Renfe

Renfe (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈreɱfe], Eastern Catalan: [ˈreɱfə]), officially Renfe-Operadora, is the national passenger railway company of Spain.[3]

"Spanish Train" redirects here. For the Chris de Burgh song, see Spanish Train and Other Stories.

Renfe-Operadora
TypeStatutory corporation
IndustryRail transport
Founded1 January 2005
Headquarters
Madrid
,
Spain
Key people
Isaías Táboas (CEO),
Enrique Peña Pérez,
Manuel Fresno Castro,
José Luis Marroquín
ProductsRail passenger and freight transport
RevenueIncrease €3.979 billion (2018)[1]
Increase €111 million (2018)
OwnerSpanish government (100%)
Number of employees
Decrease 13,720 (2018)[2]
Subsidiaries
  • Renfe Viajeros
  • Renfe Mercancías
  • Renfe Fabricación y Mantenimiento
  • Renfe Alquiler de Material Ferroviario
Websiterenfe.com
Map of the Spanish rail network in 2019, with colour-coded track types. Renfe Operadora operates on broad (orange), standard (gray), and metre (green) gauge lines.
A Renfe train ticket

It was created in 2005 upon the split of the former Renfe national company into the Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (which inherited the infrastructure) and Renfe-Operadora (which inherited the railway service).

History
Further information: History of rail transport in Spain

The name "Renfe" (acronym of Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles) is derived from that of the former Spanish National Railway Network created on 24 January 1941 with the nationalisation of Spain's railways. As per EU Directive 91/440, Renfe was divided into Renfe-Operadora (operations) and ADIF (infrastructure) on 1 January 2005. At the same time, the existing RENFE double-arrowed logo (nicknamed the "galleta", Spanish for biscuit), first introduced in 1971 and given a facelift in 1983, with a sans-serif font, and again in 2000, with a mixed-case italic font, has been replaced by a dark purple lower-case wordmark designed by Interbrand, and also replaces some of the separate logos used by the other sectors, although the old Renfe logo remains in use in some stations in Spain and on maps to indicate an ADIF station.

The Railway Sector Act, 2003 separated the management, maintenance and construction of rail infrastructure from train operation. The first activity is now the responsibility of Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF), the legal successor of RENFE, while the newly created Renfe-Operadora (commercial name "Renfe Operadora" or simply "Renfe") owns the rolling stock and remains responsible for the planning, marketing and operation of passenger and freight services (though no longer with a legal monopoly).[4]

Renfe no longer has a monopoly on domestic passenger services. Ouigo España launched competing trains on the Madrid–Barcelona route in 2021, followed by Iryo in 2022.

Structure

Renfe Operadora inherited the management model of the business units of the old Renfe, which made Renfe Operadora responsible for the operation of the following passenger and freight services. In January 2006, Renfe Operadora restructured the main business units into four:

  • Dirección General de Servicios Públicos de Cercanías y Media Distancia (General Public Utilities Directorate for Suburban and Medium Distance): responsible for commuter services (Cercanías), medium-distance high-speed rail AVE services and medium-range regional services (es:Regionales and es:Media Distancia). However, control of some Cercanías services were transferred to Spain's Autonomous communities.
  • Dirección General de Servicios de Larga Distancia (General Directorate of Long Distance Services): responsible for long-distance intercity and high-speed rail services (except medium-distance AVE services and Media Distancia, which is managed by the above business unit).
  • Dirección General de Servicios de Mercancías y Logística (General Directorate for Freight and Logistics Services): responsible for freight services.
  • Dirección General de Fabricación y Mantenimiento (General Directorate of Manufacturing and Maintenance): responsible for rolling stock maintenance and manufacture (also known as Integria)

The Spanish state railways are currently engaged in a transformation and modernisation project. Key to this effort is a major overhaul of their out-dated ICT (information and communication technology) systems through an ICT renewal project scheduled for completion at the end of 2010 under the responsibility of Corporate Director of Information Systems Óscar Gómez Barbero. So far, the company has introduced improvements to their internet ticket sales and adopted new ICT management practices within a "more industrial" organisational model, though Mr. Gomez has publicly acknowledged the difficulties in transforming what still remains a very hierarchical organisation.

