Six months proved enough for Galicia to crown the new High Speed services as the leading public transport option abroad. According to data released by Renfe, these trains have carried over 850,000 passengers on the Galicia–Madrid route since December 21. This marks a rise of 184.8 percent compared with the same period in 2019, a time before the mobility slowdown caused by the pandemic. Yet gains over the following months have only benefited Zamora so far. The combined AVE and Alvia services have nearly equaled air travel, with the Galicia–Madrid air bridge moving 554,217 passengers in the first five months of the year.
These figures, however, require careful interpretation. Rail data can be skewed by holidays such as Christmas and the summer break. The network also serves intermediate connections with Medina del Campo and Segovia, which connect to Zamora, Valladolid, and Salamanca. Additionally, the gap of about 300,000 passengers among the three Galician airports remains difficult to close in the early summer period, as business travel tends to dip.
The surge in train passengers has not reduced the share of airlines operating on the Barajas–Adolfo Suárez to Galicia route. Iberia has trimmed weekly seats by about 1,500 this summer but still runs 60 weekly flights on this corridor. Frequences continue to rise as Air Europa adds 178,555 passengers in the first five months of 2022.
A similar trend is seen for Alvedro, with 178,901 passengers, and Lavacoll, with 196,815, though the competition from the high‑speed network is even stronger at these airports. Within the national destination rankings on the peninsula, only Bilbao and Barcelona surpass the three Galician airports.
Among the solid numbers, the share of passengers using connections at Ourense or Santiago remained steady compared with prior months. Some 133,734 customers also use the Media Distancia train on their journeys, representing 15.73 percent of the total. Even with a weekly capacity of 145 and more than 40,000 seats, ticket demand often runs out on weekends. In May, Renfe even reached a peak of 7,300 passengers on two occasions in one day when San Isidro and Galicia Letters Day coincided.
The public operator emphasizes the environmental benefits of rail travel, noting 38,592 tons of CO2 savings compared with private vehicles. Punctuality, traveler experience, and cleanliness are cited as the top attributes by users, rated at 8.7, 8.5, and 8.4 respectively.
with growing area
Renfe has confirmed a summer campaign designed to meet peak demand. The operator will deploy all available trains and resources to ease passenger mobility as Galicia expands its appeal as a tourism destination and fuel costs stay high. The recent gains set a strong stage for ongoing growth, though the next major milestone will likely come next year.
The ministry has committed to testing the new Talgo Avril with interchangeable wheels this summer. A pilot trip to Ourense has already taken place, and industry sources expect a mid-summer 2023 start for commercial services. The 106 series promises a top speed of up to 330 km/h, improving on the current Alvia speeds of 250 km/h and boosting AVE performance on international and Iberian lines. The train’s capacity also grows to 521 seats per train while consuming less energy.
Renfe still holds several time slots to boost frequencies as demand and material availability allow. The opening of the Galician internal network or a direct Vigo–Ourense line could bring truly competitive schedules in the near term.
Iryo aims to operate between Galicia and Barajas within two to three years
Liberalization of the rail sector is seen as the final push for high‑speed rail to become fully integrated into public transport. Isabel Pardo de Vera, head of Adif, has positioned Iryo as the first private operator to challenge Renfe. Yesterday, the joint venture of Iryo, Trenitalia, and Air Nostrum announced plans to start operating in the last quarter of this year between Madrid and Barcelona (32 frequencies) and Valencia (16). Next year, routes to Andalusia (12 frequencies) will follow.
Senior account manager Olga Villacampa confirmed ongoing negotiations to acquire variable-track trains that could run toward Galicia and the Basque Country within two to three years. The company’s main aim is to serve business travelers while embracing intermodality. A key aspect is that the entire fleet is adaptable to dual voltage, allowing rapid service to Barajas airport as soon as the high‑speed link is complete.