Three companies now sell high-speed seats on Spain’s busiest lines out of Madrid, on the same tracks. What differs is everything you pay for around the seat: the bag, the seat choice, the right to change your mind. Search renfe vs ouigo vs iryo and you will mostly find headline fares; this guide is about the fare rules, because that is where a cheap ticket turns expensive.
It covers Renfe’s Básico, Elige and Prémium fares, OUIGO’s Esencial, PLUS and FULL bundles, iryo’s fare ladder, the luggage limits, which Madrid station the main routes use and when tickets go on sale. For a single route, see our Madrid to Barcelona guide or our Madrid to Seville guide, and for every destination you can reach from the capital, our trains from Madrid guide. Fare rules and fees were checked in October 2026 against Renfe’s and OUIGO’s own conditions of carriage.
Renfe vs OUIGO vs iryo at a Glance
| Renfe (AVE) | OUIGO | iryo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fares | Básico, Elige Estándar, Elige Confort, Prémium | Esencial, PLUS, FULL | Inicial up to Infinita and Infinita Bistró |
| Luggage in the basic fare | Up to three items, 25 kg in total | One hand item and one cabin bag | Hand luggage and a cabin bag |
| Seat choice in the basic fare | €5 extra | Extra; otherwise a seat is assigned | Check at booking |
| Refund on the basic fare | None | None without an add-on | Check iryo’s fare conditions |
| Best for | Luggage and flexibility | Light travellers with fixed plans | A middle ground; compare on your route |
Renfe: Where the Fare Traps Are
Renfe’s AVE fares come in four levels: Básico, Elige Estándar, Elige Confort and Prémium. On every one of them the ticket is in your name and you need photo ID to travel, and you can cancel free of charge within two hours of buying. After that, the fare rules decide what you get back.
| Básico | Elige | Prémium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Changes | One change, €10 plus any fare difference, at least 24 hours before departure | First change free (you pay any fare difference), then €10 each; unlimited changes for €5 extra | Unlimited changes, no fee (you pay any fare difference) |
| Cancellation | No refund | 70% refunded | 100% refunded up to seven days before; 95% in the last six days |
| Seat selection | €5 | €5 | Included |
| Change of passenger name | €40 | €20 | Free |
The Básico trap
Básico looks like the sensible choice until something changes. A change costs €10 on top of any rise in the fare and must be made at least 24 hours before the train, and if you cancel you get nothing back. Add €5 to sit together and the gap to Elige can close quickly. Book Básico only when the plan is fixed and you don’t mind where you sit.
The Elige trap
Elige gives you a free first change, but if your new train is cheaper you don’t get the difference back, and a cancellation returns only 70%. If you expect to move the trip more than once, the €5 unlimited-change add-on pays for itself on the second change.
Prémium: when it’s worth it
Prémium includes seat choice, free name changes and unlimited changes, and on the Puente AVE you can take an earlier or later train the same day at no cost. Cancel at least seven days out and you get everything back. For a business trip or a booking with a fixed date that might still slip, it is the Renfe fare that leaves you the most room to change your mind; for a holiday with fixed dates, it is usually more than you need.
Two Renfe perks worth knowing
- Luggage: every AVE fare allows up to three items with a combined 25 kg and 290 cm, each no bigger than 85 × 55 × 35 cm.
- Combinado Cercanías: an AVE or Larga Distancia ticket includes a commuter-train journey to the station within four hours before departure, and from it within four hours after arrival. Our Cercanías guide shows which lines reach Atocha and Chamartín.
A new booking system from 28 October 2026
Renfe has announced a phased switch to a new sales system from 28 October 2026. At first it covers departures from 25 January 2027; trains before that date stay in the existing system.
OUIGO: Cheap Seats, Paid Extras
OUIGO, the low-cost brand of France’s SNCF, runs on the Barcelona, Seville and Valencia routes from Madrid. Its model is a low base fare with everything else sold separately or in bundles.
| Esencial | PLUS | FULL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luggage | One hand item and one cabin bag | Plus one extra bag | Plus two extra bags |
| Seat selection | Extra | Standard seat included | Standard or XL seat included |
| Changes | FLEX add-on, extra | FLEX add-on, extra | FLEX included |
| Cancellation | Refund add-on, extra | Refund add-on, extra | Up to 30 minutes before departure: 80% refunded, or 100% as a non-refundable voucher valid 12 months |
What catches people out
- The cabin bag is measured. The hand item can be up to 27 × 36 × 15 cm and the cabin bag 55 × 35 × 25 cm, handles and wheels included.
- Extra bags have their own limits. Each can be up to 200 cm in combined dimensions and 25 kg, with a maximum of two extra bags per passenger, added until 30 minutes before departure.
- No seat choice means any seat. If you don’t pay for a Standard or XL seat, OUIGO assigns one, so families and couples should price seat selection before comparing.
- FLEX covers everyone or no one. It has to be bought with the ticket, and a change applies to every passenger on the booking. It lets you move the date or time up to 30 minutes before departure, paying any rise in the fare.
