Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Geneva/Marbella
Programs: UA*G, SK-EBB, DL-G, IB-Silver Marriott Gold , HHonors Gold, SHG Gold
Posts: 992
I have noticed this myself. Renfe runs the local trains "circanias" on which you can travel to an end station which then has bus conections to Toledo.
The AVE connection has only existed for a year now and the travel passes were new additions this year as well. There are still inexpensive bus connections as the trains do fill up durning peak hours and you need a seat reservation to travel unlike the Circanias which can become crowded with standing room only.
The spanish site states clearly that these are only valid on Circanias and not the regular services of Renfe.
You do get a 20% discount on the fare to Toledo when purchasing a round-trip same day return though.
While I like the hop on hop off feature you get with the travel passes the 10 trip tickets can be shared so break out to .61cents a trip so you break even in zona A if you do over 6 segments a day. Transfers in metro of course included while in madrid you pay each trip for busses with no transfer.
The local busses do come in handy in Toledo as it is a good walk (uphill) from train to city and back.