In June 2013, Renfe's board agreed to restructure the organisation into four separate companies, responsible for:

  • Operating passenger trains;
  • Freight;
  • Rolling stock maintenance;
  • Train leasing

These four would be underneath a single holding company.[5][6]

Figures
Figures[7]20062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Passengers (Mio.)[8] 527.975517.583510.176476.334463.012476.917472.145466.057464.961465.201471.359487.881507.088510.453
Passenger-kilometer (Mio.)20.48020.16722.28121.89521.16621.58521.31922.56323.75424.82525.29126.06026.93127.263
AVE Passengers (Tsd.)4.8785.55911.46111.25010.85112.56312.10114.69717.96719.42820.35221.10821.33222.370
AVE Passenger-kilometer (Tsd.)1.8842.1614.8885.2605.1715.8465.7937.0958.0389.2309.63210.26710.28910.760

Operations

The company operates some 12,000 km (7,500 mi) of railways, 7,000 km (4,300 mi) of them electrified. Most of the tracks are constructed to the broad "Iberian gauge" of 1,668 mm (5 ft 5+21⁄32 in), the same as that used in Portugal but wider than the international gauge of 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) which is standard in neighbouring France, most of western and central Europe, and most of the rest of the world. The newer high-speed (AVE) network has been built to the international standard gauge of 1,435 mm for the connection to the rest of the European railway system. For this reason, the 1,435 mm gauge is generally termed "European gauge" in Spain.

The Spanish high-speed system is called AVE (Alta Velocidad Española, meaning "Spanish High Speed"). The logo incorporates a feature which resembles a bird (ave in Spanish). The high-speed lines are built to the standard European gauge (1,435 mm or 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in).

Construction of the high-speed rail line between Madrid and Seville began in 1988 and operation commenced in 1991. Train speed on the Seville line is 300 km/h (190 mph). The second high-speed rail line (Madrid to Barcelona) was completed in 2007 with the inaugural service commencing at 06:00 on 20 February 2008. The operational speed on this route is 350 km/h (220 mph). The greater part of the line (Madrid to Lleida) was placed into service on 11 October 2003, with connection to Huesca from Zaragoza. The third high-speed line (Madrid to Toledo) was opened in November 2005, followed by the spur from Córdoba to Málaga as far as Antequera in 2007. Another high-speed route from Madrid to Valladolid was opened in 2007, the line from Madrid to Valencia was opened in 2010 and the first stage of the high-speed line in Galicia opened in 2011. A line to Lisbon is being designed.

Other lines operated by Renfe include Euromed, a moderate-speed line between Barcelona and Alicante.

In addition to intercity transport, Renfe operates commuter train systems, known as Cercanías (or Rodalies in Catalonia and Cercanías-Aldirikoak in the Basque Country), in eleven metropolitan areas, including Madrid and Barcelona. In some cities, Renfe shares the market with other commuter railway operators, such as FGC in Barcelona.

In 2019, Renfe solicited bids for 31 new trains for the Asturias and Cantabria regions and the €258m contract was awarded to CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) in June 2020. Around February 2023, authorities discovered the designs were for the wrong loading gauge, and would be too wide for the tunnels, because the tunnels in the region were built in the 19th century, and do not accommodate recent standard train sizes.[9] Amidst international embarrassment, rail operator Renfe and track company Adif each tried to deflect responsibility; each fired one official, but some called for higher-ups to be fired. Fortunately the trains were still in the design phase, however the Cercanía commuter trains will be delayed by at least two years, until 2026.[10][11][9] Subsequently transport officials including the president of RENF and the Secretary of State for transport resigned.[12]

Passenger rolling stock

Renfe Operadora utilises the following rolling stock and commercial products inside of its two divisions:

Cercanías AM (Meter Gauge Commuter Services)
Rolling stockRegion(s)Image
Feve Class 2400 DMUAsturias
Cantabria
Galicia		FEVE_Cerdido
Feve Class 2600 DMUAsturias
Castile and León		Estación_de_La_Losilla_(León)_FEVE_03
Feve Class 2700 DMUAsturias
Basque Country
Cantabria
Castile and León
Galicia		J22_803_Bf_Llanes,_VT_2710
Feve Class 2900 DMUCastile and León
Galicia
Murcia		Villaquilambre_-_Apeadero_de_Feve-Adif_1
Feve Class 3300 EMUAsturiasFEVE_3302_(50204068577)
Feve Class 3500 EMUAsturiasPerlora_station_1
Feve Class 3600 EMUAsturias
Basque Country
Cantabria		J23_162_Bf_Torrelavega-Centro,_ET_3610
Feve Class 3800 EMUCantabriaFeve_3811_con_nueva_decoración


Cercanías (Commuter Services)
Rolling stockMetropolitan area(s)Image
Renfe Class 442 EMUMadrid
Renfe Class 446 EMUBilbao
Madrid
Renfe Class 447 EMUBarcelona
Madrid
Valencia
Murcia/Alicante
San Sebastián
Santander		 S03_304_Bf_San_Pol_del_Mar,_447_142
Renfe Class 450 EMUBarcelona
Madrid
Renfe Class 462/463/464/465 EMUAsturias
Barcelona
Cádiz
Madrid
Málaga
Sevilla
Valencia
Zaragoza		RENFE_Civia_-_Silla_-_2014-07-24
Renfe Class 592 DMUValencia
Murcia/Alicante

