Renfe General Terms and Conditions for Passengers

HEADING I – Provision of Services

1. Cercanías Services

Cercanías services refer to those services that are provided by Renfe-Operadora’s Dirección General de los Servicios de Cercanías y Media Distancia in order to meet the mobility needs of each hub at any given moment. These services will be provided by means of the resources allocated to same at any given moment. All Cercanías services will be duly signposted in order to facilitate their identification by the passenger. To use Cercanías trains, passengers must possess a valid ticket pursuant to the general, or specific, conditions, prices and timetes established. Cercanías trains have only one class and their capacity is restricted to the total number of seats, and standing space, of each vehicle.

HEADING II - Ticket

2. Concept

The ticket is the document that formalises the transport contract between Renfe-Operadora and the passenger.

The passenger transport contract for Cercanías trains is regulated by the present General Terms and Conditions, which will be made available for passengers.

3. Ticket

The ticket will include the following lettering and instructions at least, which will be fully legible:

Cercanías and Renfe-Operadora anagram and logo.
Renfe-Operadora Tax Code.
Routes or, in exceptional circumstances, final destination station.
Price list and price.
Including Safety Tax, S.O.V., S.R.C. and V.A.T.

Information about underwritten insurance policies (S.O.V. and S.R.C.) is available at Customer Service offices and on the Renfe-Operadora website.

4.-Ticket types

Depending on the use and in accordance with the special terms and conditions established for each one, tickets can be:

Single: Valid for one single journey.
Return journey: Valid for one person (the price includes a discount compared to two single tickets).
"Return (Ida y Regreso)" Valid for one person (the price is equivalent to two single tickets).
Group (Colectivo): Valid for more than one passenger.
Multiviaje, or Temporary Pass (such as Bonotren, Monthly Pass, etc.): Valid for more than one journey for the same, or a different holder, for a set period of time.
Combined (Combinado): Valid for other means of supplementary transport or that include other services, such as cultural, leisure services, etc.

Each combined product can include its own specific terms and conditions that will be determined by the agreement regulating it. Aforesaid terms and conditions will be available to passengers. Tickets will also be valid when combined with other means of transport issued by authorities and institutions that are the result of agreements signed with the latter, the specific terms and conditions of which will also be made available to passengers.

5. Sale of Tickets

Tickets can be purchased at Renfe-Operadora points of sale (over the counter or ticket machines), through authorised third-party points of sale, and en route pursuant to the exceptional circumstances provided for in these terms and conditions. Tickets will be issued through the systems that Renfe-Operadora authorises.

Tickets will be paid in legal tender, or by any other legal means authorised by Renfe-Operadora. The passenger will check that the data on the ticket reflect what he has asked for. Any claims related to tickets issued, or the price of same, must be made at the time of issue, except in the event of there being no personnel at the station in question. Should this happen, the claim can be made at any station where there are personnel, or in writing addressed to any Renfe-Operadora office. In the event of the loss, or mislaying of the ticket, no duplicate, or justification will be given.Start Start

6. Validity and Validation

Tickets will be valid for the dates, areas, destination and, where applicable, period of time, that appear on them.

No ticket will be valid without the corresponding mechanical printout given at issue. The simultaneous, or consecutive, presentation of more than one ticket will not entitle the passenger to go on the same journey at a reduced price, unless he/she were to pay the difference with respect to the total journey price. Any ticket bought before a price revision will be valid for its date, or period, of use without the passenger having to pay any difference. The accumulation of discounts or prices to obtain a single ticket will only be accepted under the terms and conditions stipulated for the corresponding prices. Tickets, passes or cards or ID will not be valid if they have been damaged, tampered with or torn. In Hubs where there is access control, once the passenger has gone through them, both at departure and destination stations, or when changing trains, if he/she wishes to re-enter the platform, he/she must purchase a new ticket, or reuse his/her pass.

7. Cancelling Tickets

Any issued ticket can be cancelled in accordance with the terms and conditions set out below, depending on the type of ticket.

In the case of Multiviaje or Passes, in general the passenger must request to cancel it before the start of the validity period. Single, Return and Group tickets must be cancelled at the station of departure within two hours after they were purchased. When cancelling a ticket, except for the case envisaged in provision 24, 15% of the cancelled ticket will be retained as a cancellation fee.

8. Prices

The prices for Cercanías transport services will be made available for passengers.