Travelling with a cabin bag and fixed plans, Esencial is hard to beat. With a suitcase, or two people who want to sit together, add the extras before you compare it with Renfe.
iryo: The Middle Option
iryo runs red Frecciarossa trains from Madrid to Barcelona and Seville, among other routes. Its fares run from the basic Inicial up to Infinita and Infinita Bistró. Inicial covers hand luggage and a cabin bag. On Inicial Superior a large suitcase is a paid extra, Infinita includes one if you reserve it when you buy, and Infinita Bistró includes it outright. Like Renfe, iryo adds a commuter-train journey at each end of the trip. Change fees vary by fare, so read iryo’s purchase conditions for the fare you are buying, and compare the total with Renfe and OUIGO for your route and date.
Luggage, Side by Side
| Basic fare allows | For a large suitcase | |
|---|---|---|
| Renfe AVE | Three items, 25 kg and 290 cm in total, each up to 85 × 55 × 35 cm | Included within those limits |
| OUIGO | Hand item 27 × 36 × 15 cm and cabin bag 55 × 35 × 25 cm | Buy an extra bag (up to 25 kg, 200 cm) or book PLUS or FULL |
| iryo | Hand luggage and a cabin bag on Inicial | Paid extra on Inicial Superior; included on Infinita (reserve it when booking) and Infinita Bistró |
If you travel with a full-size case, start the comparison with the total including the bag. A paid bag can turn a low-cost fare into a dearer one than Renfe’s.
Which Madrid Station to Use
Madrid has two high-speed stations, Puerta de Atocha–Almudena Grandes in the south of the centre and Chamartín-Clara Campoamor in the north, and the right one depends on the operator and the route.
- Barcelona: Renfe and OUIGO both run from Atocha to Barcelona Sants.
- Seville: Renfe runs from Atocha to Sevilla Santa Justa.
- Valencia: OUIGO’s Valencia trains leave from Chamartín-Clara Campoamor for Valencia-Joaquín Sorolla.
Check the station printed on your ticket, not the one you used last time. Our guide to Madrid’s AVE stations covers getting to each, and the Metro guide has the lines.
When Tickets Go on Sale
The three operators release their seats in different ways.
- OUIGO opens sales in large blocks: its March 2026 release covered travel from 3 August to 12 December 2026.
- Renfe is moving to a new sales system from 28 October 2026, starting with departures from 25 January 2027.
- iryo opened sales for its whole 2027 calendar on 31 August 2026.
If you know your dates months ahead, sign up for each operator’s newsletter so you hear when new dates go on sale.
How to Book Without Overpaying
- Compare totals, not headline fares. Price the same trip on all three with your real luggage and seat needs.
- Decide how fixed your plans are. Fixed: Básico, Esencial or Inicial. Might move once: Elige. Might move several times or be cancelled: Prémium, OUIGO FULL or a flexible iryo fare.
- Use the two-hour window on Renfe. Book a Renfe fare while you check the alternatives; you can cancel free within two hours of buying.
- Book on the operator’s own site. It is where the fare conditions are written, and where changes are made.
- Check the station. Atocha or Chamartín, every time.
- Carry photo ID. Renfe tickets are in the passenger’s name.
The Verdict
- Light luggage, fixed plans: OUIGO Esencial or iryo Inicial, then Renfe Básico, in whatever order the prices fall for your date.
- A suitcase each: Renfe, unless OUIGO or iryo still comes out cheaper once the bag is added.
- Plans that might change: Renfe Elige with unlimited changes, or Prémium if you might cancel.
- Arriving from the suburbs or the airport by Cercanías: Renfe or iryo, which both include a commuter-train journey with the ticket.
No operator is cheapest every time, so compare all three with the extras included.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is OUIGO cheaper than Renfe?
Its advertised starting fares are low, but the basic Esencial fare includes only a hand item and a cabin bag, and seat choice costs extra. Compare the total with your luggage included.
Can I change a Renfe Básico ticket?
Once, for €10 plus any fare difference, at least 24 hours before departure. Cancelling a Básico ticket gets no refund, except within two hours of buying.
How much luggage can I take on the AVE?
Up to three items with a combined weight of 25 kg and combined dimensions of 290 cm, each no bigger than 85 × 55 × 35 cm.
What is included in OUIGO FULL?
Two extra bags, a Standard or XL seat, FLEX changes and the right to cancel up to 30 minutes before departure, for an 80% refund or 100% as a non-refundable voucher valid for 12 months.
Do all trains from Madrid leave from Atocha?
No. Barcelona and Seville trains on Renfe leave from Atocha, but OUIGO’s Valencia trains use Chamartín-Clara Campoamor. Check the station on your ticket.
Related Madrid Guides
- Trains from Madrid: every high-speed route
- Madrid to Barcelona: train, flight or bus
- Madrid to Seville by high-speed train
- Madrid’s AVE stations: Atocha and Chamartín
- Madrid Cercanías commuter trains
- Madrid travel budget
Photo Credits
Standard-class carriage on a Renfe AVE: 100 Renfe AVE – Clase Turista – Matthew Black by Matthew Black from London, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Interior of an OUIGO España train: Interior TGV Ouigo España clase 108 by Robot8A, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Entrance to Madrid-Chamartín-Clara Campoamor from the Metro: Acceso a Madrid-Chamartín-Clara Campoamor desde el metro 1 by MaGrc, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.