Spain’s Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, accompanied by Renfe President Álvaro Fernández Heredia, visited the Velim test circuit (Czech Republic), where CAF is undertaking certification trials for the new Class 480 fleet intended for Renfe.
The €520 million contract covers 70 units built in Beasain (Gipuzkoa). The first unit has been transferred to Czechia due to the lack of a domestic test facility, following the suspension of the Antequera test ring project in 2013.
Renfe has ordered 61 Iberian-gauge units (15 three-car and 46 five-car sets) and nine standard-gauge units, all currently in the final stages of manufacture and validation. Entry into service is planned progressively from 2027, with initial operations expected on the Valencian network for Media Distancia services along the Mediterranean Corridor.
The new fleet will replace ageing Class 470 units, some of which have been in service for over 50 years, and will support the reorganisation of Renfe’s regional rolling stock.
The trains are designed for a maximum speed of 200 km/h and offer up to 264 seats, two more than the Class 449. They are dual-voltage and equipped with onboard batteries enabling “last-mile” operation on non-electrified sections, although range has yet to be disclosed. Features include bicycle spaces, power sockets, next-generation passenger information systems and onboard Wi-Fi.
Initial interior images reveal a relatively austere design aligned with recent rolling stock procurements and refurbishments, contrasting with the warmer, more refined appearance presented in earlier computer-generated renders.