Spains Renfe rail network is pretty good. Their high-speed trains are a great and comfortable way of getting from one city to the next and seeing a bit of the countryside along the way. I also love that you don´t have the luggage restrictions of air travel. By and large, the trains are very reliable and run on time. But did you know that Renfe has a refund policy in case your train runs late? And it’s a pretty good policy.
If your train is 15 minutes late you are entitled to a 50% refund on your ticket.
If your train is 30 minutes late you are entitled to a 100% refund on your ticket.
Even better, for some services you get a refund plus some credit towards a future ticket.
We only found out about this policy because a fellow traveller, a local, told us. Our train broke down travelling between San Sebastian and Madrid and we were stuck in the snow for about 2 hours. For us, it was a bit of an adventure. It was an even bigger adventure when we found out that we could get a full refund on our tickets because of the delay.
Hang onto your ticket after your trip, you will need it or its details to make a claim.
You can make a claim for compensation 24 hours after the trip and no later than 3 months after the trip.
Your refund will be in the same form that you paid it, for example, refund to your credit card. Claiming can be done online using this link, or you can claim at a ticket office on a station or other ticket offices.
To see the details of Renfes policy yourself visit the Renfe website.