The tender process for Renfe’s 30 new high‑speed trains, with an option for ten more units, has officially begun following last week’s approval by the company’s Board of Directors. The notice was published today on Spain’s Public Procurement Portal and in the Official Journal of the European Union.
As the trains will be used for open‑access commercial services, Renfe has declared the technical specifications confidential. They will only be handed in person to interested manufacturers under a non‑disclosure agreement. Requests can be made between 12:00 on 6 April and 12:00 on 21 April.
Little else is known about the future fleet beyond what was announced last week. The trains will have a top speed of 350 km/h, a fixed gauge of 1,435 mm and at least 450 seats. They will be equipped with digital ASFA and ERTMS level 2.
The initial order amounts to 30 trains with a base budget of €1.362 billion (excluding tax), with the option to acquire ten additional units.
Public opening of bids will take place in September
Manufacturers will have until 9 June 2026 to submit their offers — an unusually tight deadline compared with other tenders. The public opening of bids is scheduled for 9 September.
The financial proposal will represent just 30% of the overall score. Technically measurable criteria will account for 49%, while qualitative criteria assessed by value judgement will make up the remaining 21%. This weighting ensures that the most technically suitable train is chosen — a formula that weakens the chances of CRRC, which might otherwise stand out for its pricing.
Hitachi and Siemens start as favourites
The Italo‑Japanese Hitachi and Siemens Mobility enter the race as frontrunners. Both already produce trains certified in several countries that could meet Renfe’s demanding delivery times.
The first units must be delivered within 40 months (3 years and 4 months) of the contract award, followed by regular deliveries of one train every six weeks until completion in month 78.
Hitachi’s catalogue includes the ETR 1000, designed for commercial speeds of 360 km/h though currently certified up to 300 km/h. Its production lines are turning out both the first‑generation units for Spain’s Iryo (developed with Bombardier, now Alstom) and the second generation for Trenitalia (entirely Hitachi‑designed).
Certified in Italy, France and Spain, this platform could be put into service rapidly and may revive Renfe’s ambitions to operate all the way to Paris.
Siemens offers its latest Velaro Novo design and the Velaro neo, an evolution of the Velaro D incorporating innovations from the Novo. The Novo remains a concept, with only one prototype coach under certification, making it harder to meet tight schedules — particularly given the challenges of authorising a brand‑new trainset.
The Velaro neo, however, is already in production and certified in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and Siemens is working on certification in France and Poland. Spain‑specific testing would still be required, but entry into service could be achieved quickly.
Alstom and CAF could also compete
The French manufacturer may offer its double‑deck Avelia Horizon. However, unofficial sources suggest Renfe wants distributed‑traction EMUs, in which case Alstom could propose the Avelia Stream — a merger of Bombardier’s Zefiro platform (basis for the ETR 1000) and the Pendolino family.
Yet, the current version of the Avelia Stream has only been ordered by Virgin Trains and remains in development without an active production line, which may complicate meeting Renfe’s deadlines.
One potential dark horse is the Spanish builder CAF. Although not traditionally strong in very‑high‑speed rolling stock, its range includes the Oaris platform, designed for commercial speeds up to 350 km/h and previously proposed for tenders such as Britain’s HS2 project.
So far, only Flytoget’s Class 78 units in Norway and Renfe’s 105‑001 prototype have been built from this platform, and there is no record of ERA certification. CAF may therefore face hurdles in proving technical performance and delivery capability — although reports from El Diario Vasco suggest it is analysing the tender documentation.
The other Spanish manufacturer, Talgo, has also expressed interest. According to Invertia, the company is developing a new train capable of reaching 350 km/h. However, given the extremely tight schedule and its recent track record, the chances of Talgo winning the contract appear limited.