Renfe’s Board of Directors has this Wednesday given the green light to the purchase of new high-speed rolling stock worth up to €1.777 billion. The order will initially include 30 units for €1.362 billion, plus an option for 10 additional trains capable of reaching speeds of 350 km/h.
This will allow them to operate alongside Series 103 on the Madrid–Barcelona route, which is due to be upgraded to support these speeds.
The trains will feature a fixed gauge of 1,435 mm and be equipped with both ERTMS and ASFA signalling systems. They will offer at least 450 seats in two classes and be fully accessible to passengers with reduced mobility. In addition, they will include dedicated spaces for bicycles.
According to sources quoted by ElEconomista, this procurement is the first stage of a wider plan to acquire up to 100 new trains, representing a total investment exceeding €4 billion.
With this first batch, Renfe aims to replace its 24 Series 100 trains—set to turn 40 in 2032—while reinforcing the current fleet and preparing for the extension of high-speed services to the Basque Country, Navarre, Cantabria, and the Mediterranean Corridor.
Delivery schedule a key priority
The tender specifies that delivery deadlines will be a major priority due to Renfe’s urgent need to add new rolling stock, particularly to compete in France, where homologation of the Avril trains has faced difficulties.
Under the contract terms, the first units must be delivered within 40 months (three years and four months) after the contract award, with subsequent deliveries at intervals of one train every six weeks. The contract completion date is set for month 78.
If all goes according to plan, the new trains could enter service by late 2029 or early 2030.
Distributed traction favoured
This tender comes amid strong competition among manufacturers. Although China’s CRRC has shown interest, Siemens and Hitachi are seen as frontrunners with their Velaro Neo or Velaro Novo (for Siemens) and the ETR1000 (for the Italian–Japanese consortium). Both the Velaro Neo and the ETR1000 are already certified for operation in France—an advantage given Renfe’s cross-border ambitions.
Unofficial sources indicate that Renfe is seeking trains with distributed traction, which would rule out Talgo’s Avril (despite the new version under development) and Alstom’s Avelia Horizon.
However, the French manufacturer could still compete with the Avelia Stream ordered by Virgin to challenge Eurostar on Paris–London routes. Since this model is being certified in France by the British operator, its entry into service could be accelerated.