the discount. If you purchase a ticket through the ticket purchase machine in the station, you will be asked to pen in your reference number to be avail of the discount.

Hope this helps. Buen camino.

Absolutely correct, we are from the U.S. and we're able to get the card. The fare from Santiago C. To Madrid was €33.00..

 

[kmrice]

Last month, the RENFE office near the Pilgrim Office on Rue de Villar in Santiago did not sell/issue the Tarjeta Dorada. They said to get it at the train station.

At the train station, the ticket agent gave us a 40% discount on the TrenHotel to Madrid based on our ages as shown on our passports, but did not require us to purchase, or pay for, Tarjetas Dorada.

The TrenHotel was great, although having dinner at 10:30 seemed pretty late to us, fresh off the Camino. After sleeping in Alberques for a month, the noise of the train didn't bother us at all and we slept well.

It's the slowest train in the world - it needs to be to stretch out the ride so it can be an overnighter. The other trains coming in had these sleek, space age, locomotives. The HotelTren is pulled by something that looks like it was built in 1960 or so.

We loved it and would do it again.

Karl
From the station, it was an easy, fast, and cheap subway ride to Puerta del Sol, where our hotel was.

 

[piogaw]

Last month, the RENFE office near the Pilgrim Office on Rue de Villar in Santiago did not sell/issue the Tarjeta Dorada. They said to get it at the train station.

At the train station, the ticket agent gave us a 40% discount on the TrenHotel to Madrid based on our ages as shown on our passports, but did not require us to purchase, or pay for, Tarjetas Dorada.

The TrenHotel was great, although having dinner at 10:30 seemed pretty late to us, fresh off the Camino. After sleeping in Alberques for a month, the noise of the train didn't bother us at all and we slept well.

It's the slowest train in the world - it needs to be to stretch out the ride so it can be an overnighter. The other trains coming in had these sleek, space age, locomotives. The HotelTren is pulled by something that looks like it was built in 1960 or so.

We loved it and would do it again.

Karl
From the station, it was an easy, fast, and cheap subway ride to Puerta del Sol, where our hotel was.

Hello karl,

The renfe office next door to the oficina del peregrino is not really a full pledged renfe office. That is why they were unavailable to sell you a tarjeta dorada.

I am glad that you enjoyed your trenhotel to madrid. The day train from sdc to santiago takes 5 hour and 44 minutes. The train station agent must be having a good day as you were not required to buy a tarjeta dorada. Normally it is a requirement to show a discount card for seniors. This is the second time i have heard of someone buying a ticket without a discount card for seniors. However you did shown your passports that prove your ages, so was given the discount. One good thing about buying train ticket in spain is that you do not have to argue with the agents to get a discount, if you are eligible they will usually give you the benefit of a doubt.

I hope you did have a wonderful camino frances, and do come back for your next camino.

God bless.

 

[freescot]

The tarjeta dorada is a great help and I'm sure this is a very useful post for many. I'd only add that, if you know your dates it's worth looking at the RENFE web page for early booking discounts. These can save even more than the 40% from the Tarjeta dorada. The web discounts can't be used together with the card. Also cheap flights by Ryanair, for instance, can be cheaper than RENFE, even with the card.
For me the great advantage of the card is that it guarantees this 40% discount even at the last minute.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I got mine last year and used it for the train and also for entrance into the ruins at Merida.
That was the ONLY place except for the train that I got a discount.
However, for 5 euros, I saved a lot on train travel.

The discount amounts depend on the day you travel, by the way.

 

[piogaw]

For folks Sixty years of age or older, there is a discount card available at the RENFE stations, It's called: "Tarjeta Dorada" or (Gold Card). It provides discounts of 25% on weekend travel and 40 % during the week, off peak, on RENFE trains. We found this € 5,15 investment worth while just in the fare from Santiago to Madrid.

Hi steve,

I want to mention to you that the discount applies on all renfe trains at anytime of the day, during peak time and off peak time.

Buen camino.

 

[Steve Z.]

Hi steve,

I want to mention to you that the discount applies on all renfe trains at anytime of the day, during peak time and off peak time.

Buen camino.

I believe that the discount is for off peak, I could be wrong but that was my understanding. Also, it is my understanding that the discount is 40% during the week, and 25% on the weekends. Still, a great benefit for travel in Spain. Cheers!

 

[piogaw]

I believe that the discount is for off peak, I could be wrong but that was my understanding. Also, it is my understanding that the discount is 40% during the week, and 25% on the weekends. Still, a great benefit for travel in Spain. Cheers!

hello steve,

i have travelled quite frequently on renfe trains and the tarjeta dorada applies at all times. you can even use it to buy a ticket at the last minute. as also mentioned previously by peregrina2000, the discount also applies to all cercanias (commuter/suburban trains).

buen camino.

 

[peregrina2000]

I think you're both right. The discount is 40% on Monday through Thursday, and 25% on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. But it's 40% all the time on Cercanias.
There is no peak-off peak difference on any given day.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I think you're both right. The discount is 40% on Monday through Thursday, and 25% on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. But it's 40% all the time on Cercanias.
There is no peak-off peak difference on any given day.

This was my experience, as well.

 

[Al the optimist]

I used mine to get a discounted tour of the Opera House in Valencia