Enthusiast's Guide to Travelling the Railways of Europe

SPAIN (España)

General Information

Last update for this page: 25 July 2010.

National Railway System: Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles. Under a law passed on 29 October 2003, RENFE infrastructure (including stations and signalling) is hived off into a completely separate body - Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF) - leaving train operations as the responsibility of RENFE Operadora. Initially, at least, the existing operating divisions continue, with passenger services provided by four divisions:

• Cercanías - Suburban services around main towns and cities
• Regionales - Interurban local services
• Grandes Lineas - Long distance
• AVE - High speed trains using the Madrid - Segovia - Valladolid/Medina del Campo, Madrid - Sevilla/Malaga, Madrid - Zaragoza - Lleida - Barcelona, Madrid - Zaragoza - Huesca and Madrid - Toledo lines

Freight activity was traditionally split between Cargas (general freight) and Transporte Combinado (containers), but these are being combined into one operation.

Languages: Spanish (Español) is the principal language. This is known as Castellano (i.e. Castilian) in Spain. Other languages predominate in certain regions: Català (Catalan) is used in Catalunya and a variant of it (Valenciano) in the Valencia region; Gallego (Galician) is a Portuguese dialect, used in North West Spain; Euskara (Basque) is used in Euskadi (Pais Vasco, the Basque region): it is an isolate with no clear relationship to any other known language or language group. The regional languages are more likely to be encountered on notices and name signs than in spoken form. Català place names have been in general use for many years and are unlikely to cause confusion, although it is worth noting that the Valenciano for Alicante is Alacant. Gallego and Castilian names are mostly similar, except for prefixes. For example, La Coruña and El Ferrol are A Coruña and O Ferrol in Gallego. Place names in Castilian and Euskara can be quite different. San Sebastían is known in Euskara as Donostia and Vitoria as Gasteiz. It should be noted that the Euskara name for Pamplona (the main city of Navarra) is Iruñea or Iruña, which should not be confused with the border town, Irún.

Currency: Euro

UIC code: numeric 71, alpha E

Timetable:

Gauge: Most of the RENFE system is 1668 mm. The AVE high speed lines between Madrid and Sevilla/Malaga/Toledo, Madrid and Valladolid/Medina del Campo and Madrid and Barcelona/Huesca are 1435 mm; the branch north of Madrid between Cercedilla and Los Cotos is 1000 mm. RENFE operates freight and passenger rolling stock able to work on both 1668 mm and 1435 mm gauge lines. There are gauge-changing installations (cambiadores de anchos) as follows:

Electrification: The standard RENFE system is 3000 V dc. The AVE lines are 25 kV 50 Hz, and Cercedilla to Los Cotos is 1500 V dc.

Rule of the road: Generally right-hand running. Broad-gauge routes of the former FC del Norte, north and west of Madrid, are left-hand running.

Other railways:

• Eusko Tren (Eusko Trenbideak, Ferrocarriles Vascos): Bilbao - Donostia [San Sebastían] - Hendaia [Hendaye]; Bilbao Deustu - Lezama; Amorebieta - Bermeo. 1000 mm gauge, 1500 V dc.
• Ferrocarriles Españoles de Via Estrecha (FEVE): El Ferrol - Oviedo - Santander - Bilbao; Pravia - San Esteban de Pravia; Pravia - Gijón; Trubia - Collanzo; Gijón - Laviana; Orejo - Liérganes; Aranguren - Guardo - León; the isolated Cartagena - Los Nietos line in southern Spain and various freight lines in northern Spain. 1000 mm gauge. Part electrified at 1500 V dc.
• Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC): Local services around Barcelona, principally Plaça d'Espanya to Igualada and Manresa (1000 mm gauge, 1500 V dc) and Plaça de Catalunya to Terrassa and Sabadell (1435 mm gauge, 1200 V dc), plus the rack line Ribes de Freser - Núria (1000 mm gauge, 1500 V dc) in the Pyrenees and the Lleida - Pobla de Segur branch, recently taken over from RENFE. Also freight-only branches Manresa to Suria and Sallent, and San Boi de Llobregat to Barcelona Docks [Morrot] (1000 mm gauge, diesel).
• Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV) operates a network in Valencia (1000 mm gauge, 1500/750 V dc). Apart from sections of the Valencia tramway, these were converted from former FEVE lines, connected via new city centre through "metro" routes. Also Alacant - Creueta (1000 mm gauge, 750 V dc) and El Creueta - Benidorm - Denia (electrification at 1500V dc in progress from Creueta, 1000 mm gauge).
• Ferrocarril de Palma de Mallorca a Sóller: Palma - Sóller. 914 mm gauge. Electrified at 1200 V dc.
• Serveis Ferroviaris de Mallorca (SFM): Palma - Sa Pobla and Manacor (1000 mm gauge).
• Azpeitia - Lasao (operated in connection with the Basque Railway Museum at Azpeitia)
• Museo Minero y Ferroviario: 11km of the former Rio Tinto mineral system; Talleres Mina - Los Frailes, north of Huelva; 1067mm gauge
• CIFVM Museo del Tren: La Poveda - La Laguna del Campillo, in the suburbs south east of Madrid

Metro: Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Palma. The first phase of Sevilla metro Line 1 was officially inaugurated on 2 April 2009.

Trams: Alacant, A Coruña, Barcelona, Bilbao, Sóller, Valencia, Vitoria/Gasteiz. Construction will commence this summer of a new tramway in Murcia, expected to be operational at the end of 2010. Construction is expected to start in August of the first section of a 12.8 km light rail line in Zaragoza.

Special notes:

RENFE operates a confusingly wide range of train types, and special fares apply on those that are fastest or offer superior facilities.

• AVE (originally meaning Alta Velocidad Española): High speed trains operating over the 1435 mm gauge lines: Madrid - Córdoba - Sevilla, Madrid - Zaragoza - Camp de Tarragona - Barcelona, Madrid - Zaragoza - Huesca, Madrid - Córdoba - Málaga, Madrid - Segovia - Valladolid.
• Euromed: High speed train between Barcelona, Valencia and Alacant.
• Talgo: Express train using articulated, light weight carriages. Some sets can change their gauge and/or operate on high-speed lines. Where technically identical, they differ from Altaria services by lower on-board service and comfort level.
• Alaris: Tilting trains on the Madrid - Valencia and Barcelona - Valencia routes.
• Altaria: High speed loco hauled Talgo200 trains between Madrid and Algeciras, Cádiz, Granada and Huelva, which operate on both 1668 mm and 1435 mm gauge lines.Refurbished Talgo stock is used between Madrid and Cartagena. Where technically identical, they differ from Talgo services by higher on-board service and comfort level.
• Arco and Diurno: Other long-distance, day trains.
• Avant: High speed trains operating over shorter distances on the 1435 mm gauge high speed lines: Madrid - Segovia - Valladolid, Madrid - Toledo, Madrid - Puertollano, Calatayud - Zaragoza - Huesca, Barcelona - Lleida, Málaga - Córdoba -Sevilla.
• Alvia: High speed trains which operate on both 1668 mm and 1435 mm gauge lines on the following routes: Alacant - Madrid - Gijón, Alacant - Madrid - Santander, Madrid - Valladolid - Bilbao, Madrid - San Sebastián - Irún, Madrid - Guadalajara - Irún, Madrid - Guadalajara - Logroño, Barcelona - Zaragoza - Vigo. Barcelona - Zaragoza - Irún, Barcelona - Zaragoza - Bilbao.
• Estrella: Overnight trains.
• Trenhotel: Overnight trains with additional facilities, such as showers. Trenhotel services to, from and via France are shown as Euronight in some timetables.
• Tren Regional Diesel (TRD) and R-598: Longer distance local trains.
• Regional Exprés: Interurban local train. In some areas these have a local identity, for example Andalucía Exprés.
• Regional: Rural local train.
• Cercanías: Suburban train.

Fares vary according to the type of train and time of travel. Usually fares are more expensive at busy times, but on Madrid Cercanías services fares are higher at weekends. On certain long-distance trains passes such as InterRail may only provide a discounted fare. It is always necessary for pass-holders to pay reservation fees, because these include compulsory travel insurance. Most passes are not valid on AVE trains, but discounts available include a 25% reduction for passengers in transit to join an international air flight. AVE passengers have a money-back guarantee if the train is more than five minutes late and refunds may be available in event of extreme lateness on other long-distance services.

RENFE maintains a rigid distinction between the four passenger service divisions. If a through journey involves a connection between trains of different divisions, a separate ticket will be issued for each division's portion of the journey.

A reservation is necessary to travel on any train other than Regional or Cercanías. At most main stations access to platforms used by long-distance trains is possible only upon production of a valid reservation. At busy times trains may become fully booked days in advance and standing passengers are not admitted. Reservations can be made at main stations. Although the system is quite efficient, long queues can develop at the busier stations and it is often necessary to obtain a 'queue ticket'. Waiting times are generally much shorter early in the morning.

Anybody contemplating travel in Spain would be well advised to make their reservations before leaving their home country to guarantee travelling on the train of their choice.

To find a list of RENFE agents in other countries:

• go to www.renfe.es/productos/index_visa.html and click "Puntos de Venta Internacional",
• select a country from the drop down list ("Seleccione un pais") under "Puntos de Venta en el Mundo". Note that these names are in Spanish: UK = ‘Reino Unido’ and Germany = ‘Alemania’.

A new page will pop up giving contact details for the agent(s) in that country.

Other travel agents in these countries may also be able to supply RENFE tickets.

Tickets can be purchased through the RENFE website, search for your journey in the section “Ida y Vuelta / Ida” and follow the Spanish instructions. Foreign credit cards and addresses are now accepted by the system. Overnight trains to, from and via France cannot be booked via RENFE; use www.elipsos.com instead.

Connections between Grandes Lineas and Regionales trains may not wait in event of late running. Indeed, in spite of some reasonable connections being generated by the RENFE website, the minimum connectional time generally recognised is 60 minutes.

Airport style luggage security checks using X-ray machines are made for nearly all main line services.

Recent changes

2010

• The Minister of Public Works announced in June 2010 that a number of lines were being considered for closure unless the relevant regional governments were willing to subsidise them. No definitive list had been announced by late July but the most likely contenders are Colmenar Viejo - Aranda de Duero - Burgos and Huesca - Jaca - Canfranc. It appears that Torralba - Soria is at present subsidised by Castilla y Léon, but this could be at risk if the subsidy is withdrawn.

2009

• A Lanzadera service was introduced on 15 June 2009 between Cádiz and Jaén, using the new gauge changer completed in January at Alcolea, east of Cordoba where the high speed line to Madrid parts company with the 'classic' line via Linares-Baeza.
• A curve providing a direct link between the Sevilla and Barcelona high speed lines, avoiding Madrid Atocha, was completed in early January, with daytime Barcelona - Andalucia services starting on 10 January. Overnight trains were converted to Trenhotel format but do not run this way, using instead the classic main line to and from Zaragoza.
• The overnight services between Barcelona and A Coruña/Vigo were upgraded to Trenhotel format on 26 January 2009 and diverted via the high speed line to Zaragoza.
• The Colmenar Viejo - Aranda de Duero - Burgos line reopened on 26 January, following the delayed completion of the Variante de Burgos connecting it to Burgos Rosa de Lima.
• Work is in progress on doubling parts of the Málaga - Fuengirola line.

