| Location city | Madrid |
|---|---|
| Location country | Spain |
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Products | Rail passenger and freight transport |
| Foundation | 1 January 2005 |
| Predecessor | Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles |
| Revenue | €4.12 billion (2024)[1] |
| Net income | €2.9 million (2024)[1] |
| Assets | €10.8 billion (2024) |
| Num employees | 19,861 (2024)[1] |
| Owner | Government of Spain |
| Area served | Spain and France |
| Key people | Isaías Táboas (CEO), Enrique Peña Pérez, Manuel Fresno Castro, José Luis Marroquín |
| Subsid |
|
| Website | renfe.com |
Renfe (ˈreɱfe; ˈreɱfə), officially Renfe-Operadora, is Spain's national state-owned railway company.[2] It was created in 2005 upon the split of the former Spanish National Railway Network (RENFE) into the Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF), which inherited the infrastructure, and Renfe-Operadora, which inherited the railway service.
History
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 logo (nicknamed the "galleta", Spanish for biscuit), first introduced in 1971, was replaced by a dark purple lower-case wordmark designed by Interbrand. Separate logos used by the other sectors were also replaced, but 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), while the newly created Renfe-Operadora (also known as Grupo Renfe or simply Renfe) owns the rolling stock and remains responsible for the planning, marketing and operation of the passenger and freight services.[3] This same process was followed in FEVE in 2012, whereby its infrastructure and services were merged in Adif and Renfe.[4]
Renfe no longer has a monopoly on domestic passenger services due to Ouigo España launching in 2021, followed by Iryo in 2022.[citation needed]
Structure
Renfe-Operadora inherited the management model of the old Renfe, which made Renfe-Operadora responsible for the operation of the passenger and freight services. In January 2006, Renfe-Operadora restructured the main business units into four general directorates:
- 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 (Regionales and Media Distancia).
- 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).
In June 2013, Renfe's board agreed to restructure the group into four separate companies under the holding company:[5][6]
- Renfe Viajeros, operating passenger trains;
- Renfe Mercancías, freight;
- Renfe Fabricación y Mantenimiento, rolling stock maintenance;
- Renfe Alquiler de Material Ferroviario, train leasing.
Figures
| Figures[7] | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers (Mio.)[8] | 527,975 | 517,583 | 510,176 | 476,334 | 463,012 | 476,917 | 472,145 | 466,057 | 464,961 | 465,201 | 471,359 | 487,881 | 507,088 | 510,453 |
| Passenger-kilometer (Mio.) | 20,480 | 20,167 | 22,281 | 21,895 | 21,166 | 21,585 | 21,319 | 22,563 | 23,754 | 24,825 | 25,291 | 26,060 | 26,931 | 27,263 |
| AVE Passengers (Tsd.) | 4.878 | 5.559 | 11.461 | 11.250 | 10.851 | 12.563 | 12.101 | 14.697 | 17.967 | 19.428 | 20.352 | 21.108 | 21.332 | 22.370 |
| AVE Passenger-kilometer (Tsd.) | 1.884 | 2.161 | 4.888 | 5.260 | 5.171 | 5.846 | 5.793 | 7.095 | 8.038 | 9.230 | 9.632 | 10.267 | 10.289 | 10.760 |
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 , the same as that used in Portugal but wider than the international gauge of which is standard in most of the rest of the world. The newer high-speed (AVE) network has been built to the international standard gauge of for the connection to the rest of the European railway system. For this reason, the gauge is generally termed "European gauge" in Spain.[citation needed]
Construction of a high-speed rail line between Madrid and Seville began in 1988 and began operations in 1991, going 300 km/h (190 mph). The second high-speed rail line (Madrid to Barcelona) was completed in 2007 with the inaugural service commencing 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) entered service on 11 October 2003, with a connection to Huesca from Zaragoza. The third high-speed line (Madrid to Toledo) was opened in November 2005, followed by a spur from Córdoba to Málaga as far as Antequera in 2007. Another high-speed route from Madrid to Valladolid was opened in 2007. A line from Madrid to Valencia was opened in 2010, and the first stage of a high-speed line in Galicia opened in 2011. A line to Lisbon is being designed.[citation needed]
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/Rodalia in Catalonia and Valencia, Proximidades in Galicia, and Aldirikoak in the Basque Country), in fifteen metropolitan areas, including Madrid and Barcelona. In some cities, Renfe shares the market with other commuter railway operators, such as FGC.
