Spanish state-owned rail operator Renfe will put Talgo’s new AVE S-106 trains into service next month.
On 21 May, Renfe will put into commercial service the first ten new-generation high-speed trainsets delivered by manufacturer Talgo. Part of this fleet will be used on the France-Spain lines.
The high-speed trains designed by the Iberian manufacturer Talgo will enable the launch of fast rail links in Asturias and Galicia, to cities such as Vigo, Pontevedra, Vilagarcia, Santiago and A Coruña, reducing journey times by up to 18 minutes. In addition, these state-of-the-art trains will improve the company’s offer on the whole network, thanks to the increased capacity trainsets – 12 carriages, 500 passengers.
Four times more trains on the Spain-France route
The new trains will also help on international routes, especially on the Paris-Lyon-Marseille and Paris-Barcelona lines. With an average occupancy rate of 80%, the company announced that it has already sold more than 500,000 tickets for its France-Spain lines launched in July 2023.
Now, the aim is to quadruple its offer, going from 4 to 16 trains a day, bringing its trains as far as Paris-Lyon station – and to gain “international and national connections on the French market”, according to Renfe officials. Three new railway stations could be added to the current destinations: Lyon Perrache, Montpellier Sud and Nîmes Pont du Gard.
Older generation trains (Alvia S-730, S-130 and S-121), replaced by Talgo’s new AVE S-106 trainsets, will also be used to increase the rail offer on the main corridors linking Andalusia, Estramadura, Catalunya, Aragon, de Castilla-y-Leon, Castilla-la-Mancha and Madrid.
In total, Renfe is targeting an increase of 20,000 seats. Engaged in a €5 billion fleet renewal operation, Renfe has ordered no fewer than 30 AVE S-106 trainsets in its ambition to have the most modern fleet in Europe.
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