The little-known way to travel across Spain by train for FREE this summer

Scottish Sun

18-07-2025

Plus, more on routes you can explore for free from Madrid and Seville
SI YA THERE The little-known way to travel across Spain by train for FREE this summer
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FOR anyone travelling across Spain, there is a clever hack to get train journeys for free.
Trainline has revealed a handy tip on how to travel through parts of Spain for absolutely nothing this summer.
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You can get a free ticket if you make a long-distance train journey in Spain
Credit: Alamy
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Use the commuter routes to head out of the cities for free
Credit: Alamy
To get journeys for free, visitors can buy a combined Cercanías ticket, which is called the Combinado Cercanías in Spanish.
The ticket essentially is included free of charge with tickets for some long-distance trains - these are run by Renfe and include AVE trains.
Travellers who have already bought a long-distance ticket won't need to buy another one to take a connecting local train as it is free with the combined Cercanías ticket.
The only condition is that you travel within four hours of when the booked train departs or leaves.
So if you're heading into the likes of Madrid or Barcelona by train, you will need to buy an actual ticket.
But from there, if you want to head out of the city to see mountains, lakes and other more tourist-free areas, you can do so by using the secondary and free ticket.
Sarah Helppi, UK Country Director at Trainline, added: 'This nifty feature means that in many cities you can get to the train station where your journey starts, or onto another location when you've reached your final stop, completely free of charge.
"For those keen to explore Spain, it means you can go beyond the main tourist hubs without the need to spend more.'
You don't have to faff around with printed tickets either as you can get a PDF on your phone - which you can do on the Trainline app.
If you want to buy a physical ticket, you can input the 5-digit code on the ticket into a ticket machine on the Cercanías train station platform.
Huge new train station to open in world's most popular city
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Head out of Seville to see beautiful hill towns
Credit: Alamy
This will print out the Combinado Cercanías ticket so you don't have to worry about your phone running out of charge.
Here are some of the best ways to see Spain via train, according to Trainline.
You can reach Madrid on high-speed trains from the cities of Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Malaga and Toleda.
One Sun Travel writer visited Madrid last year where they discovered amazing art galleries, swanky bars and £22 flights.
To then explore out of the city, hop on the Madrid Cercanías train network where you can go out into the Guadarrama Mountains.
Up there, there's a medieval monastery and traditional restaurants.
From Seville, you can pick up a commuter Cercanias train from Santa Justa station.
That will take you out to the hill towns of the Sierra Norte, Aljarafe, Dos Hermanos and Utrera.
Have a look before you travel at train routes and where a free ticket out of the city can get you for your next holiday.
Sun Travel's favourite train journeys in the world
Sun Travel's journalists have taken their fare share of train journeys on their travels and here they share their most memorable rail experiences.
Davos to Geneva, Switzerland
"After a ski holiday in Davos, I took the scenic train back to Geneva Airport. The snow-covered mountains and tiny alpine villages that we passed were so beautiful that it felt like a moving picture was playing beyond the glass." - Caroline McGuire
Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen
"Nothing quite beats the Shinkansen bullet train, one of the fastest in the world. It hardly feels like you're whizzing along at speed until you look outside and see the trees a green blur. Make sure to book seat D or E too - as you'll have the best view of Mount Fuji along the way." Kara Godfrey
London to Paris by Eurostar
"Those who have never travelled on the Eurostar may wonder what's so special about a seemingly ordinary train that takes you across the channel. You won't have to waste a moment and can tick off all the top attractions from the Louvre to the Champs-Élysées which are both less than five kilometres from the Gare du Nord." - Sophie Swietochowski
Glasgow to Fort William by Scotrail
"From mountain landscapes and serene lochs to the wistful moors, I spent my three-hour journey from Glasgow to Fort William gazing out the window. Sit on the left-hand side of the train for the best views overlooking Loch Lomond." - Hope Brotherton
Beijing to Ulaanbatar
"The Trans-Mongolian Express is truly a train journey like no other. It starts amid the chaos of central Beijing before the city's high-rises give way to crumbling ancient villages and eventually the vast vacant plains of Mongolia, via the Gobi desert. The deep orange sunset seen in the middle of the desert is among the best I've witnessed anywhere." - Ryan Gray
Before you go, check all the travel rules in Spain, from where to wear bikinis to beach games.
And from someone who visits Spain at least 8 times a year – here's how to avoid the common tourist mistakes that cost you money.