Renfe

A better experience for search and purchase

Better experience for search and purchase

A better experience for search and purchase

How to optimize and redesign the purchase flow in the App

How to optimize and redesign the purchase flow concept

Disclaimer

This is a design challenge based on public market data (CNMC, Observatorio de Movilidad). The insights shared here are my own and don’t necessarily represent the views of Renfe.

Disclaimer

This is a design challenge based on public market data (CNMC, Observatorio de Movilidad). The insights shared here are my own and don’t necessarily represent the views of Renfe.

Disclaimer

This is a design challenge based on public market data (CNMC, Observatorio de Movilidad). The insights shared here are my own and don’t necessarily represent the views of Renfe.

Market Competitor

The end of monopoly and the rise of aggregators

End of monopoly and rise of aggregators

The end of monopoly and the rise of aggregators

56%

Renfe AVE

Spanish Public Operator

56%

Renfe AVE

24%

Iryo

FdS - AirNostrum - Globalvia

24%

Iryo

24%

Iryo

19%

Ouigo

SNCF Low Cost

19%

Ouigo

WHO'S COMPETE FOR THE CHOICE?

Trainline - Omio - Rail Europe - Trenes.com

Aggregators they don't operate trains, they operate the choice: aggregating Renfe, Ouigo, Iryo and Avlo into one comparable search.

WHO'S COMPETE FOR THE CHOICE?

Trainline - Omio - Rail Europe - Trenes.com

Aggregators they don't operate trains, they operate the choice into one comparable search.

WHO'S COMPETE FOR THE CHOICE?

Trainline - Omio - Rail Europe - Trenes.com

Aggregators they don't operate trains, they operate the choice: aggregating Renfe, Ouigo, Iryo and Avlo into one comparable search.

WHO'S COMPETE FOR THE CHOICE?

Trainline - Omio - Rail Europe - Trenes.com

Aggregators they don't operate trains, they operate the choice: aggregating Renfe, Ouigo, Iryo and Avlo into one comparable search.

Challenge

What can an operator's app do that an aggregator never could?

Know the traveler. Their routes, their card, their seat, their history.
An aggregator sells a transaction. An operator can build a relationship.

What can an operator do that an aggregator never could?

Know the traveler. Their routes, their card, their seat, their history.
An aggregator sells a transaction. An operator can build a relationship.

What an operator can do that an aggregator never could?

Know the traveler. Their routes, their card, their seat, their history.
An aggregator sells a transaction. An operator can build a relationship.

What can an operator's app do that an aggregator never could?

Know the traveler. Their routes, their card, their seat, their history.
An aggregator sells a transaction. An operator can build a relationship.

Use Cases

Same person in different weeks.

CarPlay Ultra is designed to deeply integrate the iPhone with a vehicle’s entire dashboard, including the instrument cluster, offering real-time data such as speed, tire pressure, and driver assistance systems. It supports customization through themes and color options that reflect each automaker's design language.

Same person in different weeks.

The Regular

Same route, high frequency. Doesn't search, repeats.

Minority of users, majority of transactions. The hypothesis to validate first.

The Planner

2–4 weeks ahead. Price-sensitive, wants to compare.

The only one an aggregator serves better than us. This is where we compete head-on.

The Urgent

Leaving today. Wants the next train and the QR code.

Standing up, one hand, in a hurry, unstable connection.

Analysis

The current flow

With limitations clearly mapped, the design strategy shifted from “how much can we customize?” to “where does consistency create recognition?”

Brand expression was explored through:

The current flow

With limitations clearly mapped, the design strategy shifted from “how much can we customize?” to “where does consistency create recognition?”

Brand expression was explored through:

The current flow

With limitations clearly mapped, the design strategy shifted from “how much can we customize?” to “where does consistency create recognition?”

Brand expression was explored through:

The current flow

With limitations clearly mapped, the design strategy shifted from “how much can we customize?” to “where does consistency create recognition?”

Brand expression was explored through:

1 · Home

Home

2 · Search

3 · Result

Result

4 · Rates

Rates

4 · Rate Selected

Selected

6 · Return Results

Return

7 · Return Rates

Return

8 · Passenger

Passenger

Insights

What's broken

It asks you for everything again
«Hi Simone» and an empty field. Zero recent searches, zero frequent routes. Half the screen is a campaign photo.

It asks you for everything again

«Hi Simone» and an empty field. Zero recent searches, zero frequent routes. Half the screen is a campaign photo.

It asks you for everything again

«Hi Simone» and an empty field. Zero recent searches, zero frequent routes. Half the screen is a campaign photo.

It asks you for everything again

«Hi Simone» and an empty field. Zero recent searches, zero frequent routes. Half the screen is a campaign photo.

