The national railway leader in the country, Renfe, announced a collaboration with iryoBasque and Catalan public operators, plus a forthcoming new operator scheduled to begin services by year’s end. Euskotren and the Generalitat de Catalunya Railways (FGC) are set to join the initiative, marking the formation of the new Spanish Passenger Railway Companies Association.
Another notable development is the potential participation of Ouigo, a different rail entrant that began operations in May of the previous year. Company sources cited by Europa Press indicate Ouigo is not ruling out joining the association in the future, though the immediate focus remains on launching additional routes and strengthening market presence.
The central aim of the association is to provide a unified national voice for rail passenger operators, accelerating sector reforms and regulatory improvements. It also seeks to elevate the rail mode as an environmentally friendly and socially advantageous option, while advocating policies and regulatory changes that encourage a shift from other transport modes to trains.
In its early phases, the association emphasizes engagement with all public administrations and national and international bodies that govern railway transport. It also underscores strengthening relationships with Turkey as part of its global outreach and cooperation strategy.
The inaugural actions will continue and expand the measures already undertaken to cushion the COVID-19 demand crisis, while implementing strategies to reduce energy costs and adapt the fare system to a model that supports the annual goal of 50 million high-speed passengers on Spanish rails.
“Having a united representation is essential to defend the common interests of rail passenger transport operators and to promote and develop rail as the backbone of sustainable mobility,” stated Carlos Bertomeu of Iryo, who also serves as the association’s chair.
Isaias Táboas, president of Renfe, noted that joining a coalition of like-minded partners is valuable because collective input carries more weight than individual efforts. He described the collaboration as an opportunity to amplify their shared recommendations.
Javier Seoane, Euskotren’s general manager, highlighted the commitment to public transport as the core of mobility and praised Euskotren’s leadership in coordinating interoperability policies during the Basque Government’s public-company era of the last four decades.
Representing FGC, Pere Calvet, managing director, affirmed that rail remains one of the most potent and practical tools in addressing climate change. He added that Ferrocarrils aims to lead initiatives that promote rail usage and support decarbonization for the railway sector and the broader planet.