After a long wait, a shift in Renfe’s high‑speed strategy is becoming visible. What once seemed impossible is now on track: a low‑cost, high‑speed service like Avlo is expanding its footprint to stops including Zaragoza and Calatayud. Renfe has clearly stated its intention to reposition its high‑speed offering, blending traditional AVE with Avlo, a service that emerged nearly two years ago and now faces renewed competition from France’s Ouigo and Spain‑Italy’s Iryo along key corridors between Madrid and Barcelona. This move aims to broaden access while maintaining the core advantage of speed for long‑distance travelers.
The expansion would increase the current route grid at Delicias and the Bilbao station, essentially doubling the number of daily circulations in Delicias and quadrupling the frequency from Bilbao. Historically, both endpoints offered at least four trains per day to Madrid and as many to Barcelona, with intermediate stops at Guadalajara, Lerida, and Camp de Tarragona. It remains to be seen whether Renfe plans to further raise total frequencies in the near term. This broadening signals a strategic push to make high‑speed rail more ubiquitous across the network, not just in the core hubs.
Renfe appears committed to turning Avlo into a widely accessible option for travelers, positioning it as a universal service that avoids quotas while serving the northeast axis of Spain’s high‑speed network, dominated by Madrid and Barcelona. The traditional AVE remains a strong competitor against Iryo and Ouigo on travel times, ensuring a premium tier that promises the shortest possible journey, albeit at a higher ticket price. Avlo, in turn, is likely to be perceived as a service that reaches more cities, stopping at all intermediate stations but with longer travel times, thus expanding the network reach while balancing speed and convenience. The goal is to attract new customers in cities like Zaragoza and Calatayud, regions that demand a more robust high‑speed offering.
Details about this strategic shift have been limited. What is known comes from Raül Blanco, the Renfe president, who has recently signaled a broader revamp following Isaías Táboas’s departure after a misstep on train transfers from the CAF to the Asturias and Cantabria line. The company seems poised to revolutionize its roster of services, challenging Iryo and Ouigo along the Madrid–Barcelona axis while redefining what Avlo can be in a crowded market.
Looking to 2024
The precise impact of Renfe’s move on the monopoly of the AVE line remains uncertain, but it is evident that price competition with Ouigo and the more business‑oriented stance of Iryo are pushing the entire market forward. The changes are expected to unfold gradually, with full implementation targeted for 2024. This indicates a deliberate recalibration of frequencies and schedules that would have to align with the broader liberalization of the railway market across Spain.
Progress hinges on a long‑delayed order: 30 new Talgo trains, the Avril model, are slated for delivery. While the units are still in testing, several are visible near Delicias station in Zaragoza, a sign that production is moving from the drawing board to the rails. The Avril train family, now associated with Talgo, holds the promise of improved capacity and reliability for Renfe’s expanding network.
These new wagons would free existing trains for redeployment, strengthening or widening offerings on other corridors. Some Avril units may simply surface in Aragon as docking points of the new fleet, while ongoing testing suggests that they will soon enter commercial service. The broader consequence is a potential reshaping of direct routes, including a Teruel–Madrid line with a direct connection in Zaragoza and no transfers, a plan Táboas announced during a visit to Teruel last November. The timetable for launching this direct service remains contingent on the delivery and approval of the new rolling stock from the manufacturer.
At the same time, discussions about future Avlo frequencies and programs continue. If realized, Zaragoza and Calatayud could see a target of four frequencies per direction each day, while rival Iryo and Ouigo retain the flexibility to adjust their bids. The result would be a more competitive, liberalized rail market that benefits travelers with more choices and better prices.
Overall, Renfe is steering toward a more expansive high‑speed network that supports faster travel across central Spain while simultaneously broadening access for smaller hubs. The coming months will reveal how quickly these plans materialize and how the evolving fleet mix will shape the future of high‑speed travel for residents and visitors across the country. As always, the industry will watch closely how new train models perform in service and how schedule tweaks translate into real‑world gains for passengers.
In the end, the vision is clear: a high‑speed rail system that moves faster, reaches more places, and offers choices that fit a broader range of travel needs. The railway landscape in Spain stands at a turning point, with Avlo at the center of a broader strategy to redefine what modern rail can be for everyday travelers and for regions looking to connect more efficiently with Madrid, Barcelona, and beyond. [citation: Renfe official statements and industry briefings]