Station disappears right when you decide
Results say «Barcelona (All)» and no row shows a station. The real one appears a screen later, once the train's already chosen.

Station disappears right when you decide

Results say «Barcelona (All)» and no row shows a station. The real one appears a screen later, once the train's already chosen.

Station disappears right when you decide

Results say «Barcelona (All)» and no row shows a station. The real one appears a screen later, once the train's already chosen.

Station disappears right when you decide

Results say «Barcelona (All)» and no row shows a station. The real one appears a screen later, once the train's already chosen.

One checkmark for everything
«✓ Non-refundable» sits next to «✓ Baggage included». With four fares that's sixteen lines of mandatory reading.

One checkmark for everything

«✓ Non-refundable» sits next to «✓ Baggage included». With four fares that's sixteen lines of mandatory reading.

One checkmark for everything

«✓ Non-refundable» sits next to «✓ Baggage included». With four fares that's sixteen lines of mandatory reading.

One checkmark for everything

«✓ Non-refundable» sits next to «✓ Baggage included». With four fares that's sixteen lines of mandatory reading.

The irreversibility goes unsaid
The Basic fare card never mentions that flexibility extras can't be purchased afterward.

The irreversibility goes unsaid

The Basic fare card never mentions that flexibility extras can't be purchased afterward.

The irreversibility goes unsaid

The Basic fare card never mentions that flexibility extras can't be purchased afterward.

The irreversibility goes unsaid

The Basic fare card never mentions that flexibility extras can't be purchased afterward.

Grey buttons at three steps
Search trains, Select and Continue all appear disabled. It doesn't explain what's missing.

Grey buttons at three steps

Search trains, Select and Continue all appear disabled. It doesn't explain what's missing.

Grey buttons at three steps

Search trains, Select and Continue all appear disabled. It doesn't explain what's missing.

Grey buttons at three steps

Search trains, Select and Continue all appear disabled. It doesn't explain what's missing.

No prices when browsing by day
< Thursday, August 20 > and nothing else. Showing the price would tell you if it's worth it.

No prices when browsing by day

< Thursday, August 20 > and nothing else. Showing the price would tell you if it's worth it.

No prices when browsing by day

< Thursday, August 20 > and nothing else. Showing the price would tell you if it's worth it.

Design Tension

Comparing the three usage modes

Proposal

From audit to design, in three steps

1- Search

Today the home screen says «Hi Simone» and offers an empty field. Here the search bar stays visible up top, personalization is offered, and the usual route appears below.

Key Features:

Searcher Immediately visible with Station, Dqte and Travelers fields.
Your Journeys with your habitual trip
Recent Search shows your recent search

Users can draw a zone directly on the map and get notified when their car enters or exits that area. Simple concept, powerful utility—especially for parents, shared vehicles, or fleet management

Key Features:

Geolocation area selection using two-finger pinch gestures
Programmed alerts that repeat on a schedule (up to 10 saved alerts)
Toggle activation for quick on/off control

Today the home screen says «Hi Simone» and offers an empty field. Here the search bar stays visible up top, personalization is offered, and the usual route appears below
Key Features:

Searcher Immediately visible with Station, Dqte and Travelers fields.
Your Journeys with your habitual trip
Recent Search shows your recent search

Today the home screen says «Hi Simone» and offers an empty field. Here the search bar stays visible up top, personalization is offered, and the usual route appears below.

Key Features:

Searcher Immediately visible with Station, Dqte and Travelers fields.
Your Journeys with your habitual trip
Recent Search shows your recent search

1- Search

Users can draw a zone directly on the map and get notified when their car enters or exits that area. Simple concept, powerful utility—especially for parents, shared vehicles, or fleet management

Key Features:

Geolocation area selection using two-finger pinch gestures
Programmed alerts that repeat on a schedule (up to 10 saved alerts)
Toggle activation for quick on/off control

1- Search

Today the home screen says «Hi Simone» and offers an empty field. Here the search bar stays visible up top, personalization is offered, and the usual route appears below

Key features:

Searcher Immediately visible with Station, Dqte and Travelers fields.
Your Journeys with your habitual trip
Recent Search shows your recent search

2 - Results

The current app never shows the station in any row: the header says «Barcelona (All)» and the real station only appears a screen later, once the train's chosen.

Here it's on every row. And the usual train stays pinned and marked, without hiding the full list beneath it.

What we prioritized:

Station always visible
Price on date
Highlights the habitual tain
Rates sheet with glyph updates

Users can create an itinerary for their electric vehicle by entering a destination, while the system automatically calculates whether the current battery level is sufficient to complete the trip

What we prioritized:

Station always visible
Price on date
Highlights the habitual tain
Rates sheet with glyph updates

2 - Results

What we prioritized:

Station always visible
Price on date
Highlights the habitual tain
Rates sheet with glyph updates

3- Checkout

Everything pre-filled and editable. The price matches results. The account already exists, so checkout doesn't ask for data: it asks for confirmation.

