Free Renfe season passes brought the usual mischief that comes when people try to game a system they do not truly need. Last week, EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA, a member of the Prensa Ibérica group, already warned that some users would reserve seats on Media Distancia trains and fail to show up before departure. The result looked like full trains, but once travel began, many seats remained empty, creating an illusion of saturation and harming regular passengers who couldn’t find a seat.
The railway company is taking steps to curb this recurring pattern. It changed the reservation policy, implementing two new measures since Friday, September 16, as reported by Europa Press and confirmed here. First, it will block return-travel reservations for users who do not participate in their contracted round trip. Travelers will have a reasonable window to purchase the return ticket. Second, Renfe will cap reservations per day at four—two outbound and two return—to prevent disadvantaging regular riders who usually board these trains and arrive home around midday. Foreseeing questions, Renfe notes that some trips cannot be booked until the window between departures is completed.
Renfe explains that trips spanning two or more consecutive trains cannot be formalized if the second departure occurs before the travel time of the first is fully exhausted. For example, traveling from Salamanca to Ávila on a 10:00 am ticket, a trip of nine minutes, cannot be followed by another trip in the same direction until 12:18 pm. The passenger may still board a different train from Ávila to Salamanca as soon as they exit the first train at the destination.
Sources within Renfe indicate that the company has been tracking these practices since September 1, when the initiative began. Europa Press reports that the company estimates around 10–15 percent of free funds remain unused. After identifying abuses, Renfe tightened the rules to prevent misuse. Renfe discussed the situation with EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA last week, stating that the company had analyzed the measures to avoid harming other citizens. They stressed that abusing free passes damages mobility for others and called the new limits a necessary safeguard.
Iria Méndez, spokesperson for the Media Distancia Galicia platform, confirms the existence of these limitations and adds that multiple formalizations up to ten trips per day remain possible. Still, this creates rigidity for many users: some may rethink their travel plans, and reservations appear fewer in number.
One observer suggested that Renfe should stay vigilant and proactive. They felt the company reacted late and should have established a sanctions framework from the start to prevent widespread use of the discounts.
A local voice from the Salamanca Train Association, represented by Alejandro Rosende, welcomed any additional checks to ensure everyone can benefit from the recurring subscriptions. He notes that the change is implemented immediately via computer regulation, but questions whether similar restrictions will persist beyond the coming weeks.
Traditionally, frequent travelers on Media Distancia purchased 10, 30, or 50 trips and could adjust plans as needed. If a trip could not be taken, cancellations or changes were allowed ahead of time, with refunds at stake. With the free service in effect, canceling or changing trips loses some of its meaning, raising questions about proper reservation management because unused rides could still be blocked by the system.
Since September 1, the offer of a free Media Distancia subscription for twenty euros refundable after a minimum of sixteen trips has filled trains that normally carry fewer passengers, with seats appearing full up to ten days before departure.
Renfe is currently pursuing greater passenger control and considering penalties for those who book trips and do not show up, after attendance issues are logged by staff. Some observers argue that penalties should be reserved for repeat offenders and that Renfe must balance safeguarding access for others with reasonable flexibility for loyal customers.
On the other hand, officials from the Media Distancia Galicia platform praise the empowerment of platform members to monitor train access. They say watching who gets on the train is valuable and hope the system remains effective. They also call for ongoing improvements to information systems to ensure smoother operations.
Critics note that Renfe’s operational website and apps still show gaps in access, ticket handling, and cancellations, with occasional problems loading QR codes at stations. They urge continued improvements to information infrastructure so Galicia and other regions can rely on a consistent, user-friendly experience when booking and boarding.
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