# ID for travel on AVE?



## mayotom (Nov 8, 2008)

I was wondering what Identification is needed for travel on AVE, my friend has had her Passport stolen and needs to go to her Embassy in Madrid and would like to travel by AVE, however I have heard that National ID or Passport is required to travel, can anybody confirm this?

has anybody traveled on AVE recently, what are the best ways to get cheap tickets(from Malaga)?


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## happy_man (Nov 20, 2011)

Hi mayotom,

You don't need ID to travel in Spain on a train - unless you are the train driver you probably need your train driving license! If you plan on buying the ticket with a credit card you will need to show ID, so just go to the cash point (ATM) first and buy the ticket with cash.


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## country boy (Mar 10, 2010)

The only security on the AVE service is that all baggage is scanned before you are even allowed on the platform. If your local train shares a common departure platform to the AVE , expect this to happen too.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

happy_man said:


> Hi mayotom,
> 
> You don't need ID to travel in Spain on a train - unless you are the train driver you probably need your train driving license! If you plan on buying the ticket with a credit card you will need to show ID, so just go to the cash point (ATM) first and buy the ticket with cash.


Or buy online. https://venta.renfe.com/vol/index.do


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## tobyo (Jul 16, 2011)

if you buy online, there are great discounts to be had!! but, renfe's site is kinda clunky.


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## Sonrisa (Sep 2, 2010)

happy_man said:


> Hi mayotom,
> 
> You don't need ID to travel in Spain on a train - unless you are the train driver you probably need your train driving license! .


I think this information could be wrong.

Never mind the fact that in Spain you should, by law, carry a form of ID with you at all times. 

Since the train bombing in Madrid, security checks and Passport/ID control were introduced for train passangers. Last time I took a train was in 2009, to travel from Madrid to Pontevedra and I had to go trhough securiy/ID checks before boarding the train. 

Unless this have changed recently, Mayotom will have to show some form of ID> I suggest you contact your embassy, perhaps they could issue and post you some short of document clarifiying that your passport was lost and you will travel to Madrid to collect a new one?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Sonrisa said:


> I think this information could be wrong.
> 
> Never mind the fact that in Spain you should, by law, carry a form of ID with you at all times.
> 
> ...


I agree with this. You may not need any ID to specifically travel on the AVE, but Spanish law requires you to carry ID at all times. Police do carry out checks on long distance trains from time to time so there is a slight possibility that you'll get asked to show ID. However the standard procedure is to go to the police to report the loss or theft of the document. In fact, in able to be issued with another passport, wouldn't you need to have reported it to the police? This paper could be presented to the authorities as the reason for being without ID, but would be better if it was backed up with a letter from the consulate. 
In any case they (the consulate/ embassy) are the ones who should be able to advise you about this.


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## jeremyinspain (Dec 3, 2011)

You can't buy renfe tickets more than 63 days in advance...


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## country boy (Mar 10, 2010)

Drat!!!!!!!!!


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## tonyinspain (Jul 18, 2011)

My wife and son have traveled on the trains in the last few weeks and never been asked for any form of ID
Hope this helps she should have no probs 
Regards tony


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