Yesterday I naively tried to buy tickets from Sevilla to Madrid for July 10. The website did show me two choices for that day, and I selected on and continued to enter all the info (name, cc, etc). When I hit "purchase" the website told me it was contacting my bank. In a moment, I got an error message. Then I got a call from my bank, asking about this tansaction (so an attempt was made to purchase them). I told the bank OK, and I tried again. Same thing. I tried two different credit cards (after first calling the bank).Another (new) error code. I read on Fodors.com that people have this problem all the time. I though it was because I was more than 64 days from the date of travel, but then why would two options show up on that date? Other earlier dates have many more tains that show available. HELP?????

I've purchased tickets from the Renfe site using a UK Debit Card.

Are you in the USA? I've read on other forums of people having trouble making Airline reservations using American issued Credit Cards.

Renfe site is ups and downs, but you should be able to purchase it, just patient will do, keep trying.

Yes, I'm in the USA. I wondered if that might be an issue. I'll keep trying. I know that the Renfe site has problems. Thanks for the feedback!

The Renfe site does have it´s problems .. Normally you can only buy tickets 60 days ahead of your journey . That may have been the problem .
But I had problems about a year ago trying to book tickets for a pop concert ... on the telephone . It was a high profile concert and I was using the Caixa banks´s reservation system ( A huge bank here ) . They would NOT accept my British credit card ( mastercard ) and I eventually had to use my Spanish bank card . It´s very bizarre !
Banking in Spain can be a little difficult ( to say the least ) . I regurlarly have to withdraw 500 >Euros from my account , via an ATM , to pay for my rent . The bank wil charge me something like 8 Euros for the transaction ! .. In the UK ATM transactions are free . It drives me crazy .

really Steve? I have never ATM charges in Spain when using my US VIsa card or French for that matter....In Spain I withdraw from Barclays, the one by plaza de Colon corner with Castellana.

Let us know when/how you resolve this

Pedmar . I have a Barclays near my place ... I´m going to try that . Thanks for the info !

Mary - I'm in the US and I just went through the same thing with Citibank. It took about 5 tries for each train ticket i booked, plus 3 calls with the fraud department. Plus both of the Spanair plane tickets i bought triggered a fraud alert. My suggestion is to get on the phone with someone in your credit cards fraud department and vent some of your frustration on them. That is what i eventually had to do.

On a slightly different note, the train was worth the extra effort and cost over flying. The high speed train was super nice and comfortable, one of the better travel experiences i have had in many years. Spanair was pretty bad - late and the least leg room I have ever seen.

I have a Barclays near my place

Steve check if your bank where you have the card is a correspondant bank with Barclays, this is the deal
its call Global ATM Alliance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_ATM_Alliance

good luck