AVE (102/112) (Spain)

ShowMeTheJourney has anticipated what questions are most often asked about travelling on these trains used for journeys which stick to the Spanish high speed rail network.

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The trains are among Europe's most fastest, they typically travel at up to 320 km/h / 199 mph.

Yes they are.

Only if you opt to book Premium / Premiere tickets; With the other type of tickets it is only possible to select Window or Aisle seats.

Only if you opt to book Premium / Premiere tickets.

Seat reservations are mandatory - See the guide to making rail pass reservations to discover more info on how to book

These trains have a bistro car which can be accessed by all passengers, but on Monday to Friday and Sunday, a complimentary at seat mal is served to those with Premium class tickets.

Yes - They are available at each seat in Confort class / 1st class and for each pair or seats in Estander Class /2nd class.

RENFE offers its AVE passengers access to the internet via its 'PlayRENFE' app - note that it's not free to access if you're not a member of a RENFE Loyalty Program.

No, this facility isn't available on Renfe's trains.

Up to three pieces of luggage per person with a maximum total weight of 25kg.

Yes -

No - only folded bicycles can be taken on board AVE trains as hand luggage, but they must be placed in a travel case, or bag which can have a maximum height/width of 180cm.

Dogs can only be taken on board most of the departures by these trains if they can travel in a container measuring no more than 60x35x35 cm and do not weigh more than 10kg.

If your dog weighs between 11kg and 40kg it can be taken on a few departures by AVE trains on routes between Madrid and Alicante, Barcelona, Valencia and Zaragoza.
These departures now have a dog paw symbol, when looking up a journey on the Renfe website.

These AVE (102/112) trains are nick-named 'Pato trains' because the aero-dynamic ends of the trains are said to look like duck beaks.

Other AVE services are operated by 100 or 103 trains.

The main routes that these trains are used on are:

(1) Madrid-Atocha - Malaga (nearly all departures)
(2) Madrid-Atocha - Sevilla (some departures)
(3) Madrid-Atocha - Huesca
(4) Madrid-Atocha - Valencia (nearly all departures)
(5) Madrid Atocha - Barcelona (a few of the slower services that call at the stations between Madrid and Barcelona)
(6) Madrid Chamartin - Leon (the departures which don't travel on beyond Leon)
(7) Barcelona - Seville
(8) Barcelona - Malaga
(9) Valencia - Seville/Malaga

Seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for journeys by AVE (102/112 ) trains

Rail pass users will need to have made reservations prior to boarding.
Info on how to book these rail pass reservations is available HERE on our Spanish train tickets and passes guide.

The Coche (coach/carriage) and Plaza (seat numbers) will be on your ticket - so check the plaza number before you step on to the train.
Though the coaches on these trains are comparatively small, so finding seats etc is comparatively straightforward.

Note the short dimensions of the coaches on an AVE (102) train

Each coach/carriage only has one door on each side on each side of the train.
The coach/carriage numbers will be on an electronic info panel beside the door.
The doors have a larger letter 'P' on then if the coach houses 'Preferente' class and a 'T' for Turista class.

The luggage racks are between the doors and the seating saloons, the only other luggage storage space is above the seats.
However, if you have a large or heavy bag you should make use of the racks by the doors - and accept that you won't be able to see your bag(s) from your seat.

If you see space on the racks, our advice is to stow your bags on it and then find your seat.
If you subsequently decide to move your bags by the seat, you'll be able to do that, but things can be more awkward if you head to your seat first - and then decide you want to use the rack after all.

The seat numbers are above the windows.
As all seats reserved there is nothing else to indicate which seats you should occupy, be guided by the plaza number on your ticket.

You must travel in the seats you have been assigned.
This is because of the specific terms and conditions of booking tickets to travel by the larga-distancia train services.

When booking Basico or Elige tickets there will be an option to pay an additional charge in order to choose specific seats from a seating plan, while a benefit of booking Prémium tickets is the lack of a charge of using this seating plan.
So if you haven't taken advantage of the seat selection service when booking, you can't then choose to sit in an alternative seat when boarding.
If you opted to choose a seat, the logic is that you will therefore be satisfied with that seat, so won't be able to seat in an alternative. but if you have paid to use the seat selection service or booked Prémium tickets you can ask the conductor if you can move seats.

Though most of the seats on the train will have been rotated so that they face forwards prior to boarding.

If you have booked a Premiere ticket, which are only available on Mondays-Fridays and on some departures on Sundays, you will be served an at seat hot meal, similar to that which is served on airlines in Club Class.

If you book an Elige ticket to travel in either Comfort or Estander class, you can choose to add an at-seat food and drink service when booking, you can choose from a menu of snack and light meal options and add them as a 'Extra' on the booking confirmation booking screen.
On Saturdays a catering trolley is taken through the Prefente class coaches/cars.

A bar car is also available to all passengers where drinks, snacks, sandwiches etc can be purchased, you can consume these at the tables in the bar car or take them back to your seat.
A relatively new feature is that a catering trolley will now be pushed through Turista Class (second class) on these trains.

An unusual feature of these trains is that nearly all of the seats in the coaches./cars will face the same direction - the only exception being a few the seats at tables.
The seats can be turned, though not by passengers, so in theory nearly all of the seats will be facing forward.

At-seat power sockets aren't fitted to these trains.

They also don't have conventional on train Wi-Fi access.
Instead RENFE offers its AVE passengers access to the internet via its 'PlayRENFE' app - note that it's not free to access if you're not a member of a RENFE Loyalty Program.

These trains also have an entertainment system, films are shown on screens fitted to the roofs of the coaches.
You don't get to choose the film you will see and all of the films will of course be in Spanish.

Only folded bicycles can be taken on board AVE trains as hand luggage, but they must be placed in a travel case, or bag which can have a maximum height/width of 180cm.