#insights

Spain’s high-speed rail network stands as a pinnacle of rail transport innovation and efficiency, reflecting the country’s commitment to sustainable and fast connectivity. With over 3,400 km (2100 mi) of high-speed rail tracks, Spain holds the distinction of having the largest high-speed rail network in Europe and the second largest in the world, trailing only behind China. The network’s trains operate at a maximum speed of up to 320 km/h making it one of the fastest ways to travel across the country.

A notable ambition of Spain’s high-speed rail policy is the criteria aimed at ensuring that all Spanish provincial capitals are connected by high-speed rail, ideally with travel times not exceeding two hours. This ambitious goal underlines Spain’s commitment to reducing regional disparities, enhancing economic opportunities, and promoting sustainable modes of transport across the entire country.

This expansive network and strategic development goals not only highlight Spain’s leadership in high-speed rail technology but also underscore a national vision for a more connected and sustainable future. Through continuous expansion, innovative technology adoption, and policies aimed at inclusivity and accessibility, Spain’s high-speed rail network sets a benchmark for high-speed rail systems worldwide.

Each of these extensions embodies Spain’s commitment to enhancing its high-speed rail network, underscoring the nation’s focus on sustainable development, regional cohesion, and the provision of efficient, high-quality transport services. Through these ambitious projects, Spain continues to solidify its position as a leader in high-speed rail, offering models of connectivity that have significant economic, social, and environmental benefits.

Figure 1: Spanish High Speed Rail network in November 2023. Source: Wikipedia

Technical Design Driven by European Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI)

The design and operation of Spain’s high-speed rail network is governed by the Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI), ensuring compatibility, safety, and efficiency across Europe’s interoperable rail network. Key technical aspects of this interoperability include:

• Power Supply: The network uses a 2x25kV AC electrification system for traction power, ensuring efficient power delivery to trains over long distances.
• Train Control System: Spain employs the European Train Control System (ETCS) for its high-speed network. ETCS Level 2 is widely implemented, providing real-time monitoring, and signalling information directly to the train cabs, enhancing safety and operational efficiency.
• Communications: Integrated GSM-R systems are used for secure and reliable voice and data communications between trains and control centres, facilitating smooth operations and emergency responses.

Figure 2: HSR Line equipped with ETCS Level 2. Source: railjournal.com

Key High-Speed Stations

Spain’s high-speed rail network is supported by state-of-the-art stations, designed to handle the high passenger throughput characteristic of high-speed travel. Notable examples include Madrid Puerta de Atocha, Barcelona Sants, and Sevilla Santa Justa. These hubs are not just transit points but also architectural landmarks, offering a range of services and facilities to passengers. The exponential success of the high-speed rail service through the years has encouraged the Spanish Railways Infrastructure Administration (ADIF) to continuously expand the capacity of the key stations to keep up with the demand.

High-Speed Train Fleets

The diversity of Spain’s high-speed train fleet is a testament to its technological ambition. The fleet includes models from leading manufacturers from all over the world such as Siemens, Alstom, Bombardier, CAF and Talgo. Each one of them has contributed to unique designs tailored to the operational requirements of the Spanish network. These trains, capable of speeds up to 350 km/h (220 mi/h), include both purely high-speed models and dual-track gauge variants, facilitating seamless travel across both high-speed and conventional lines.

Figure 4: Trains from different manufacturers parked at a HSR station. Source: photo by the authors.

Future Line Extensions

In recent years, Spain’s high-speed rail network has seen significant extensions, further enhancing its already impressive reach. These expansions have not only extended the network’s coverage but have also brought high-speed rail services to previously underserved regions, significantly improving regional accessibility and connectivity. Below are detailed descriptions of some of the key line extensions:

• Madrid – Extremadura Line: This line represents a major advancement towards connecting the western region of Extremadura to the central hub of Madrid. The line, when fully completed, will stretch over 400 km (250 mi), bringing high-speed services to an area that has long awaited enhanced rail connectivity. The line includes new and upgraded stations in cities such as Plasencia, Cáceres, Mérida, and Badajoz, bridging the gap between these historical regions and the nation’s capital.
• Murcia – Almería: Part of the Mediterranean Corridor, this extension aims to connect Murcia to Almería, covering approximately 180 km (110 mi) along Spain’s southeastern coast. Key stations along this route include Lorca, Aguilas and Vera, facilitating direct high-speed rail access to the Mediterranean coastline.
• Galicia High-Speed Line: The high-speed line connecting Madrid to Galicia aims to shorten the travel time between the nation’s capital and the northwestern region of Galicia. Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, and Vigo are among the key destinations, significantly benefiting from reduced travel times to Madrid.
• Basque High-Speed Network: The Basque Y, also known as the Basque High-Speed Rail network, represents one of the most significant infrastructure projects in Spain’s recent history, aiming to integrate the Basque Country into the national and European high-speed rail networks. This ambitious project seeks to connect the three main cities of the Basque Country: Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz, and San Sebastián, with a high-speed railway line that will also link to the French border, thus facilitating access to the European high-speed rail network.

The total length of the network is approximately 175 km (110 mi). Trains on this network are expected to operate at high speeds, significantly reducing travel times between the Basque cities and improving connections with the rest of Spain and Europe.

