Renfe

Renfe-Operadora

Type	[es]
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1 January 2005
Headquarters	Madrid , Spain
Key people	Julio Gómez-Pomar Rodríguez (CEO), Enrique Peña Pérez, Manuel Fresno Castro, José Luis Marroquín
Products	Rail transport, Freight
Revenue	€3.979 billion (2018)[1]
Net income	€111 million (2018)
Owner	General State Administration (100%)
Number of employees	13,720 (2018)[2]
Subsidiaries	Renfe Cercancías
Website	renfe.com

Renfe logo used from 1972 until 1989.

Renfe logo used from 2000 until 2005.

A Cercanías Civia unit near Zaragoza.

AVE Class 100 train at Córdoba station.

Trains at Santa Justa station Seville.

Renfe-Operadora (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈreɱfe opeɾaˈðoɾa]) is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1,668 mm (5 ft 5+21⁄32 in) Iberian gauge, the 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge and the 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge Spanish railway networks.

It was created in 2005 upon the split of the old Renfe national company into ADIF (which inherited the infrastructure) and Renfe-Operadora (which inherited the rolling stock). It enjoyed a monopoly on high-speed rail services in Spain until 2021.

History[]

The name "Renfe" is derived from that of the former Spanish National Railway Network, Renfe (acronym of Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles—National Network of Spanish Railways) created on 24 January 1941 with the nationalisation of Spain's railways. As per EU Directive 91/440, Renfe was divided into Renfe-Operadora (operations) and ADIF (infrastructure) on 1 January 2005. At the same time, the existing RENFE double-arrowed logo (nicknamed the "galleta", Spanish for biscuit), first introduced in 1971 and given a facelift in 1983, with a sans-serif font, and again in 2000, with a mixed-case italic font, has been replaced by a dark purple lower-case wordmark designed by Interbrand, and also replaces some of the separate logos used by the other sectors, although the old Renfe logo remains in use in some stations in Spain and on maps to indicate an ADIF station.

The Railway Sector Act, 2003 separated the management, maintenance and construction of rail infrastructure from train operation. The first activity is now the responsibility of Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF), the legal successor of RENFE, while the newly created Renfe-Operadora (commercial name "Renfe Operadora" or simply "Renfe") owns the rolling stock and remains responsible for the planning, marketing and operation of passenger and freight services (though no longer with a legal monopoly).^[3]

Renfe Operadora inherited the management model of the business units of the old Renfe, which made Renfe Operadora responsible for the operation of the following passenger and freight services. In January 2006, Renfe Operadora restructured the main business units into four:

• Dirección General de Servicios Públicos de Cercanías y Media Distancia (General Public Utilities Directorate for Suburban and Medium Distance): responsible for commuter services (Cercanías), medium-distance high-speed rail AVE services and medium-range regional services (es:Regionales and es:Media Distancia). However, control of some Cercanías services were transferred to Spain's Autonomous communities.
• Dirección General de Servicios de Larga Distancia (General Directorate of Long Distance Services): responsible for long-distance intercity and high-speed rail services (except medium-distance AVE services and Media Distancia, which is managed by the above business unit).
• Dirección General de Servicios de Mercancías y Logística (General Directorate for Freight and Logistics Services): responsible for freight services.
• Dirección General de Fabricación y Mantenimiento (General Directorate of Manufacturing and Maintenance): responsible for rolling stock maintenance and manufacture (also known as Integria)

The Spanish state railways are currently engaged in a transformation and modernisation project.^{[citation needed]} Key to this effort is a major overhaul of their out-dated ICT (information and communication technology) systems through an ICT renewal project scheduled for completion at the end of 2010 under the responsibility of Corporate Director of Information Systems Óscar Gómez Barbero. So far, the company has introduced improvements to their internet ticket sales and adopted new ICT management practices within a "more industrial" organisational model, though Mr. Gomez has publicly acknowledged the difficulties in transforming what still remains a very hierarchical organisation.

Structure[]

In June 2013, Renfe's board agreed to restructure the organisation into four separate companies, responsible for:

• Operating passenger trains;
• Freight;
• Rolling stock maintenance;

These four would be underneath a single holding company.^[4][5]

Figures[]

Operations[]

Map of the Spanish rail network in 2019, with colour-coded track types. Renfe Operadora operates on broad (red) and standard (black) gauge lines.

