It’s described as not just a journey but a relaxed voyage where travelers savor a memorable, slowly paced experience. This week, the Oviedo station hosts a preview event about the Costa Verde Express, Renfe’s luxury tourist train, which will depart from Bilbao and arrive in Santiago de Compostela on its inaugural run. The itinerary promises six days filled with on-board dining options, guided explorations, theater and museum visits, comfortable transport by coach, and multilingual guides, all framed by the scenic beauty of Green Spain. The intent behind the project, as stated by Renfe’s leadership, is to create a travel experience that feels like a high-end hotel on rails, while showcasing the region’s natural, artistic, monumental, and gastronomic treasures. Green Spain is highlighted as a key destination, with trains moving at a gentle pace of 30 to 40 kilometers per hour to allow passengers to truly absorb beaches, viaducts, and the landscape in front of them without rushing.
The plan envisions eleven departures through November, with the possibility of extending the route into the Christmas period. Although seats remain available for some future departures, tickets have been moving quickly, with many dates already sold out or close to full capacity. Renfe’s leadership stresses the importance of acting fast to secure a place, noting strong demand from international travelers and the aim to promote a high-quality tourism ecosystem that highlights Spain’s brand abroad.
Onboard the Costa Verde Express are 24 luxury suites featuring full bathrooms and hydromassage showers, dining rooms, a library, a café car, a kitchen, and even a pub car. Live and recorded music will accompany various events, and the crew is composed of seasoned professionals from across Spain and beyond. The team includes Vicente de la Iglesia from Mieres, Lorena Fernández from Sierna, Sergio Blanco from Oviedo, and Ekaterina Gosteva from Moldova. The two men bring extensive experience from Renfe’s other luxury services, while the two women will be making their Costa Verde Express debut. The staff awaits a May launch and is optimistic about completing all eleven routes as planned.
Guests will have the chance to explore iconic stops and attractions such as the Guggenheim Museum, the Sardinero Casino, the Picos de Europa, the Altamira neocave, Santillana del Mar, the Covadonga sanctuary, the historic quarters of Avilés, and the main sights of Oviedo and Gijón. They will also visit fishing villages along the Cantabrian coast, admire the Cantabrian coastline and the Cathedral of Santiago, and savor regional dishes crafted by renowned northern chefs.
Renfe’s initiative follows a period of disruption in 2020 and 2021 when several luxury train projects were paused due to the pandemic. A 2019 roadshow with international communicators showed strong interest in Spain’s luxury rail offerings, and while Costa Verde Express was initially slated to begin tours in March 2020, the pandemic halted those plans. Renewed confidence is driving renewed ambitions for 2023, with renewed expectations to broaden the catalog of premium rail journeys in the years ahead.
Regarding price, Félix Martín notes that the Costa Verde Express targets a selective audience, positioning it as more affordable than Renfe’s flagship Grand Luxury service but still a premium experience. A suite on the Costa Verde Express is priced around 7,000 euros for a couple, or about 6,125 euros for solo travelers, reflecting the high-end nature of the accommodation and services offered on board.