Due to problems of breakdowns, weather conditions, or other causes beyond the control of Renfe, delays may occur. Renfe , as stated in its agreement with the client, has a Punctuality Commitment that ensures the total or partial return of the ticket in the event that the delay exceeds a certain amount of time.
The intervals and the return percentages for each one are stipulated on their website, but we are also going to review them along the lines that make up this article.
How to check all Renfe promotions
AVE trains
Here there are 2 modalities and they are the ones detailed below:
- 50% of the ticket amount is refunded if the delay reaches 15 minutes .
- Up to 100% of the ticket will be refunded if the delay of the AVE train exceeds 30 minutes .
Medium distance trains
In this case we have the same compensation for delays and the same time intervals:
- If the delay exceeds 15 minutes , compensation of 25% of the cost of the ticket will be obtained.
- If the delay reaches, and exceeds, the 30-minute delay, you will be entitled to recover up to 50% of the amount of the ticket.
- If the delay exceeds 60 minutes , the refund will be 100% .
Alvia, Euromed and AV City trains
There are fewer and fewer trains in these categories, but just in case we are unlucky enough to suffer a delay in them, these are the times and percentages:
- 50% of the amount of the ticket will be recovered in case the delays exceed 30 minutes.
- 100% of the ticket will be recovered if delays exceed 60 minutes .
Talgo, Altaria, Intercity (LD) and Trenhotel trains
They are very rare, given the shortage of sections they do, but in case of having delays using their services, here are the times and returns:
- In case of reaching, or exceeding, the 60 minute delay , you are entitled to compensation of 50% of the amount of the ticket .
- In case of exceeding 90 minutes of delay , 100% of the amount of the ticket is refunded .
Regional Express and Regional Trains
These types of Renfe trains are more common than we think, so it is essential that we give the requirements to request compensation for delays:
- 25% of the amount of the ticket will be refunded if the delay is exceeded 15 minutes .
- 50% of the ticket will be refunded if the delay is greater than 45 minutes .
- 100% of the ticket will be refunded if the 60-minute delay is reached and exceeded .
Avant trains
It is quite common to see them operating in the main Renfe stations in our country, so we leave you here the time intervals and the compensation that corresponds to each one:
- For 15 minutes of delay , or more, you have access to 50% of the amount of the ticket.
- For 30 minutes of delay , or more, 100% of the amount of the ticket is achieved .
High speed combination trains
These combinations (AVE + AVANT, AVANT + AVE and AVE + AVE) with high speed occur quite often and of course, delays can also be experienced:
- 50% of the ticket will be refunded for delays greater than 15 minutes .
- 100% of the ticket will be refunded in delays of more than 30 minutes .
Combined trains
In this case are the requirements for combined tickets that do not fit with the previous case:
- If the delay reaches 30 minutes , you have the right to recover 50% of the ticket .
- If the delay exceeds 60 minutes , you will have the right to recover up to 100% of the amount of the ticket.
Requirements for compensation of promotional tickets (Promo and 4Mesa)
- In the event that the delay is 60 minutes or more, you can opt for 50% of the amount of the ticket.
- In the event that the delay is 90 minutes or more, 100% of the amount of the ticket will be obtained .
Deadlines and means for returns
All this information is fine, but the important thing is to know how to claim a delay online from the Renfe railway.
It is a very simple request, but the “when” has yet to be clarified. And it is that we cannot do it as soon as we get off the train, but we must wait at least 24 hours and we have up to 3 months to claim the delay .
Another important point is that not only can you get the refund of the amount, but Renfe gives us three options:
- Refund of the amount.
- Points on the Renfe + card.
- Discount code for the next trip.
Ask for your refund, step by step
To begin the process of claiming the delay of a trip with Renfe, we must have the ticket details nearby: origin and destination, ticket number and locator . Then, enter the link that we leave under these lines:
Web: Voluntary commitment to punctuality
- We scroll down and click on the purple button that says “Request compensation for delay”.
- In the new screen, we fill in the short form that appears with the data we have said before and click on “Search” . It is not necessary to indicate absolutely anything else, the server itself detects whether the data is correct or not.
- The route and delay are then confirmed. The two compensations are proposed, in money (part of the amount of the ticket), or with points, and we just have to choose the way in which we want to receive the compensation . We have chosen that the corresponding amount be returned to us in the same form of payment.
- In the new screen, the compensation is effective and we confirm that all the data is correct, and click on “Continue” .
- Now you will receive an email informing us that the request for compensation for delay has been sent and in a matter of a few days we will receive the amount in the chosen payment method.
- When the compensation arrives, we receive an email confirming it.
And this is how with three simple clicks and waiting a few days, we can receive our compensation for delay. It is true that this compensation is negligible compared to being late for a meeting, missing a connecting bus / metro, having friends or family wait for us to pick us up, etc. but it is Renfe’s way of alleviating the problem of delays.
As we can see, claiming a delay from Renfe is simple, although it would be best not to suffer delays in our routes. As we said at the beginning, these delays may be due to causes of our own or outside of Renfe, so it only remains to claim online from the railway company to obtain compensation.