A Renfe train ticket

The company operates some 12,000 km (7,500 mi) of railways, 7,000 km (4,300 mi) of them electrified. Most of the tracks are constructed to the broad "Iberian gauge" of 1,668 mm (5 ft 5+21⁄32 in), the same as that used in Portugal but wider than the international gauge of 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) which is standard in neighbouring France, most of western and central Europe, and most of the rest of the world. The newer high-speed (AVE) network has been built to the international standard gauge of 1,435 mm for the connection to the rest of the European railway system. For this reason, the 1,435 mm gauge is generally termed "European gauge" in Spain.

The Spanish high-speed system is called AVE (Alta Velocidad Española, meaning "Spanish High Speed"). The logo incorporates a feature which resembles a bird (ave in Spanish). The high-speed lines are built to the standard European gauge (1,435 mm or 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in).

Construction of the high-speed rail line between Madrid and Seville began in 1988 and operation commenced in 1991. Train speed on the Seville line is 300 km/h (190 mph). The second high-speed rail line (Madrid to Barcelona) was completed in 2007 with the inaugural service commencing at 06:00 on 20 February 2008. The operational speed on this route is 350 km/h (220 mph). The greater part of the line (Madrid to Lleida) was placed into service on 11 October 2003, with connection to Huesca from Zaragoza. The third high-speed line (Madrid to Toledo) was opened in November 2005, followed by the spur from Córdoba to Málaga as far as Antequera in 2007. Another high-speed route from Madrid to Valladolid was opened in 2007, the line from Madrid to Valencia was opened in 2010 and the first stage of the high-speed line in Galicia opened in 2011. A line to Lisbon is being designed.

Other lines operated by Renfe include Euromed, a moderate-speed line between Barcelona and Alicante.

In addition to intercity transport, Renfe operates commuter train systems, known as Cercanías (or Rodalies in Catalonia and Cercanías-Aldirikoak in the Basque Country), in eleven metropolitan areas, including Madrid and Barcelona. In some cities, Renfe shares the market with other commuter railway operators, such as FGC in Barcelona.

Passenger rolling stock[]

Renfe Operadora utilises the following rolling stock and commercial products inside of its two divisions:

Suburban and Medium Distance (DGSPCMD)[]

Renfe 447 EMU with the orange Rodalies livery.

Cercanías (commuter rail)[]

Rolling stock	Metropolitan area	Image
Renfe Class 442 EMU	Madrid
Renfe Class 446 EMU	Bilbao Madrid
Renfe Class 447 EMU	Barcelona Madrid Valencia Murcia/Alicante San Sebastián Santander
Renfe Class 450 EMU	Barcelona Madrid
Civia EMU	Asturias Barcelona Cádiz Madrid Málaga Sevilla Valencia Zaragoza
Renfe Class 592 DMU	Valencia Murcia/Alicante

Zamora train station

Toledo station

Atocha station, Madrid

Estació del Nord, Valencia

Medium Distance[]

Rolling stock	Route(s)	Image
EMU (to be phased out)	Córdoba – Rabanales León – Ponferrada – Vigo León – Gijón Valladolid – Santander Valladolid – Ávila Valladolid – León Valencia − Barcelona Valencia − Alicante
Renfe Class 447 EMU	Barcelona
EMU	Catalunya Aragón
EMU	Madrid – Jaén León – Ponferrada – Orense – Vigo Sevilla – Cádiz Barcelona – Girona – Figueres – Portbou Huelva – Sevilla Jaén – Córdoba – Sevilla – Cadiz Madrid − Alcázar de San Juan − Albacete Madrid − Alcázar de San Juan − Ciudad Real Alicante – Albacete – Ciudad Real Madrid − León Madrid – Vitoria Vitoria – Irun Córdoba – Bobadilla Barcelona – Reus Barcelona – Tortosa
Renfe Class 592 DMU (to be phased out)	Madrid – Cuenca – Valencia Madrid – Talavera Murcia – Cartagena Valencia − Alcoi CELTA: Oporto - Vigo (Service CP)
Renfe Class 594 DMU	Valladolid – Zamora – Puebla de Sanabria A Coruña – Ferrol A Coruña – Lugo – Monforte de Lemos - Ourense Madrid – Soria Murcia – Cartagena
DMU	Murcia – Cartagena Orense – Monforte de Lemos Zaragoza – Canfranc Vigo - Valença
DMU	Madrid – Badajoz Huelva – Zafra Sevilla – Mérida
DMU	A Coruña – Vigo Guixar Salamanca – Ávila – Madrid Zaragoza – Salamanca Salamanca – Palencia Valencia – Cartagena Zaragoza – Valencia Zaragoza – Cartagena Sevilla – Málaga Sevilla – Almería Granada – Algeciras Málaga – Ronda Granada – Linares Madrid − Águilas
Renfe Class 104 EMU (High-speed)	Madrid – Toledo Madrid – Ciudad Real Sevilla – Córdoba Barcelona – Camp De Tarragona Zaragoza – Calatayud
Renfe Class 114 EMU (High-speed)	Madrid – Valladolid Barcelona – Lleida
Renfe Class 121 EMU (High-speed)	Cádiz – Jaén A Coruña – Ourense A Coruña – Vigo Urzaiz Madrid – Ponferrada Ponferrada-Vigo Madrid – Gandia Madrid-Salamanca

