If I buy a Renfe ticket online, in what form do I get the actual ticket?

Question

I will be traveling to Spain, and noticed that I can get a train ticket at a discount if I buy online now. I started filling the form, and they wanted to know lots of data, including an ID number(!) and my full address, even though I chose to buy without a registration.

This made me stop and think. Maybe they need my address so they can send me my ticket per snail mail? This would be unfortunate, as I will have left long before a letter from Spain arrives. But until a few years ago, this was the way I had to buy my online tickets in Germany - order them and they came in an envelope - so who knows, maybe the Spanish railway still hasn't changed to electronically delivered tickets?

I don't speak Spanish, so if the delivery method is explained somewhere on the site, I can't find it. Does anybody know if I can buy the ticket online and print it right away?

Answer 1

I did the same last year, I just printed the ticket page and took it along to Spain. No snail mail involved.

Answer 2

I've found the same question here. In sum:

you can walk directly on the train with these [printed] tickets you do not have to pick up any other tickets from the station

Also:

If you did not have a printer at home then RENFE have Automatic Check-In Booths at Barcelona Sants

Change "Barcelona Sants" for almost any big station name (Madrid, Valencia, etc)

Answer 3

Those details you need to provide are irrelevant to the ticket, probably just insurance/statistical data. Tickets are generated immediately after checkout, and you get to choose whether download them as PDFs, Passbook/Passwallet (For your smartphone), or as a code sent through SMS (Or all of the above).

You will receive the printable PDF through e-mail too, but you can also print them in kiosks located on main stations and Madrid airport (Terminal 4 next to the subway kiosks)