Mainline Medium Distance Services
Rolling stockRoute(s)Image
Renfe Class 440/470 EMU (to be phased out)Córdoba – Rabanales
León – Ponferrada – Vigo
León – Gijón
Valladolid – Santander
Valladolid – Ávila
Valladolid – León
Valencia − Barcelona
Valencia − Alicante
Renfe Class 448 EMUCatalunya
Aragón		RENFE_448_(14519718446)
Renfe Class 449 EMUMadrid – Jaén
León – Ponferrada – Orense – Vigo
Sevilla – Cádiz
Barcelona – Girona – Figueres – Portbou
Huelva – Sevilla
Jaén – Córdoba – Sevilla – Cadiz
Madrid − Alcázar de San Juan − Albacete
Madrid − Alcázar de San Juan − Ciudad Real
Alicante – Albacete – Ciudad Real
Madrid − León
Madrid – Vitoria
Vitoria – Irun
Córdoba – Bobadilla
Barcelona – Reus
Barcelona – Tortosa		S2781_Bf_Madrid_Chamartín,_9_449_009
Renfe Class 592 DMU (to be phased out)Madrid – Talavera
Murcia – Cartagena
Valencia − Alcoi
CELTA:
Oporto - Vigo (Service CP)
Renfe Class 594 DMUValladolid – Zamora – Puebla de Sanabria
A Coruña – Ferrol
A Coruña – Lugo – Monforte de Lemos - Ourense
Madrid – Soria
Murcia – Cartagena		Renfe_Class_594_(8649324591)
Renfe Class 598 DMUCáceres – Valencia de Alcántara
Sevilla – Cáceres - Madrid		Regional_Cuenca_-_Madrid_en_Paredes_-_51734173215
Renfe Class 599 DMUMadrid – Badajoz
Huelva – Zafra
A Coruña – Vigo Guixar
Salamanca – Ávila – Madrid
Salamanca – Palencia
Valencia – Cartagena
Zaragoza – Valencia
Zaragoza – Cartagena
Sevilla – Málaga
Sevilla – Almería
Granada – Algeciras
Málaga – Ronda
Granada – Linares
Madrid − Águilas		 RENFE_599_087_Piñar

High-Speed Medium Distance Services
ServiceRolling stockRoute(s)Image
AvantRenfe Class 104 EMUMadrid – Toledo
Madrid – Ciudad Real
Málaga – Granada
Sevilla – Córdoba
Barcelona – Camp De Tarragona
Renfe Class 114 EMUMadrid – Puertollano
Madrid – Valladolid
Barcelona – Figueres
Barcelona – Lleida
Sevilla – Granada		 Renfe_Avant_S114_(40363123383)
Renfe Class 121 EMUCádiz – Jaén
A Coruña – Ourense
A Coruña – Vigo Urzaiz
Madrid – Ponferrada
Ponferrada-Vigo
Madrid – Gandia
Madrid-Salamanca		RENFE_121_501_Vilches

Luxury Tourist Train Services
ServiceRoute(s)LocomotivePassenger CarImage
Al ÁndalusSevilla - Granada - Úbeda - SevillaRenfe Class 319.3 LocomotiveAl ÁndalusRenfe_319.323_+_319.304_"Al_Andalus"_(48373548251)
Costa Verde ExpressBilbao - Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela - Bilbao		 Feve Class 1900 LocomotiveEl TranscantábricoFEVE_1916_+_“El_Transcantábrico”_(50101413867)
El Transcantábrico Gran LujoSan Sebastián–Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela–San Sebastián		 Feve Class 1900 LocomotiveEl TranscantábricoFEVE_1916_+_“El_Transcantábrico”_(50182318097)
La Robla Express"La Robla Route:"
Bilbao - León
León - Bilbao
"Pilgrim's Route:"
Oviedo - Ortigueira - Santiago de Compostela - Oviedo		Feve Class 1650 LocomotiveLa RoblaEl_Expreso_de_la_Robla_-_seascape

Mainline Long Distance Services
Service(s)Route(s)LocomotivePassenger CarImage
IntercityMadrid – Algeciras
Madrid – Granada
Madrid – Murcia – Cartagena
Madrid – Almería
Barcelona – Murcia – Cartagena/Lorca
Madrid – Cáceres – Badajoz		Renfe Class 334 LocomotiveTalgo PendularRENFE_334_018_Campillos
Madrid – Almería
Barcelona – Murcia – Cartagena/Lorca
Madrid – Valencia
Madrid – Cáceres – Badajoz		Renfe Class 252 LocomotiveTalgo Pendular252-066-6,_Spain,_Tarragona,_Port_Aventura_-_Tres_Camins_stretch_(Trainpix_199420)

High-Speed Long Distance Services
ServiceRolling stockRoute(s)Image
AVERenfe Class 100 EMUMadrid – Sevilla
Madrid – Alicante
Madrid – Marseille
Barcelona – Toulouse
Barcelona – Lyon		J20_676_Bf_Perpignan,_9_100_121_Renfe
Renfe Class 102 EMUMadrid – Huesca
Madrid – Zaragoza
Madrid – Valladolid
Madrid – Málaga
Valencia – Sevilla		AVE_S-102._Viaducto_sobre_el_Arroyo_de_Pedro_Gil_(32308646046)
Renfe Class 103 EMUMadrid – Barcelona
Madrid – Málaga
Renfe Class 112 EMUMadrid – Cuenca – Valencia
Madrid – Cuenca – Albacete
Madrid – León
Barcelona – Málaga
Barcelona – Zaragoza
Barcelona – Sevilla
Alvia (mixed high-speed &
conventional service)		Renfe Class 120 EMUMadrid – Pamplona
Madrid – Logroño
Madrid – Irún/Hendaya
Madrid – Bilbao
Madrid – Salamanca
Barcelona – Irún
Barcelona – Bilbao
Barcelona – Pamplona
Barcelona – Valladolid
Torre del Oro: Barcelona – Valencia – Sevilla – Cádiz		 Alvia_Vigo-Barcelona,_el_tren_escoba_(3710893886)
Renfe Class 130 EMUMadrid – Gijón
Madrid – Santander
Alicante – Gijón
Alicante – Santander
Madrid – Cádiz
Madrid – Huelva
Madrid – Valencia – Castellón
Madrid – Valencia – Gandía
Barcelona – A Coruña
Barcelona – Vigo
Barcelona – Gijón
Euromed: Barcelona – Valencia – Alicante		 RENFE_Alvia_S-130.000_(24547010389)
Renfe Class 730 HMUAlicante – Madrid – Pontevedra
Alicante – Madrid – A Coruña
Madrid – Ferrol
Madrid – Pontevedra
Madrid – Ponferrada
Madrid – Murcia
Madrid – Badajoz		 RENFE_Class_730_Viaducto_Martin_Gil

Prototype Rolling Stock
ServiceRolling stockImage
AVERenfe Class 105 EMUOaris_de_CAF_(105.001)_en_proves_per_Vilafant
AVETalgo AVRIL EMURenfe Class 106 at Córdoba

Future Rolling Stock
ServiceRolling stockQuantity
Ancho MetricoUnknown Meter Gauge CAF EMU26
Unknown Meter Gauge CAF BMU5
CercaníasX'trapolis Coradia EMU152
FLIRT/KISS EMU59
Unknown Meter Gauge CAF EMU6
Media DistanciaUnknown Iberian Gauge CAF EMU28
AVERenfe Class 106 EMU30
Renfe Class 107 EMU13

Vehicles register numbers

All classes are designated by three numbers. The first digit has a special meaning:

See also

Notes
1.^ Operated by CP in Portugal.
2.^ Managed by Elipsos under the brand Renfe-SNCF en Cooperación/en Coopération.

References
  1. "Renfe cerró 2018 con un beneficio de 111 millones de euros" [Renfe closed 2018 with a profit of 111 million euros]. Rail Press News (in Spanish). 7 April 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  2. "Renfe presenta otro plan de bajas voluntarias para 2018 de hasta 805 trabajadores" [Renfe presents another voluntary leave plan for 2018 of up to 805 workers]. ABC (in European Spanish). Madrid. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  3. "Renfe | Train Tickets & Routes | Book in English". Trainline. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  4. "La Nueva Renfe" [The New Renfe]. Federación Castellano Manchega de Amigos del Ferrocarril (in Spanish). 11 January 2005.
  5. "RENFE restructuring approved". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  6. Puente, Fernando. "Renfe confirms four subsidiary split". International Railway Journal. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  7. "Railway Gazette". Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  8. Railway Gazette. "Railway Gazette".
  9. "$276 million was spent on 31 Spanish trains before it was realized they were too big to fit in the tunnels". Business Insider. 12 February 2023.
  10. Badcock, James. "Spain spends €258m to build trains too big for its tunnels". MSN. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  11. King, Chris (10 February 2023). "Cantabrian President demands heads of 'big shots' must roll over new trains not fitting through tunnels". Euro Weekly News. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  12. "Heads roll in- Spain over trains too wide for tunnels". Stuff/Fairfax. 2023.
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