Long Distance (DGSLD)[]

Main Line and long-distance services

Service	Rolling stock	Route(s)	Image
Altaria	Renfe Class 334 locomotive + Talgo IV cars	Madrid – Algeciras Madrid – Granada Madrid – Murcia – Cartagena
Talgo	Renfe Class 252/334 locomotive + Talgo VI cars	Madrid – Almería Barcelona – Murcia – Cartagena/Lorca Torre del Oro: Barcelona – Valencia – Sevilla
Intercity (Talgo)	Renfe Class 252 locomotive + Talgo VI cars	Madrid – Valencia
Intercity (Arco)	Renfe Class 334/252 locomotive and Series 2000 cars (Arco)	A Coruña - Hendaye Vigo - Bilbao
Trenhotel (sleeper service)	Renfe Class 252/334 locomotive + Talgo sleeper cars	Galicia: Barcelona – A Coruña Barcelona – Vigo Rías Gallegas: Madrid – Pontevedra Atlántico: Madrid – A Coruña - Ferrol Lusitania: Madrid – Lisbon[1] Surexpreso: Hendaye – Lisbon[2]

High-speed long-distance services

Service	Rolling stock	Route(s)	Image
AVE	Renfe Class 100 EMU	Madrid – Sevilla Madrid – Alicante Madrid – Marseille[3] Barcelona – Toulouse[4] Barcelona – Lyon[5]
	Renfe Class 102 EMU	Madrid – Huesca Madrid – Zaragoza Madrid – Valladolid Madrid – Málaga Valencia – Sevilla
	Renfe Class 103 EMU	Madrid – Barcelona Madrid – Málaga
	Renfe Class 112 EMU	Madrid – Cuenca – Valencia Madrid – Cuenca – Albacete Madrid – León Barcelona – Málaga Barcelona – Zaragoza Barcelona – Sevilla
Alvia (mixed high-speed & conventional service)	Renfe Class 120/121 EMU	Madrid – Pamplona Madrid – Logroño Madrid – Irún/Hendaya Madrid – Bilbao Barcelona – Irún Barcelona – Bilbao Barcelona – Pamplona Barcelona – Valladolid
	Renfe Class 130 EMU	Madrid – Gijón Madrid – Santander Alicante – Gijón Alicante – Santander Madrid – Cádiz Madrid – Huelva Madrid – Valencia – Castellón Madrid – Valencia – Gandía Barcelona – A Coruña Barcelona – Vigo Barcelona – Gijón
	Renfe Class 730 HMU	Alicante – Madrid – Pontevedra Alicante – Madrid – A Coruña Madrid – Ferrol Madrid – Pontevedra Madrid – Ponferrada Madrid-Murcia
AVE City	Renfe Class 104 EMU Renfe Class 121 EMU	Valencia – Málaga Madrid – Sevilla Madrid – León
Euromed (medium-high-speed service)	Renfe Class 130 EMU	Barcelona – Valencia – Alicante

Class numbers[]

All classes are designated by three numbers. The first digit has a special meaning:

• 1xx: High speed multiple unit
• 2xx: Electric locomotive
• 3xx: Diesel locomotive
• 4xx: Electric multiple unit (EMU)
• 5xx: Diesel multiple unit (DMU)
• 6xx: Hybrid locomotive
• 7xx: Hybrid multiple unit (HMU)
• 8xx: Trams which can run on railways

See also[]

• Renfe Feve
• History of rail transport in Spain
• Rail transport in Spain
• Transport in Spain

Notes[]

1.^ Operated by CP in Portugal.

2.^ Managed by Elipsos under the brand Renfe-SNCF en Cooperación/en Coopération.

References[]

• Renfe Corporate Director of Information Systems Oscar Gomez Barbero speaks of Renfe´s Transformation at ESADE Business School in Madrid.^{[dead link]}

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Renfe Operadora.

• Train tickets from France and Spain
• Renfe's official website
• Documents and clippings about Renfe in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW