---
title: "Back on Track: Spain Scraps Seat Reservations on Regional Trains and Belgrade Trains Return"
description: From 12th December Renfe drops compulsory seat reservations and bike and pet fees on regional routes. Plus Belgrade trains and the new Scillonian IV.
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2026-11-02T14:05:33.876Z
updated: 2026-11-02T14:05:33.891Z
canonical: https://richtravelmagazine.com/article/back-on-track-renfe-seat-reservations-belgrade-trains
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/pexels-32467298.webp
categories: Smart Travel
content_type: News
region: Europe, Spain
publication: Rich Travel Magazine
---

From 12th December, you will no longer need a numbered seat to board a range of Renfe Media Distancia and [regional trains in Spain](https://richtravelmagazine.com/article/back-on-track-8-destinations-to-discover-by-train-in-europe-this-autumn). Until now, travelling on these routes meant reserving a seat in advance, a rule that put off last-minute travellers. Under the new system you buy a ticket and board.

The change applies on eight routes, grouped here by region:

- **Galicia:** A Coruña to Vigo, including services to and from Santiago de Compostela and Vilagarcía, and A Coruña to Ferrol
- **The Mediterranean and Aragon:** Alicante to Murcia and Cartagena, and Valencia to Teruel and Zaragoza
- **Extremadura:** Cáceres to Valencia de Alcántara, and Mérida to Zafra on the Madrid to Plasencia and Seville line
- **The North:** Burgos to Vitoria, Pamplona and Zaragoza, and Salamanca to Valladolid and Palencia

Renfe is also dropping the supplement for carrying a full-size bicycle that has not been folded or dismantled. Pets up to 10 kilos in a carrier and dogs up to 40 kilos will also travel without a surcharge on these routes. The A Coruña to Vigo line is the one to try first if you are visiting Galicia: it links the Atlantic coast with Santiago de Compostela, so you can now hop on for a few hours in the old town without planning a day ahead.

[Passenger trains between Budapest and Belgrade](https://richtravelmagazine.com/article/back-on-track-the-new-routes-opening-this-autumn-and-the-world-s-most-luxurious-train-suite) return on 13th December after a seven-year suspension while the line was rebuilt. Ljubisa Pejicic, acting director of Serbian Railways, has confirmed eight daily departures from Belgrade: six to Budapest and two continuing to Vienna. The Budapest journey takes around three hours, against six to eight hours before the upgrade, and Vienna is about six hours away.

Prices are still being agreed between the Serbian, Hungarian and Austrian railways. The figure under discussion is around €35 one way to Budapest and €43 to Vienna, so check the Hungarian and Serbian railway websites for final fares before you book. For you, the line turns Belgrade into an easy add-on to a Vienna or Budapest city break.

The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group's new passenger ferry, Scillonian IV, left Vietnam at 6am local time on Saturday 31st October to begin a two-month delivery voyage to the UK via the Cape of Good Hope. The 75-metre ship carries up to 600 passengers, 24 per cent more than the current ferry, and has roll and pitch reduction systems designed to make the crossing from Penzance more comfortable.

Scillonian IV replaces Scillonian III, which is in its final season after 49 years on the route, and enters service in March 2027. She is part of a £40 million programme that also delivered a new freight ship, Menawethan, earlier this year. If you have avoided the Scilly crossing for fear of seasickness, spring 2027 may be the moment to try again.