Renfe’s international AVE service, its first competitive entry into the French market, has reached a major milestone—one million passengers. Launched in the summer of 2023, the high-speed routes connecting Spain and France (via hubs in Lyon and Marseille) have rapidly gained popularity. With around 15 destinations across both countries, the service continues to expand, and a new route to Toulouse is set to launch in the coming months. This further strengthens Renfe’s position as a leader in cross-border rail travel and sustainable mobility on both sides of the Pyrenees.
Long-distance travel has proven the most in demand among international AVE passengers. The Marseille-Madrid corridor accounts for 60% of total demand, while the busiest point-to-point routes are Lyon-Barcelona, followed by Barcelona-Montpellier and Lyon-Montpellier.
Renfe currently operates two AVE routes in France: one connecting Lyon to Barcelona and the other linking Marseille to Madrid, with both sharing tracks between Nîmes and Barcelona. On this common section, Renfe runs four daily AVE services (two in each direction), stopping in key cities such as Montpellier, Nîmes, Narbonne, Perpignan, Figueres, and Girona. The Lyon route also serves the transport hub of Valence, while the Marseille service connects to popular destinations like Avignon and Aix-en-Provence.
In December 2024, the European Union Agency for Railways granted Renfe the necessary safety certification to extend operations between Perpignan and Toulouse. Since early January, driver training and route testing have been underway, paving the way for the launch of Renfe’s third international AVE route in the second quarter of 2025.
With this expansion, Renfe will solidify its position as the leading cross-border rail operator between Spain and France, offering six daily high-speed trains (three in each direction) and serving a total of 17 cities across both countries.
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