In 2019, Renfe solicited bids for 31 new trains for the Asturias and Cantabria regions and the €258m contract was awarded to the 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.[9] Amidst international embarrassment, Renfe and ADIF each tried to deflect responsibility, and some called for the firing of the executives deemed responsible. Fortunately, the trains were still being designed, however the delivery of the trains will be delayed until 2026.[10][11][9] Subsequently, transport officials including the president of Renfe and the Secretary of State for Transport resigned.[12]
In November 2024, Renfe bought a 33% shareholding in Arenaways.[13][14]
Passenger rolling stock
Renfe-Operadora utilises the following rolling stock and commercial products inside of its two divisions:
Suburban and Medium Distance (DGSPCMD)
Cercanías (Commuter Services), meter gauge
| Rolling stock | Region(s) | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Renfe Class 433 EMU | Asturias | |
| Renfe Class 435 EMU | Asturias | |
| Renfe Class 436 EMU | Asturias Basque Country Cantabria | |
| Renfe Class 438 EMU | Cantabria | |
| Renfe Class 442 EMU | Madrid | |
| Renfe Class 526 DMU | Asturias Castile and León | |
| Renfe Class 529 DMU | Castile and León Galicia Murcia |
Cercanías (Commuter Services), Iberian gauge
Mainline Medium Distance Services, Iberian gauge
| Rolling stock | Route(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 EMU | Catalunya Aragón | |
| Renfe Class 449 EMU | Madrid – 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 Irun - Vitoria - Miranda de Ebro Córdoba – Bobadilla Barcelona – Reus Barcelona – Tortosa | |
| Renfe Class 592 DMU (to be phased out) | Madrid – Talavera Murcia – Cartagena Valencia − Alcoi CELTA: Oporto - Vigo (Service CP) | |
| Renfe Class 594 DMU | Valladolid – Zamora – Puebla de Sanabria A Coruña – Ferrol A Coruña – Lugo – Monforte de Lemos - Ourense Madrid – Soria Murcia – Cartagena | |
| Renfe Class 598 DMU | Cáceres – Valencia de Alcántara Sevilla – Cáceres - Madrid | |
| Renfe Class 599 DMU | Madrid – 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 |
Mainline Medium Distance Services, metric gauge
| Rolling stock | Region(s) | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Renfe Class 524 DMU | Ferrol – Oviedo Oviedo – Santander Santander – Bilbao | |
| Renfe Class 527 DMU | Ferrol – Oviedo Oviedo – Santander Santander – Bilbao Bilbao – León |
High-Speed Medium Distance Services
| Rolling stock | Route(s) | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Renfe Class 104 EMU | Madrid – Toledo Madrid – Ciudad Real Málaga – Granada Sevilla – Córdoba Barcelona – Camp De Tarragona Sevilla - Málaga | |
| Renfe Class 114 EMU | Madrid – Puertollano Madrid – Valladolid Barcelona – Figueres Barcelona – Lleida Sevilla – Granada | |
| Renfe Class 121 EMU | Cádiz – Jaén A Coruña – Ourense A Coruña – Vigo Urzaiz Madrid – Ponferrada Ponferrada-Vigo Madrid – Gandia Madrid-Salamanca |
Long Distance (DGSLD)
Luxury Tourist Train Services
| Service | Route(s) | Locomotive | Passenger Car | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Ándalus | Sevilla - Granada - Úbeda - Sevilla | Renfe Class 319.3 Locomotive | Al Ándalus | |
| Costa Verde Express | Bilbao - Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela - Bilbao | Renfe Class 619 Locomotive | El Transcantábrico | |
| El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo | San Sebastián–Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela–San Sebastián | Renfe Class 619 Locomotive | El Transcantábrico | |
| La Robla Express | "La Robla Route:" Bilbao - León León - Bilbao "Pilgrim's Route:" Oviedo - Ortigueira - Santiago de Compostela - Oviedo | Renfe Class 316.500 Locomotive | La Robla |
Mainline Long Distance Services
| Service(s) | Route(s) | Locomotive | Passenger Car | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intercity | Madrid – Algeciras Madrid – Granada Madrid – Murcia – Cartagena Madrid – Almería Barcelona – Murcia – Cartagena/Lorca Madrid – Cáceres – Badajoz | Renfe Class 334 Locomotive | Talgo Pendular | |
| Madrid – Almería Barcelona – Murcia – Cartagena/Lorca Madrid – Valencia | Renfe Class 252 Locomotive | Talgo Pendular |
High-Speed Long Distance Services
| Service | Rolling stock | Route(s) | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| AVE | Renfe Class 100 EMU | Madrid – Sevilla Madrid – Castellón Huesca–Sevilla | |
| Renfe Class 102 EMU | Madrid – León Madrid – Huesca[15] Valencia – Sevilla | ||
| Renfe Class 103 EMU | Madrid – Barcelona – Figueres[15] Madrid – Málaga[16] Barcelona – Málaga | ||
| Renfe Class 106 EMU | Gijón–Castellón Madrid–Gijón Madrid–A Coruña Madrid–Vigo Madrid – Murcia Madrid – Marseille Barcelona – Lyon[17] | ||
| Renfe Class 112 EMU | Madrid – Alicante Madrid – Burgos[18] Madrid – Cuenca – Valencia[19] Madrid – Granada Madrid – Murcia Madrid – Ourense Alicante – Ourense Alicante – León[20] Barcelona – Granada Barcelona – Sevilla Burgos – Valencia Málaga – Murcia León – Valencia[20] | ||
| Alvia (mixed high-speed & conventional service) | Renfe Class 120 EMU | Madrid – Pamplona Madrid – Logroño Madrid – Irún/Hendaya Madrid – Bilbao Madrid – Salamanca Madrid – Santander Madrid – Huelva Barcelona – Bilbao Barcelona – San Sebastian Torre del Oro: Barcelona – Valencia – Sevilla – Cádiz | |
