The Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) has reported on the new regulation of Adif and Adif Alta Velocidad access charges. The main novelty is the 40% reduction in the tariff corresponding to direct costs, thus bringing Spanish fees closer to those of other European countries.
This reduction especially benefits variable gauge services, such as the Madrid-Pamplona, Barcelona-Valencia/Alicante, or San Sebastian-Barcelona routes, whose charges are reduced by almost half. This measure is expected to boost the train’s competitiveness compared to other modes of transport, allowing a price reduction for passengers.
The CNMC has also determined that the charge on the Madrid-Levante high-speed corridor should be maintained at its current level, as the market cannot bear the increase proposed by Adif. In addition, the surcharges for cross-corridor services (over 700 km and without a stop in Madrid) should be reduced by 27% to ensure competitiveness vis-à-vis air transport.
The report also introduces a new system of surcharges based on train size, which benefits smaller capacity trains and adjusts payments according to the demand and profile of each route.