1

Sorry, I have no experience of the circumstance but am aware of this - extract from the TA guide -

'97. Free Cercanias Ride - Travelers on AVE trains have the option of beginning or completing their journey on the Cercanías network in Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga, Valencia and Zaragoza at no extra charge. Travelers may take a Cercanías train from any station in the city’s network to reach the AVE train’s departure station. They may also complete their journey by taking a Cercanías train from the AVE train’s arrival station to any Cercanías station in the network, as long as the AVE train’s departure and arrival times, including any travel between different main line stations in the same city, are compatible with travelling on Cercanías trains. When an AVE ticket is purchased, it generates a password which will be printed on the ticket. By using this password, you can take advantage of two journeys on Cercanías trains, one in the departure city and the other in the arrival city. You can obtain your Cercanías tickets at ticket booths, or by using the automatic ticket machines, on the travel date shown on your AVE ticket.'

2

Take a look here.

In short, you book your AVE ticket (BTW, it's also valid for Alvia trains). It'll have a combinado cercanías code that you can use to get your free cercanías ticket in one of the self-service machines.

You can take a look at the link to know other ways to get your free cercanías ticket (they way you'll use will depend on your preferences and/or the services of the station where you take the train) but, in any case, you have to have your AVE ticket previously.

Be aware is only valid up to 3 hours after the arrival of your AVE train and no more than 3 hours before the departure of your AVE train. So if you arrive 4 hours before the departure of your AVE train, you'll have to wait an hour to get your free cercanías ticket.

3

Thanks tht is great info.

In previous years we did get a free Cercanía with an ALVIA but last summer coming off an ALVIA in Atocha we were told by a RENFE employee that it was AVE only.

The attached article is not clear either because it is uncertain whether "AVE-Larga Distancia" is long distance AVEs (as if there were any other types of AVEs) or that means AVEs and other Larga Distancia like Alvias, Altarias etc. I am afraid it is now the former.

4

This summer I had a combinado cercanías code in an Alvia ticket (the route wasn't served by AVEs though). Although I didn't need to use it, I assume if the code was reflected in the ticket I could have gotten the free cercanías ticket if I would have needed it.

5

I just checked the reservation notification we have from RENFE. It has a "Localizador" code but not a "combinado cercanías code". So we might need to get our AVE ticket from the RENFE office before trying to board the Cercania. We have plenty of time. I seem to remember seeing a RENFE booth on the upper level of T4S before you pass immigration but now I am not sure whether I am confusing that with a Iberia connections booth. Does anyone know for sure where the RENFE offices are in T4 and T4S?

6

I dug out the old tickets to Atocha. They are the old type of printed tickets issued in Tudela. It has a LOC code and ticket number but no "combinado cercanías code". When we buy the tickets coming back next month, we will ask the agent specifically about this perhaps the agent needs to do something to have this added or perhaps it is good on some routes and not others. ¿Quien Sabe? (Tudela does not have AVEs either)

7

So we might need to get our AVE ticket from the RENFE office before trying to board the Cercania.

Not necessarily, you can print it from a Máquina multiservicio (details) or you can print it at home before your departure (details). But yes, you need your AVE ticket and its combinado cercanías code before you try to get your free cercanías ticket.

8

Hey, who couldn't use an extra 5 euros? Thanks for posting.