When something goes wrong it states what happened, confirms nothing was charged, and offers alternatives on the same screen. Not a single detail is lost.

When the process ends successfully Ticket and QR code instantly, plus the option to save the route as a regular one.

Everything pre-filled and editable. The price matches results. The account already exists, so checkout doesn't ask for data: it asks for confirmation.

When something goes wrong it states what happened, confirms nothing was charged, and offers alternatives on the same screen. Not a single detail is lost.

When the process ends successfully Ticket and QR code instantly, plus the option to save the route as a regular one.

Everything pre-filled and editable. The price matches results. The account already exists, so checkout doesn't ask for data: it asks for confirmation.

When something goes wrong it states what happened, confirms nothing was charged, and offers alternatives on the same screen. Not a single detail is lost.

When the process ends successfully Ticket and QR code instantly, plus the option to save the route as a regular one.aved alerts)

Everything pre-filled and editable. The price matches results. The account already exists, so checkout doesn't ask for data: it asks for confirmation.

When something goes wrong it states what happened, confirms nothing was charged, and offers alternatives on the same screen. Not a single detail is lost.

When the process ends successfully Ticket and QR code instantly, plus the option to save the route as a regular one.l

3- Checkout

Everything pre-filled and editable. The price matches results. The account already exists, so checkout doesn't ask for data: it asks for confirmation.

When something goes wrong it states what happened, confirms nothing was charged, and offers alternatives on the same screen. Not a single detail is lost.

When the process ends successfully Ticket and QR code instantly, plus the option to save the route as a regular one.

Everything pre-filled and editable. The price matches results. The account already exists, so checkout doesn't ask for data: it asks for confirmation.

When something goes wrong it states what happened, confirms nothing was charged, and offers alternatives on the same screen. Not a single detail is lost.

When the process ends successfully Ticket and QR code instantly, plus the option to save the route as a regular one.

3- Checkout

Impact & Metrics

1. The Regular stops searching

The traveler buys in one tap what today takes a whole form. For Renfe retention against Ouigo and Iryo: only the operator can build the habit.

Metrics: % of transactions completed without going through search

2. What you're buying is clear

The traveler knows what they're giving up with Basic before choosing it. For Renfe Fewer contacts and fewer cancellations from misunderstood conditions.

Metrics: Fare-related contacts · % of cancellations

3. A failure doesn't cost the purchase

For traveler a payment error doesn't erase the work already done. For Renfe less payment abandonment and fewer duplicate charges.

Metrics: Payment abandonment · Double-charge incidents

Impact

1. Limits force better thinking

Working within Apple's strict rules made me think harder about what actually defines a brand visually. The result is sharper, not weaker.

2. Small repeated choices > big one-off moves

Consistency across the system builds stronger brand presence than isolated

bold gestures.

3. Safety and brand can coexist

Done right, brand integration actually supports usability instead of fighting it.

Impact

1. Limits force better thinking

Working within Apple's strict rules made me think harder about what actually defines a brand visually. The result is sharper, not weaker.

2. Small repeated choices > big one-off moves

Consistency across the system builds stronger brand presence than isolated

bold gestures.

3. Safety and brand can coexist

Done right, brand integration actually supports usability instead of fighting it.

Impact & Metrics

1. The Regular stops searching

The traveler buys in one tap what today takes a whole form. For Renfe retention against Ouigo and Iryo: only the operator can build the habit.

Metrics: % of transactions completed without going through search

2. What you're buying is clear

The traveler knows what they're giving up with Basic before choosing it. For Renfe Fewer contacts and fewer cancellations from misunderstood conditions.

Metrics: Fare-related contacts · % of cancellations

3. A failure doesn't cost the purchase

For traveler a payment error doesn't erase the work already done. For Renfe less payment abandonment and fewer duplicate charges.

Metrics: Payment abandonment · Double-charge incidents

Impact & Metrics

1. The Regular stops searching

The traveler buys in one tap what today takes a whole form. For Renfe retention against Ouigo and Iryo: only the operator can build the habit.

Metrics: % of transactions completed without going through search

2. What you're buying is clear

The traveler knows what they're giving up with Basic before choosing it. For Renfe Fewer contacts and fewer cancellations from misunderstood conditions.

Metrics: Fare-related contacts · % of cancellations

3. A failure doesn't cost the purchase

For traveler a payment error doesn't erase the work already done. For Renfe less payment abandonment and fewer duplicate charges.

Metrics: Payment abandonment · Double-charge incidents

Empty Boxes

Here's some functions that we purposely haven’t developed, we have identified them and consciously decided to avoid.