Adif AV has announced that three companies will operate the high-speed rail corridors, which will see a 65% increase on the number of high-speed services.
Renfe Viajeros, Ilsa consortium, comprising Trenitalia and Air Nostrum, and Rielsfera, a subsidiary of SNCF are the three bidders selected by the Spanish high-speed infrastructure manager to operate on the Madrid-Barcelona-French border, Madrid-Levante and Madrid-South.
The signing of the framework agreements is planned for before March 15, 2020, after the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) will gave its approval.
Within one year, the three operators have to prepare the launch of the transport services, but, according to Ilsa consortium, the commercial service is set to commence in January 2022 and shall have a duration of ten years.
Adif AV offered three service packages for each corridor, with the intention to increase the number of the currently daily services from 119 to 189.
The framework agreements are structured on three packages (A, B and C), with A package awarded to Renfe, Package B to Ilsa and Package C to Rielsfera.
Ilsa said it will offer 32 daily connections along the Madrid-Barcelona route (16 in each direction). The Madrid-Valencia route will have 8 connections per day, 7 of which will run between Madrid and Malaga and between Madrid and Seville. From Madrid to Alicante, rather, there will be 4 daily connections, which can be increased during peak summer weeks. The five routes awarded shall be serviced by a fleet of 23 trains, with Ilsa selecting the Frecciarossa 1000 trains.
The three corridors:
1.Madrid-Barcelona-French border and Valencia-Barcelona
2.Madrid-Levante (Valencia and Alicante)
3.Madrid-Toledo-Sevilla-Málaga
The packages per corridor:
On corridor 1, package A comprises 48 daily services with three trains per hour and direction; package B envisages 16 services with one train per hour per direction and package C comprises 5 services with one train every three hours in each direction. In total, the number of daily services will increase from currently 43 services to 69, which represents a 60% increase.
On corridor 2, package A comprises 32 daily services with two trains per hour per direction, package B comprises 16 services with one train per hour per direction and package C comprises 4 services, with four trains per day and direction. This scheme will increase the daily services from currently 37 services to 52. This represents a 40% increase.
On corridor 3, package A comprises 48 daily services with three trains per hour per direction, package B comprises 16 services with one train per hour and direction and package C will see 4 services with four trains per day in each direction. Overall, the number of services will increase by 70%, from 39 to 68 services.
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