The construction of the Basque Y has faced various challenges, including technical difficulties associated with tunneling through the region’s complex geology, long viaducts, incorporating sustainable design principles and technologies to protect the region’s unique landscapes and ecosystems, and budgetary constraints. Despite these challenges, progress continues, with the ultimate goal of fully integrating the Basque Country into Spain’s and Europe’s high-speed rail networks.

The Basque Y is a testament to Spain’s commitment to expanding its high-speed rail network, enhancing regional connectivity, and promoting sustainable transportation. Once completed, it will mark a significant milestone in the country’s infrastructure development, providing a model for future high-speed rail projects in Europe and beyond.

Liberalization Process

The liberalization of Spain’s rail sector, initiated under European Union railway packages, represents a significant transformation towards a more competitive and customer-centric market in passenger rail services. This reform has been instrumental in opening Spain’s high-speed rail sector to competition, ending the monopoly of the state-owned operator, Renfe, and paving the way for new operators to introduce innovative services, competitive pricing, and enhanced service quality. This change led by ADIF has increased the demand for HSR travel, encouraged innovation and improved the user experience. Based on a conversation with Raúl Míguez Bailo, an ADIF official who played a crucial role in this process, in this article we explore the challenges, strategies and results of liberalization.

Challenges

From the outset, ADIF faced the challenge of opening an existing market with an incumbent operator, Renfe, to new competitors. The key to success has been ADIF’s adoption of an active role in the process, in contrast to the more passive approach seen in other European contexts, such as SNCF in France. The strategy focused on the publication of a Declaration of Capacity of the network, making 70-75% of capacity available to the market, and reserving the rest for one-off needs, as required by European regulations.

The most attractive route initially identified was Madrid-Barcelona. Through an expression of interest, ADIF sought to understand the business plans and prospects of potential operators. This process revealed an interest that went beyond the Madrid-Barcelona route, extending to Valencia and Southern Spain (Seville and Malaga). The lack of European guidelines on how to prioritize capacity allocation led ADIF to devise a structure of “capacity packages” structured in 3 tiers: big, medium and small. The difference between the packages is the number of slots that they have. This capacity offer tries to adapt to different service models: major rail operator, medium rail operator and small rail operator / low-cost, and all of them included an even distribution of peak, medium and low demand slots, an innovation in the railway field.

New Operators in the High-Speed Rail Sector

As a result of liberalization, several new operators have entered the high-speed rail market, introducing fresh dynamics into Spain’s rail services.

The framework agreements signed with the operators guarantee the operation for 10 years, providing the necessary certainty to develop a feasible business plan and account for the amortization, the major initial investment, the rolling stock. This has been welcomed by industry. However, the model has also been criticized for the heavy preconditioning of the operators’ business models. Despite this, the competing operators clearly focused on the medium and small packages, and the incumbent in the big package. The allocation criterion established by ADIF was the capacity occupancy that each bidder offered, with the objective of maximizing the network utilization and the revenues.

The intervention of academic experts, such as Juanjo Montero, director of the regulatory university of Florence, validated the Spanish model, highlighting the need for certainty for operators. Surveys for new lines to Galicia and Asturias are currently being explored, indicating continued interest and the possibility of adopting a less rigid approach to operator coordination.

Impact of Liberalization

• The entry of new operators into Spain’s high-speed rail sector is expected to have several positive outcomes:
• Increased Competition: The presence of multiple operators is likely to drive down prices and improve service quality, benefiting passengers.
• Innovation and Service Diversification: New entrants may introduce innovative services, such as different classes of service, flexible ticketing options, and enhanced onboard amenities.
• Market Growth: By making high-speed rail more accessible and affordable, the liberalization could lead to an increase in rail’s market share in passenger transport, aligning with the EU’s objectives of promoting sustainable transport and reducing carbon emissions.

According to data compiled by ADIF, rail traffic reached 17.6 million train-km in January 2024, 7.8% more than in January of the previous year. The evolution reflects notable increases, despite 2023 registered historic traffic records. This is explained by the liberalization of passenger rail transport and the commissioning of new High-Speed lines in Spain, expanding the HSR network to 4,000 km (2500 mi). The greatest passenger traffic increase has happened in intercity services (+18%) and in the High-Speed network (+21.2%).

Looking to the Future

The future of rail liberalization in Spain envisages the introduction of PSO (Public Service Obligations) services for commuter and regional services, possibly structured by geographical areas and awarded to a single operator. This approach to market competition promises to further revolutionize the sector, improving the transportation offer for commuter rail users and fostering greater efficiency and innovation.

The liberalization of Spain’s high-speed rail sector marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the country’s transport landscape. By fostering competition, encouraging innovation, and prioritizing customer needs, Spain is set to enhance the attractiveness and sustainability of high-speed rail, contributing to the broader goals of connectivity, economic development, and environmental stewardship.

Spain’s high-speed rail network continues to evolve, driven by technological advancements, strategic expansions, and a progressive liberalization agenda. As the network grows and diversifies, it reinforces Spain’s position at the forefront of high-speed rail innovation, offering a glimpse into the future of sustainable and efficient high-speed travel in Europe and beyond.

The liberalization of high-speed rail in Spain is a testament to the power of proactive policy and strategic planning. By adopting innovative approaches and opening to competition, ADIF has laid the foundations for a more dynamic, competitive, and user-centered railway future. This process has not only enriched existing infrastructure and services but has charted a promising path towards growth and sustainability in Spanish rail transport.