2008

• The Madrid-Lisbon Trenhotel “Lusitania” was derailed west of Caceres on January 23. As a result it was diverted in both directions via Fuentes Oñoro and Entroncamento. Following reopening of Caceres - Valencia de Alcántara on 14 December it resumed using this route.
• Madrid - Barcelona: The final section of the high speed line from Roda de Bará to Barcelona Sants was opened on 21 February, well behind schedule.
• A new alignment between Huesca and Plasencia del Monte, bypassing 8 level crossings and also providing a Huesca avoiding curve, was opened in March.
• The short urban section Málaga María Zambrano – Alameda closed for upgrading work on 2 April and is expected to reopen about a year later
• The line between Valencia Nord and Vara de Quart was closed on 5 April for engineering work in connection with the high speed line from Madrid. Trains to and from Cuenca now start and terminate at Vara de Quart (now renamed Valencia Sant Isidre), with RENFE tickets being valid on the Metro.
• Madrid - Segovia - Valladolid: The Olmedo - Medina del Campo branch was opened on 10 April.
• Sevilla - Cádiz. An elevated section avoiding El Portal station was opened in the spring.
• The new broad-gauge tunnel for Cercanías services between Madrid Atocha and Madrid Chamartín via Puerta del Sol opened on 9 July.
• FEVE launched a direct Oviedo - Gijón service in the summer via the El Berrón west - north curve.
• The Torralba - Soria line was closed for engineering work from 18 August until 18 November.
• The Colmenar Viejo - Aranda de Duero - Burgos line closed for engineering work on 27 August.
• A 6km connection south of Leon, linking the Palencia (- Madrid) and Astorga (- Ourense) lines by means of a triangular junction at each end opened in early September. This has enabled freights to avoid the city (and especially a busy level crossing) entirely.
• The Huelva - Zafra route was closed north of Jabugo-Galaroza on 26 September for relaying, with trains running between Jabugo-Galaroza and Zafra only between Friday evening and Monday morning.
• A 7km deviation between Murcia and Alquerías, the junction for Cartagena, opened on 8 August.
• The daytime service between Barcelona and Vigo was diverted via the high speed line to Zaragoza on 15 September whereupon the Barcelona - Gijón and A Coruña portions were withdrawn.
• The 7 km Eusko Tran light rail line in Vitoria started commercial service on 23 December from Angulema to Ibaiondo; a branch to Lakua is expected to open in the future.
• The Burgos by-pass (San Mames - Rubena) with a new passenger station of Burgos Rosa de Lima, north of the city, opened on 14 December. The existing station and its approaches from the east and west closed on the same day.
• New Barcelona - Bilbao and Barcelona - Irún daytime services via the high speed line to Zaragoza were introduced on 14 December, replacing former overnight trains.

2007

• The new underground Plaza de España station in Palma city centre, the largest metre gauge station in Europe, opened in early March. At present only four of the planned ten platforms are in use.
• The last train on Valencia Cercanias line C4 to Quart de Poblet ran on 5 October, with the service being cut back to Xirivella-L'Alter. The service was effectively replaced by the L5 Metro service which opened in the spring.
• The Madrid - Segovia - Valladolid AVE was opened on 22 December. However, this was achieved only by the desperate expedient of providing two single lines (one 1435 mm and one 1668 mm gauge) on the southern approaches to Valladolid. A new double track line between Valdestillas and Pinar de Antequera is planned to open in 2011.
• Córdoba - Malaga: The Antequera Santa Ana - Malaga section was opened on 23 December. The final 2km into Málaga will eventually be underground, replacing the existing main line in its entirety.

2006

• Madrid - Barcelona: The line was extended from Lleida to Roda de Bará on 19 December.
• Córdoba - Malaga: The Córdoba - Antequera Santa Ana - Bobadilla section was opened on 17 December.

2005

• The [Madrid -] Alameda de La Sagra - Toledo AVE branch opened on 15 November, whereupon the remaining Castillejo-Añover - Algodor section of the former 1668 mm gauge branch to Toledo was closed.