| Renfe Class 130 EMU | Madrid – Avilés Madrid – Cádiz Alicante – Gijón Alicante – Santander Barcelona – A Coruña Barcelona – Vigo Barcelona – Salamanca Euromed: Barcelona – Valencia – Alicante | ||
| Renfe Class 730 HMU | Madrid – Algeciras Madrid – Almeria Madrid – Ferrol Madrid – Vigo Madrid – Lugo Madrid – Badajoz |
Prototype rolling stock
| Service | Rolling stock | Image |
|---|---|---|
| AVE | Renfe Class 105 EMU |
Future rolling stock
| Service | Rolling stock | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Cercanías | Renfe Class 452 EMU | 201 |
| Renfe Class 453 EMU | 79 | |
| Renfe Class 412 and 413 EMU | 32 | |
| Renfe Class 402 EMU | 6 | |
| Renfe Class 460 EMU | 29 | |
| Media Distancia | Renfe Class 480 EMU | 28 |
| Renfe Class 714 BMU | 6 | |
| AVE | Renfe Class 106 EMU | 30 |
| Renfe Class 107 EMU | 13 |
Vehicles register numbers
All classes are designated by three numbers. The first digit has a special meaning:
- 1xx: High speed multiple unit
- 2xx: Electric locomotive
- 3xx: Diesel locomotive
- 4xx: Electric multiple unit (EMU)
- 5xx: Diesel multiple unit (DMU)
- 6xx: Hybrid locomotive
- 7xx: Bi-modal multiple unit (BMU) (hybrid)
- 8xx: Trams which can run on railways
Tickets
Travel tickets are available from rail stations and online. In 2023 the European Commission initiated an investigation into concerns that Renfe might have been abusing its dominant position in the online ticketing market by refusing to share journey time information with competing ticketing websites. Renfe offered a number of commitments intended to address these concerns, which the European Commission made legally binding in January 2024 under the EU's competition rules.[21]
See also
- History of rail transport in Spain
- Rail transport in Spain
- Transport in Spain
- Madrid, Zaragoza and Alicante railway
Notes
- 1.Operated by CP in Portugal.
- 2.Managed by Elipsos under the brand Renfe-SNCF en Cooperación/en Coopération.
References
- ^ "Renfe redujo sus pérdidas a solo 3 millones de euros en 2024 tras disparar un 14% sus pasajeros". Europa Press. 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
- ^ "Renfe | Train Tickets & Routes | Book in English". Trainline. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
- ^ "La Nueva Renfe" [The New Renfe] (in Spanish). Federación Castellano Manchega de Amigos del Ferrocarril. 11 January 2005. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ "Feve defiende su integración con Renfe y Adif como la "única solución" para la empresa" [FEVE defends its integration with Renfe and Adif and the "only solution" to the company]. Europa Press. 2012-05-03. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
- ^ "RENFE restructuring approved". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ^ Puente, Fernando. "Renfe confirms four subsidiary split". International Railway Journal. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ^ "Railway Gazette". Retrieved 2020-06-11.
- ^ "High Speed: Open access comes to Spain". Railway Gazette
- ^ "$276 million was spent on 31 Spanish trains before it was realized they were too big to fit in the tunnels". Business Insider. February 12, 2023.
- ^ Badcock, James. "Spain spends €258m to build trains too big for its tunnels". MSN. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
- ^ King, Chris (2023-02-10). "Cantabrian President demands heads of 'big shots' must roll over new trains not fitting through tunnels". Euro Weekly News. Archived from the original on 17 February 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
- ^ "Heads roll in- Spain over trains too wide for tunnels". Stuff/Fairfax. 2023.
- ^ Renfe acquires stake in Italian operator Arenaways International Railway Journal 27 November 2024
- ^ Renfe partners with Longitude to expand into Italian market Renfe 27 November 2024
- ^ "El AVE entre Madrid y Barcelona inicia sus servicios el 20 de febrero, con cinco tipos de tarifas" (in Spanish). VÍA LIBRE. 14 February 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
- ^ "S-103". Renfe. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "Renfe has confirmed its schedules for 2024 to reach Paris and expand its operations across France with up to 16 AVE trains per day". Renfe. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- ^ "Felipe VI inaugura el AVE a Burgos más de una década después del inicio de las obras" (in Spanish). www.heraldo.es. 21 July 2022. Archived 24 July 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
- ^ "Los AVE Madrid-Levante" (in Spanish). Santa Isabel, 44. 28012 Madrid: VÍA LIBRE. Fundación de los Ferrocarriles Españoles. December 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
- ^ Herrero, Óscar (20 May 2024). "Palencia estrena mañana los Avril de Renfe, con mejora de tiempos a Asturias y Castellón" (in Spanish). palenciaenlared.es. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- ^ European Commission, Commission accepts commitments by Renfe opening up competition in online rail ticketing in Spain, Press Release IP/24/201, published 17 January 2024