Malaga is now part of Renfe and Iberia’s Train&Fly scheme

This system operates in such a way that travellers can buy a ticket at a price which includes the flight via Madrid’s Barajas airport to or from any of the airline’s 90 international destinations, most of which are in Europe and America, and the return rail journey to the 14 Spanish destinations which now form part of the scheme. The ticket also includes the local train service from Atocha or Chamartín stations in Madrid to the airport.

The companies believe that this year “more than 100,000 clients will be able to benefit from this alternative mode of sustainable mobility which enables them to choose the most efficient form of transport for each journey at very competitive fares”.

One of the advantages of this single-ticket system is that it costs less than paying separately for each part of the journey, and travellers are also guaranteed the offer of an alternative trip if they miss any of the connections. Train&Fly can be accessed at iberia.com, renfe.com and via travel agencies.

Sonia Araujo, the CEO of Renfe Viajeros, says the agreement is a very important step in promoting the company’s integrated travel strategy. For Renfe, Iberia is a strategic partner and this system will enable passengers on international flights to benefit from a rapid and sustainable form of transport which has zero emissions, ie the high-speed trains. “For tourists who come to Spain with Iberia, using the AVE and long-distance trains will be an experience which will undoubtedly enrich their trip,” she says.

Meanwhile María Jesús López-Solás, Iberia’s sales director, says the airline is taking an important step towards integrated travel. She also explains that in most cities which are part of the plan, the train plays an important role. “That’s why Renfe will be the perfect ally to feed our long-haul network. At the same time, we are opening up a range of destinations and promoting some Spanish cities internationally for the millions of tourists who arrive in this country by plane every year,” she says.

Last year nearly 560,000 passengers travelled by the high-speed AVE service between Madrid and Malaga. This was 38 per cent lower than the number who made the same journey in 2019, before the pandemic, says the Costa del Sol Tourist Board.