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The measure that lets travelers reserve a seat without occupying it makes medium-distance trains appear full, even when many seats stay empty in practice.
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Renfe acknowledges awareness of the loophole and says it has analyzed possible steps, noting that misuse of free tickets harms other citizens.
Regular users of Renfe Media Distancia services across various regions have reported difficulties when booking seats. In many cases, trains show as fully booked up to ten days before departure, despite seats remaining empty. The surge in demand is partly driven by government-sponsored free subscriptions, which not only attract more travelers but also allow reservations without penalties for unused seats. Some passengers exploit the system by booking on multiple trains to secure preferred options and effectively block vacant seats, all without cost.
Spokesperson Alejandro Rosende of the Salamanca Train Association noted, “Only five seats are left on the Madrid to Salamanca train next Friday. The root problem is that free subscriptions offer little control. You can reserve a seat and choose not to use it. The tip is generous, but control over usage should be strengthened in the medium term. More frequent services at reasonable prices are preferable to extended free periods.”
Travelers from Galicia described similar experiences on social platforms. A passenger traveling from Ourense to Santiago this week recounted to EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA how Renfe staff were aware of the loophole and discussed it with other travelers. “Some people book up to four different times because they cannot predict when they will return in the afternoon,” the traveler said. The Avant service covers this route at medium distance with high speed and is part of the free passes. The Cuenca-Madrid Avant route faces a comparable issue, though it offers 50% off instead of full free access. The Cuenca AVE Users Association criticized Renfe for exploiting discounted Avant seats, while Renfe described the incident as an isolated occurrence in the system. Travelers elsewhere in Spain, for example from Malaga or Pamplona, have contacted Renfe on social platforms about similar cases.
Under normal circumstances, frequent Medium Distance travelers purchase multiple tickets in advance and formalize them as plans evolve. If plans change, travelers have two options: cancel or modify reservations within a deadline, or forfeit the fare. A ten-trip ticket between Madrid and Salamanca might cost around 160 euros, effectively making each trip 16 euros depending on usage. As one spokesman stated, the value is not measured by a single ride but by flexibility; however, the current free option complicates responsible booking behavior.
Iria Méndez, spokesperson for the Media Distancia Galicia platform, stated that a frequent traveler would never deliberately abandon an occupied seat. Some users employ a method often described as polymorphization, booking several return trips to accommodate changing schedules, yet they remain aware that an uncanceled reservation may carry a cost. Renfe sources indicate that the intent behind the measure is to reward devoted travelers and encourage public transport use, while acknowledging that abuse can limit mobility for others. Specific countermeasures have not been detailed publicly.
Incentives and safeguards
The government, via the Ministry of Transport (Mitma), introduced incentivesLast August to promote public transport use. Discounts include 30% on city and intercity tickets, rising to 50% when an Autonomous Community contributes, along with free commuter and medium-distance subscriptions for certain corridors, inspired by the nine-euro ticket model used in several countries. The program also includes mid-range high-speed discounts around 50% in some cases.
Mitma limited the free ride to journeys between two specified stations and required users to make at least 16 trips within the four-month validity period, plus a deposit of ten euros for Cercanías or twenty euros for Media Distancia. The deposit is refunded at year-end if the user completed the required trips, but the absence of penalties for reserving and not using seats has raised concerns about fraud. Experts interviewed suggested that a review process could detect patterns indicating attempts to reclaim the deposit after a single trip while fulfilling the trip quota artificially.
One observer recalled a time when identity checks were more stringent, suggesting that the checks could be clarified and strengthened to prevent misuse without delaying entry. The sentiment is that well-designed verification must balance convenience with accountability to preserve program integrity.
Technical hiccups and rider demand
The Media Distancia Galicia platform also highlighted several technical issues affecting formalization processes. Users report that the web and app can stall during ticketing, multiformalizations fail to download, and some tickets do not appear in triplicate after requesting a copy by email. In some cases, schedules are not accessible, and turnstiles at A Coruña fail to read the tickets. Overall, cancellations and replacements for unused reservations have caused ongoing frustration. With the push from the free travel initiative, demand has surged, making the responsibility of managing seats more critical than ever.
Bus operators have had to respond to the spike in rail traffic. In Santiago, more than twenty extra buses were deployed to handle the influx of passengers heading to Ferrol, Vigo, Ourense, and Lalín. Company sources estimated roughly 2,700 passengers that day, double the anticipated number, recognizing that intercity bus services also benefit from discounted fares. Some travelers arrived at rail hubs only to be turned away, then turned to bus services in waves.
Despite the challenges, Mitma reported that more than one million free subscriptions had been issued since August 24, with the majority used on Cercanías routes and the remainder on Media Distancia services.
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