Future changes

Standard gauge lines (planned year of opening in parentheses):

• Barcelona across the French border to Perpignan, with mixed freight and passenger use. The Figueres – Perpignan section has been completed but no work has started on the Figueres – Barcelona section. The 41 km between Girona and Figueres is to be upgraded and one track converted to mixed gauge, enabling 1435 mm gauge freight trains to access a terminal in Girona. No plans have yet been announced regarding passenger services.
• Madrid - Cuenca - Valencia/Albacete (2010). Work is progressing well and is ahead of schedule in places.
• Work has started on the line from Olmedo to Zamora. It appears that only the physical junction at Olmedo will be retained, and the 21km recently reopened line to Medina del Campo will become redundant.

There are plans for other new lines:

• Work on the Valladolid - Burgos high speed line is expected to start in 2009.
• Burgos to both Bilbao and Irun (2010, but probably delayed).
• Madrid - Caceres - Merida - Badajoz (- Lisboa). Ministers in both countries have confirmed that the line will be operational in 2013 despite tight financial restrictions, but this seems unlikely.
• ADIF has been authorised to start tendering for the third, standard gauge cross-city tunnel between Atocha and Chamartín to link the existing AVE lines north and south of Madrid.
• In October 2008 tenders were invited for construction of the first section of the 186 km long Almería - Murcia high speed line.
• The European Investment Bank has provided loan capital for construction of a high-speed line between Sevilla and Antequera.

1668 mm gauge lines

• Zaragoza - Teruel.
• Vigo - A Coruña "Work is in progress on a new high speed double track line from Vigo to A Coruña:

• Vigo - Portela: work has just started and should be complete by 2010/11
• Portela - Villagarcia de Arousa: opened to traffic in 2008
• Villagarcia - A Escravitude: work has just started and should be complete by 2010/11
• A Escravitude - Santiago de Compostela - Cerceda: opened to traffic in 2007/08
• Cerceda - A Coruña: work has just started and should be complete by 2010/11; a small section south of Uxes is already open.

• Work is in progress on the new Santiago to Ourense line, expected to open in 2012. However contracts have not yet been awarded for the Lubian - Vilavella - Vilarino section.
• León-Asturias high speed line: La Robla - Pola de Lena (- Oviedo) including the Pajares tunnels. Tunnelling was almost complete in March 2009 when one boring machine was badly damaged. The existing steeply graded and extremely circuitous line will apparently be retained for freight traffic.
• Sevilla - Cádiz. Doubling is taking place at many locations between Jerez de La Frontera and Cadiz Cortadura.
• Sevilla - Bobadilla - Granada. A new alignment to the south of the existing line is under construction from west of Osuna to the cut-off leading to Fuente de Piedra. A major rebuilding of the line on to Granada is planned as well as a new line from Sevilla to Marchena, well to the north of the existing line.
• Funding was apparently approved for the Silla - Gandia branch to be extended to Denia, connecting there with the FGV line to Alacant. However this has now been revoked and the situation remains unclear.
• Work is to start on renovation of the Canfranc line between Jaca and Caldearenas, lasting for 18 months.However this appears to have been stopped by the incoming government.
• There are plans to divert the main line through Valladolid into a tunnel with a new underground station and to build a 1668 mm freight bypass to the east.
• There are plans to divert the line through Logroño into a tunnel.
• There are plans for a new station on the outskirts of Huelva which may involve closure of the present station.
• There are plans to divert the line through both Palencia and León into a tunnel with new underground stations in each town.
• Approval has been given for the first contract for the extension of the Málaga - Fuengirola line to Estepona. However, the provincial government is hoping the European Investment Bank will fund half the cost.
• Plans have been announced for the construction of 115 km of new lines for the Madrid Cercanias network:

• Doubling and electrification from Colmenar Viejo to Soto del Real for an extension of line C4
• An extension of line C4 from Alcobendas S. S. Reyes to both San Augustin de Guadalix and Algete
• A direct link from Chamartin to Barajas Airport
• A new route between Pinar de las Rozas and Majadahonda via the town centres and from Majadahonda to Moncloa
• A new east-west “gran Eje Transversal Este-Suroeste” line between Principe Pio and San Fernando de Henares, with an extension to a new station at Soto de Henares via a deviation in Torrejón de Ardoz. West of Principe Pio, two alternatives are under consideration to either S.José de Valderas or Leganés
• An extension of line C5 from Móstoles to Navalcarnero
• Doubling and electrification from Humanes to Villescas for an extension of line C5
• An extension of line C4 from Parla to Torrejón de Velasco
• Quadrupling of the S.Cristóbal de los Ángeles - Pinto - Aranjuez main line
• Quadrupling from Pinar de las Rozas to Villalba and doubling of Villalba - Collado Mediano
• Studies are also being undertaken for extensions from Vallecas to Mejorada del Campo (lines C2/C7) and from Cuatro Vientos to Villaviciosa de Odón (line C5)

Metre gauge lines

• Tenders are being sought for a branch to Bilbao Airport, comprising a 3.1 km double-track alignment from Matiko to La Ola with 1.9 km in tunnel. The line will join EuskoTren's Deustu - Lezama route near La Ola, where a new station is to be built and track doubled as far as Sondika.
• Double-tracking has been completed on the EuskoTren Bilbao - San Sebastián between Amorebieta and Euba; the Euba - Iurreta section is out to tender and work is in progress between Iurreta and Traña. The line through Durango is being diverted underground with new subterranean stations at Durango, San Fauste and Trana, and.should be completed in 2010. This includes a new facility at Lebario to free the site of Durango depot for redevelopment.
• It appears that approval has been given for extension of the SFM system from Manacor to Arta utilising the former railway.

Forthcoming timetable changes:

• None

Lines with a limited future:

A number of lines have had passenger services severely pruned, and some lines may close.

• Colmenar Viejo - Aranda de Duero - Burgos: this line, now carries only one Talgo train a day each way and no longer has any freight traffic. Owing to the absence of signalling, only one train is allowed between Colmenar Viejo and Burgos at any time. The line closed on 27 August 2008 for construction of a new 4km link "Enlace Aranda" at the north end from Villacienzo to the Burgos by-pass at Villalbilla and reopened to passenger traffic on 26 January 2009. It has been the subject of a study to evaluate its refurbishment for use as a high capacity freight line, but this seems extremely unlikely. As part of the plans announced for expansion of the Madrid Cercanias network the line is to be doubled and electrified from Colmenar Viejo to Soto del Real. The Minister of Public Works announced in June 2010 that it was one of the lines being considered for closure; the daily train each way carries an average of only 4 passengers.
• Huelva - Zafra: owing to the poor condition of the track, this line was quite often bus substituted over the whole or part of the route during 2006. The line closed north of Jabugo-Galaroza on 26 September 2009 for relaying, with trains running between Jabugo-Galaroza and Zafra only at the weekend.
• Cercedilla - Segovia: the slow Regionales service over the section beyond this interchange for the narrow gauge line to Los Cotos is threatened by Avant services to the new Segovia Guiomar station on the high speed line to Vallodolid. Indeed, the service beyond Cercedilla was drastically reduced on 16 November 2008.

Maps: There is no generally-available printed map of the RENFE system apart from that included in M.G. Ball's "European Railway Atlas". However, a good map is provided on the “Trainspotting Bükkes” website. See bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_iberian-peninsula.php. A larger PDF file (16 MB) map (dated 2007) is available on this link: www.anuario-ffe.com/PDF/cartog_red_espanola.pdf. There are also useful maps on ADIF's “network statement” PDF file (www.adif.es).

Last complete update: 14 August 2009. Subsequent amendments: "Timetable" and "Recent Changes" amended (25 July 2010).

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