All tickets will be issued in accordance with the valid prices on the date of issue and will be shown in the Cuadro de Precios Oficiales that will be included in the passenger information NOTICES on the announcement boards.
Discounts established in current legislation regarding Large Families will apply. Passengers must prove that they are entitled to benefit from these discounts by providing the official certificates issued by the corresponding administration.

Children under six years old who do not occupy a seat will not require a ticket and will travel for free. They will be covered by the S.O.V. and S.R.C.

9. Passenger rights

Passengers on Cercanías railway services will be entitled to:

A/ Access the publication of times and prices of the services sufficiently in advance.
B/ Receive the service in proper quality and safety conditions.
C/ Enter a transport contract with Renfe-Operadora in keeping with current legislation regarding land transport and consumer and user rights.
D/ Be kept up-to-date about the set procedures to settle disputes that may arise relating to railway transport.
E/ File any claims and complaints that they deem necessary, which can be made to Renfe-Operadora. There will be an official complaints book for this purpose, in keeping with current railway sector regulations.
F/ Receive compensation for damages caused to them in the event that Renfe-Operadora does not fulfil its obligations.
G/ Be kept informed of insurance policies or guarantees that Renfe-Operadora has undertaken to cover its liability. This information will be made available for passengers at Customer Service offices and on the Renfe-Operadora website.
H/ Be kept up-to-date of these General Terms and Conditions , which will be made available as mentioned above.
I/ Cancel tickets in accordance with these General Terms and Conditions.

10. Passenger obligations

Passengers will have the following obligations:

A/ Keep the corresponding ticket for the duration of the journey and until they have left the station at their final destination.
B/ Follow instructions from Renfe-Operadora employees in relation to the proper rendering of the service, as well as all notices displayed in the buildings and carriages.
C/ Respect necessary public safety measures and controls.

11. BANS

Passengers must refrain from:

A/ Carrying out activities that upset order inside the trains, represent a hazard for the safety of other passengers or disturb them, cause property damages to the vehicles or place transport safety at risk.
B/ Travelling in areas other than those authorised for passengers.
C/ Boarding or alighting the train while this is in motion or between the designated stops .
D/ Carrying explosive or flammable objects and packages that due to their size, volume, content or smell could injure, bother or stain the other passengers or damage railway material.
E/ Any other conduct prohibited by current legislation.

The aforementioned activities are subject to penalty in accordance with the necessary penalisation proceedings, notwithstanding application of passenger exclusion clauses a) and d), in accordance with the provisions of article 90 of the Railway Regulation. The passenger will not be entitled to reimbursement for the price paid for the ticket.

12. Luggage

There is no luggage check-in service for Cercanías trains.
All passengers with tickets can bring with them, subject to their care and responsibility, and in kept in those places destined for this purpose, up two items of hand luggage with a total, maximum weight of 20 kg. The largest item of luggage cannot exceed 70 x 50 x 25 cm.

Luggage refers to any handheld package that contains garments or personal or work-related belongings that belong to the passenger that does not contravene the safety measures established in laws and regulations and that does not represent a hazard or inconvenience for other passengers. Renfe-Operadora will not be responsible for any incidents, theft, lost luggage or damages due to improper storage or unsuitable contents, unless responsibility can be attributed to it.

13. Bicicletas

Bicycles will be allowed on the trains and at the times authorised in each Cercanías Hub. Only one bicycle per passenger will be allowed. This information will be made available for passengers. Renfe-Operadora does not accept responsibility for any loss or damages caused to bicycles during the journey. Owners will be responsible for loading, looking after and unloading their bicycles. Passengers transporting a bicycle must take proper care to ensure the safety and comfort of other passengers and will be responsible for any damages to the train and injuries to third parties.

14. Travelling with pets

Guide dogs will be allowed on trains and can travel with their owners for free. They must wear a lead and muzzle, if necessary, due to their aggressive nature.
Small pets will be allowed on trains, always under the owner’s supervision provided that the other passengers do not object, or any inconvenience is caused to them. The owner will be responsible for any damages or injuries caused. Pets must travel with a health certificate, if necessary, in accordance with health and safety conditions established in current legislation.

Only one pet per passenger will be allowed. These pets will be allowed on the trains, at the times and in the stations authorised in each Cercanías Hub. This information will be made available for passengers.

15. Travelling with weapons

Passengers carrying weapons will only be allowed on Cercanías trains if they meet the following requirements:

A/ They must be regulated weapons, as per the legal definition.
B/ They must be dismantled or inside their boxes or cases.
C/ The necessary certificate, licence or other documentation established by law must be provided.

In the case of personnel from the Army, Security Forces and Corps, Customs, or security company employees in charge of custody or surveillance duties, only the certificate of ownership and Military Identity Card, or other employee identity card, need be shown. Passengers carrying weapons must act with diligence and caution at all times, and must behave in a way so as to avoid causing danger, alarm or inconvenience to other passengers and their property.

16. Forgotten, lost or abandoned objects

Renfe-Operadora will look after any belongings that passengers have forgotten, lost or abandoned and any objects for which the origin is unknown that are found in trains, on platforms or other Renfe-Operadora facilities for two months. A special log will be kept, stating the object reference number and main characteristics and the day and place on/in which they were found , for the purpose for which they should be used in accordance with current legislation, or otherwise they will be auctioned to the public. If before the auction takes place the owner requests his/her belongings, they will be handed over provided that proof is shown and the necessary fees are paid, including transport to a different place to where they were found.Start Start

17. Passengers without a Ticket

Passengers coming from a station with a ticket sale service and who access trains without a ticket or without being authorised must pay the price of a single ticket for the full journey that the passenger is going to make, with the penalty or charges established herein, as applicable. If they refuse to pay this amount, they will be required to abandon the train at the same station, if the train is at a stop, or at the next station if the train is in motion. All of the foregoing is regardless of whether Renfe-Operadora reports the passenger, if he/she has been identified, to the Government Department in order to bring the necessary infringement proceeding due to an administrative infraction, in accordance with article 95 of the Railway Act 39/2003, 17th November. For the purposes of this Provision, passengers will be considered to be without a ticket when it has not been validated, has expired, is amended, scratched or torn or damaged (such that the information on it is illegible), or when the necessary ID for the type of ticket purchased is not shown. The applicable charges, regardless of the ticket price and except for the cases envisaged in article 22 of these General Terms and Conditions, are equivalent to twice the amount of a single ticket on a working day (Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays) for the maximum route in each Hub. In Hubs fully or partially included in Transport Consortiums, the fee to be charged will be the one established in the Consortium in question.

18. Occupying Seats

Before boarding a train, passengers must check that it is the right one for their journey and for which they have purchased a ticket. Tickets for Cercanías trains will be issued to passengers without specifying whether their place is seated or standing.

19. Cutting the journey short by the passenger and changing trains en route.

The interruption of the journey by the passenger does not given said passenger the right to continue the journey on a later train. Any change of trains that the passenger needs to make to continue the journey along the route and in accordance with the conditions shown on the ticket will not be considered to be interruption of the journey but rather a change of trains en route.

20. Extending the route

Passengers can extend their journey inside and outside the Hub as long as they give notice and regulate their situation at the station of departure. If this notice is not given, the provisions of point 17 of these General Terms and Conditions for passengers without a ticket will apply.
The journey cannot be extended outside the Hub for Multiviaje or Pass tickets.

21. Missing or alighting the train

Alighting from, or missing, the train at the departure station of the journey, or during the journey, will not entitle the passenger to any reimbursement.

22. access control

Passengers are obliged to show their ticket and proof that they are authorised to use it whenever Renfe-Operadora staff request this before they board the train, during the journey or once they have alighted at the final destination station. If this is not shown, the passenger will be considered to be without a ticket.
Tickets that are not valid and are used by way of fraud will be confiscated by the inspector or Renfe-Operadora authorised staff, without the right to any refund.
Passengers without a ticket and who have accessed the train from a station without a ticket sale service must regulate their situation by seeking the inspector or other Renfe-Operadora authorised staff en route. In this case, the member of staff will provide the passenger with proof of the payment made. Otherwise, the provisions of point 17 of these General Terms and Conditions for passengers without a ticket will apply.
Train access control will be automatic at stations with an access control system and the passenger must use this. A passenger will have started the journey once he/she has passed through this access control.

Access to vehicles and to boarding lounges or waiting rooms can also be denied for those persons who do not respect the security controls established for passenger vehicle access. In this case, the passenger will not be entitled to a reimbursement of the ticket price.

23. Special conditions for journeys

Children under 8 years old must be accompanied at all times. Children between 8 and 12 years old can travel unaccompanied if their parents or legal guardian have provided authorisation.
Disabled and reduced mobility passengers who require special or different transport care will be provided with all of the resources available for their proper transport and mobility within Renfe-Operadora trains and facilities in which this service can be rendered.

24. Changing the timetable

Renfe-Operadora will announce changes in train times on different lines in advance.
In the case of Multiviaje or Pass tickets, once the times have been changed it will be understood that the passenger has accepted this change for all intents and purposes.

In cases in which the timetable change takes place before the passenger has fully used up his/her Multiviaje or Pass ticket and he/she is not in agreement, or this time change has been detrimental to his/her journey, and he/she has not used his/her ticket after the timetable change, he/she can request a refund for the remaining days in accordance with the conditions for Multiviaje tickets in provision 26, point 1.A.

HEADING IV - Responsibility of renfe operadora

25. Claims

Renfe-Operadora is under the obligation of providing the transport service with the duration and in accordance with the terms and conditions shown on the ticket and in these General Terms and Conditions, except in cases of force majeure. Renfe-Operadora will provide a complaints book to passengers in accordance with railway regulations. Passengers who feel that their rights have been breached can express their complaints in this book or can use other methods such as standard mail, telephone, fax, e-mail or Internet if available for this purpose, or a document or letter sent to any Renfe-Operadora office. The period for making a claim will be one month from when the event that caused it is known. Notwithstanding use of the complaints book, passengers can claim loss and damages caused by Renfe-Operadora through legal or arbitration proceedings.

26. Compensation

Except in cases of force majeure, travellers affected by a cancelled, interrupted or delayed journey will be entitled to receive the applicable compensation.

26.1 Cancellation of Transport ServiceThe journey will be considered to have been cancelled, provided that there are no cases of force majeure, when Renfe-Operadora cannot start it in the conditions envisaged on the ticket, due to the withdrawal of trains for at least one hour. If the service is cancelled the passenger can opt to:

A/ Terminate the transport contract, receiving the full amount in the case of One-way, Two-way or Group tickets. In the case of Multiviaje or Pass tickets, when there is proof that the journey has not been made the amount that the passenger receives will be calculated by dividing the price by:

10, for Bonotren
50, for Monthly Pass
100, for tickets valid for a month with an unlimited number of journeys.
300, for tickets valid for three months with an unlimited number of journeys.

B/ To authorise the ticket for a time when the journey can be made.
C/ To make the journey using other means of transport that Renfe-Operadora authorises.

26.2 Interruption of the JourneyThe journey will be considered to have been interrupted, provided that there are no cases of force majeure, when it is suspended on route. If the journey is interrupted after it has started, Renfe-Operadora will be obliged to provide transport for the passenger as soon as possible on another train or other means of transport under the same conditions as those agreed. The passenger can also decide not to continue the journey, in which case he/she will receive compensation under the same terms and conditions as point A) above.

26.3 Delayed train

Except in cases of force majeure, if arrival at the destination is delayed by more than one hour, the passenger will be entitled to financial compensation equivalent to fifty percent of the ticket price. When this delay exceeds one hour and thirty minutes, the monetary compensation will be equivalent to the total price.
In the case of Multiviaje or Pass tickets, the amount to be calculated by way of this compensation will be equivalent to a cancellation, being calculated in the same way as specified in provision 26.1, point A).

26.4 Special CircumstancesWhen a service contracted by a disabled or reduced mobility person is cancelled or interrupted, their ticket will be authorised for another train or means of transport, with the same accessibility conditions as agreed originally.

HEADING V – Extra services

27. Parking

All passengers with a Cercanías ticket and with an applicable discount can use the parking facilities at Renfe-Operadora Cercanías stations, by paying the current prices on the day in question which will be published in the Cuadro de Precios Oficiales included in the passenger information NOTICES on the announcement boards. Entry into force In accordance with the provisions of article 59 of Railway Act 39/2003, 17th November, the present General Terms and Conditions of the Cercanías Passenger Transport Contract have been authorised by the Ministerio de Fomento through the Secretary of State for Infrastructures and Planning resolution dated 21st July 2006; delegated by the Minister of Fomento, by virtue of Order FOM/2893/2005, 14th September (B.O.E 19th September 2005), and will enter into force one month after the Renfe-Operadora railway company has received notification of them.