Check out our FAQs about the new Pase Vía pass.

Last update: 19/01/2026

 

1. What is the Pase Vía pass?

Pase Vía is a subscription system for travelling on Avant services that allows access to a flexible pass. The pass includes 10 trips in 45 days or 20 trips, valid for one quarter. The user only pays for the trips they make and gets increasing discounts based on their frequency of use.

 

2. Do I have to select the option during the registration process?

No, the system applies the most beneficial one for the user. If you travel only 45 days during the four-month period, the 10-trip plan works best as you are only required to make 10 trips; if you travel for more than 45 days, the 20-trip plan works best, as you can make 20 trips. If the minimum trips are not made, the remaining ones will be charged.

 

3. What happens when I use up the minimum number of trips?

You can continue traveling and the discounts applied in relation to the number of trips will continue to increase until you reach a maximum of a 90% discount per trip.

4. Who has the Pase Vía been designed for?

Pase Vía is designed for people who travel on a recurring basis on Avant services, especially those with a stable frequency of journeys over time.

5. How is Pase Vía different from traditional passes?

Traditional season tickets apply a fixed discount on a certain number of trips that must be consumed within a specific period. In contrast, Pase Vía:

  • Applies progressive discounts depending on the frequency of travel.
  • Extends the validity of the subscription up to one calendar quarter.
  • It allows you to pay only for the trips made, without the risk of losing unused trips.

6. What does "recurrence" mean?

Recurrence is a concept that both Renfe and most transport operators use to apply greater discounts to passengers who make more trips in a period of time. In other words, it is the ratio between the number of journeys made and the period of validity of the pass. The higher this ratio, the higher the discount applied on each trip. For example, in previous subscriptions, the Plus 10-45 Card was a 10-trip pass to be consumed in 45 days. It had a low recurrence rate (0.22 trips per day) and a 35% discount on the single ticket. The 50-trip Tarjeta Plus 30-50 covered 50 trips in 60 days, meaning a frequency of 0.83 trips per day, resulting in a discount of 64%.

7. What frequency considerations does the Via Pass have?

As was the case with previous passes, using the Pase Via, the more frequently you travel, the higher the discount. For example, for somebody who travels with a frequency similar to the former Tarjeta Plus 10-45, i.e. 0.22 trips per day, making 20 trips during the quarter entitles them to average discount of 48% on all trips.

On the other hand, a traveller who has a recurrence in line with the previous Plus 30-50 Card of 50 journeys (0.83 journeys per day) will make 75 journeys per quarter, which will mean an average discount of 65% on all journeys.

However, the big difference between Pase Vía and previous passes is that previously, the discount was fixed, regardless of the number of passes purchased by the user, while with Pase Vía, the more trips you make, the higher the discount. For example, if instead of making 75 trips a quarter, you make 100, the average discount will amount to 69%.

It is also very important to note that the period of accumulation of discounts is extended up to one quarter, which allows you to accumulate greater discounts.

8. How does the discount work for the Pase Vía?

The discount increases progressively with each additional journey within the validity period. Unlike previous systems, there is no fixed discount from the beginning, but the savings grow as the frequency of use increases. These discounts accumulate during each calendar quarter.

Download the frequency discount table.

9. Does the Pase Via offer bigger discounts than a Tarjeta Plus?

Pase Vía is designed in such a way that, with the minimum frequency required for the previous Tarjeta Plus passes, a slightly higher discount is available. For example, a traveller who used the Tarjeta Plus 10-45 pass obtained a 35% discount. This traveller will make a minimum of 20 trips per quarter and will therefore have a 48% discount with Pase Vía.

A traveller who used the 50-trip Tarjeta Plus 30-50 obtained a 64% discount. This traveller will make a minimum of 75 trips during the quarter and will therefore obtain a minimum average discount of 65%.

Download the discount comparison table.

But as this number of trips increases, the discount will increase.

Other benefits of Pase Vía over the previous Plus Cards:

  • The system is the one that offers the largest discount based on recurrence and it is not the traveller who must calculate the most advantageous pass based on the number of trips they are going to make.
  • If you have unforeseen events that prevent you from taking planned trips, you will not lose those trips, as you pay for the trips taken.
  • If, however, you need to travel more often: no problem. There is no limit on the number of trips you make and the more trips you make, the higher the discount.
  • You don't have to make an upfront outlay, as you'll pay for each trip when you make it.
  • Pase Vía allows you to accumulate discounts on any Avant (mid-distance high-speed) route, as use of the pass is not limited to a departure/arrival point and discounts are accumulated on all trips.

In other words, the Pase Vía adapts to the traveller's needs rather than the traveller having to adapt their habits to the pass' terms and conditions.
 

10. Could the Tarjeta Plus work out cheaper than the Pase Via?

Only in very specific and unusual scenarios can an earlier Plus Card be more advantageous for the user. The user should try to take all trips using the pass in a short space of time and refrain from travelling for the rest of the quarter.

In practice, these assumptions do not usually fit the actual behaviour of repeat travellers.

11. Why can Pase Vía seem more expensive at first?

On the first trips, the discount is lower than on some traditional passes. However, as the number of trips made increases, the discount increases, reaching 90%. It is important to remember that discounts are accumulated for trips made during an entire quarter.

12. What happens if I don't make all the planned trips?

With Pase Vía, you only pay for the trips you actually make. This eliminates the risk of paying for unused journeys, which is common for prepaid passes.

13. How does the Pase Vía work in the real case of frequent travellers?

Take the example of a traveller between Valladolid and Madrid who travels 3 days per week during one quarter (66 trips):

  • With traditional passes, the total cost would be higher due to the purchase of unused trips.
  • With Pase Vía, the user pays only for the 66 journeys and obtains a lower average cost per journey.

14. Can I still save more if I travel more within the quarter?

Yes. The average price per trip continues to fall as recurrence increases within the same quarter, without the need to change subscriptions or purchase new tickets.

15. Which works out better, the 10-30 Pass or the Pase Vía?

It depends. If you are only going to travel 10 times during a specific month between an origin/destination and then not travel any more, the 10-30 Pass works out better. However, if you are going to use the Avant (mid-distance high-speed) service throughout the quarter, regardless of the frequency with which you use it, we recommend the Pase Vía. And of course, if you are travelling to and from different origins and destinations, the Pase Vía is the best option.

16. What incidents have been detected and how are they being resolved?

Some initial issues have already been fixed, such as problems with specific bank cards, while others are in the process of being resolved, such as the error in applying multiple discounts.

17. What improvements are planned for Pase Vía?

Very soon the following will be incorporated:

  • Improved user experience and multi-format support on the website.
  • Retroactive regularisation of unapplied discounts (regional bonuses, special groups, etc.).

18. Will there be a tool to calculate savings with Pase Vía?

A price simulator will soon be available, which will allow the cost of trips to be calculated according to the real frequency and compared with traditional passes, in a clear and transparent way.

19. What level of acceptance does Pase Vía have among users?

In just 15 days, more than 12,044 subscriptions have been activated and 178,277 reservations have been made, reflecting high adoption and a high level of trust from users.