Alta Velocidad Española
The AVE [ ˈaβe ] ( Spanish Alta Velocidad Española [ ˈalta βeloθiˈðað espaˈɲola ], Spanish high speed ') is the brand name of the Spanish railway company Renfe for the high-speed network in Spain.
At the end of 2012, the AVE network reached a total length of 2,665 km, making it the longest high-speed rail network in Europe and the second longest in the world after China .
history
The 1992 Expo in Seville was the occasion for Spain's entry into high-speed rail transport. The Spanish railway company Renfe wanted a quick connection between the capital Madrid and the Expo city Seville. The old line via Linares-Baeza was 574 kilometers long and largely single-track, the fastest connection took almost six hours. In time for the start of the Expo, Renfe was able to put the high-speed line Madrid – Seville into operation on April 19, 1992. It was the first Spanish railroad to be built in European standard gauge instead of - as was common in Spain until then - in Iberian broad gauge . At 471 kilometers, the high-speed route is shorter than the previous one hundred kilometers. Trains without stopping travel this distance in 2 hours 20 minutes (as of 2016).
José María Aznar , Spanish head of government ( Partido Popular , May 1995 - March 2004) announced in 2000 that all 47 provincial capitals of the country would be connected to the AVE network. His successor, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero ( PSOE , 2004 - December 2011) went even further; he demanded that no Spaniard should live more than half an hour from an express train station.
In 2005, the second branch was the new Madrid – Barcelona line , initially only as far as Saragossa and from 2008 to the Catalan capital. The 625 kilometers between the two largest cities in Spain are covered in just two hours and thirty minutes. The general manager of the airline Iberia announced that it would use smaller aircraft from the opening of the route between Madrid and Barcelona.
In December 2007, the third branch from Madrid was the new Madrid – Valladolid line and, in the south, the Antequera – Málaga section, the last remaining line on the Córdoba – Málaga high-speed line , went into operation.
The continuation of the second corridor Barcelona – Figueres – Perpignan / Perpinyà (F) has been under construction since 2005, including an eight-kilometer tunnel at Le Perthus . Initially, the northern Figueras – Perpignan / Perpinyà section went into operation after several delays in December 2010, whereby the Spanish standard gauge lines were initially connected to the European network by inserting a third rail into the Barcelona – Figueras track. The gap was finally closed on January 7, 2013. A high-speed line between Perpignan and Montpellier and thus the connection to the French high-speed network will not be completed before 2020.
On the same day as the opening of the cross-border line in Catalonia, the fourth line from Madrid to the Mediterranean coast was opened in a first construction phase. The 438 km long route connects the Spanish capital with Valencia and Albacete . The travel time on the 391 km between Madrid and the third largest city in the country, Valencia, is reduced from just under four hours to 95 minutes. On June 18, 2013 the 171.5 km long section from Albacete to the Mediterranean city of Alicante was opened. The travel time from Madrid to Alicante has been reduced to two hours and twenty minutes for the time being. The third provincial capital of the Valencian Community , Castellón , is to be connected to the high-speed line by 2015 [obsolete] . The trains run at a top speed of 300 km / h, but can reach speeds of up to 350 km / h in the future.
In June 2013, after the opening of the 171 km long Albacete – Alicante section on the Madrid – Levante high-speed line, the Spanish high-speed network reached a total length of 2,447 km (as of November 1, 2013: 2,515 km). This puts it in first place in Europe, ahead of France (2036 km) and Germany (1334 km). In addition, 1,308 km are under construction and 1,702 km in planning.
In 1997, the AVE system for the first time made a profit (about two million US dollars ).
After the real estate bubble burst , Spain entered a recession that has continued to this day (2013) [obsolete] . Spain can no longer increase its national debt as easily as it used to; Since 2009 (beginning of the euro crisis ) it has also been known that Spain's banks are in a crisis. Among other things, Spain received 100 billion euros from the SEM in 2012 . The AVE ticket prices are high; the demand for these relatively expensive trips is low. The Madrid – Valencia route, which went into operation in 2010, was planned for 3.6 million travelers a year. In the first year the passenger volume was only 50 percent. In May 2013, the EU Commission asked the Spanish government to pay attention to the cost-benefit ratio of the AVE (“The Spanish reform package 2013 contains some contradicting targets in the transport policy. Thus, the operating costs are to be reduced, and at the same time new High-speed lines are built ”).
In February 2013, a new price system was introduced, which is more oriented towards demand. The average fare in the “Turista” class fell by 27.5%. A “customer loyalty card” for young travelers with a 30% discount was also introduced. The mobile phone ticket was introduced and the use of online booking increased sharply. The market-oriented tariffs led to an increase in the number of passengers by 23.5%, the train load factor rose from 65% to 73%. The absolute number of passengers rose from 12 to 14.9 million passengers in February 2014.
Large cities connected to the high-speed network
In Spain, four new high-speed lines were built in the European standard gauge (1435 millimeters) between 1992 and 2013. The following are shown:
white: European standard gauge
brown: Iberian broad gauge (from Madrid in the AVE network only accessible via re-gauging systems)
| Direction from Madrid |
Part of the route | length | opening | affiliated city |
Residents | Distance from Madrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| southwest | Madrid – Seville | 472 km | 1992 | Madrid | 3,166,000 | --- |
| Ciudad Real | 74,000 | 171 km | ||||
| Cordoba | 327,000 | 345 km | ||||
| Seville | 691,000 | 461 km | ||||
| Branch to Toledo | 21 km | 2005 | Toledo | 83,000 | 75 km | |
| Branch to Antequera | 97 km | 2006 | Antequera | 41,000 | 455 km | |
| Extension to Málaga | 58 km | 2007 | Málaga | 569,000 | 513 km | |
| Northeast | Madrid – Zaragoza | 307 km | 2002 | Guadalajara | 84,000 | 64 km |
| Zaragoza | 661,000 | 307 km | ||||
| Junction Saragossa – Huesca | 79 km | 2003 | Huesca | 52,000 | 386 km | |
| Zaragoza – Lleida | 135 km | 2003 | Lleida | 138,000 | 442 km | |
| Lleida – Tarragona | 81 km | 2003 | Tarragona | 131,000 | 523 km | |
| Tarragona – Barcelona | 100 km | 2008 | Barcelona | 1,609,000 | 623 km | |
| Barcelona-Figueres | 131 km | 2013 | Girona | 98,000 | ||
| Figueres | 46,000 | 754 km | ||||
| Figueres – French border | 20 km | 2010 | (Border) | --- | 774 km | |
| North | Madrid – Valladolid | 180 km | 2007 | Segovia | 52,000 | 68 km |
| Valladolid | 302,000 | 180 km | ||||
| Extension to León | 165 km | 2015 | Palencia | 79,000 | 230 km | |
| Leon | 126,000 | 345 km | ||||
| Branch to Zamora | 99 km | 2015 | Zamora | 63,000 | 232 km | |
| Southeast | Madrid – Valencia | 391 km | 2010 | Cuenca | 55,000 | 195 km |
| Valencia | 790,000 | 391 km | ||||
| Branch to Albacete | 80 km | 2010 | Albacete | 172,000 | 320 km | |
| Extension to Alicante | 166 km | 2013 | Alicante | 331,000 | 486 km |
The kilometers indicated count from Madrid Atocha train station , but to the north from Madrid Chamartín train station . The third tube of the Túnel de la risa for two standard gauge tracks, which connects both stations and thus the two standard gauge subnetworks, has been under construction since 2010, but the construction work was interrupted after 90% completion. So far (as of the end of 2016) there was no further construction.
The cross - border high-speed line Lisbon – Madrid via Badajoz (150,000 inhabitants) has been planned to the west, and some short sections have even already been built. However, the project was postponed after Portugal stopped construction.
The largest cities not yet connected are Murcia (441,000 Ew.), Bilbao (345,000 Ew.) And Vigo (298,000 Ew.). Also missing are u. a. Almería , Donostia-San Sebastián , Gijón , Granada , Logroño , Oviedo , Pamplona , Santander and Vitoria-Gasteiz .
International connections
Since December 2013, AVE trains have also been running on routes to France . They operate the lines
- Barcelona - Toulouse,
- Barcelona - Lyon and
- Madrid - Marseille.
These lines are operated by Elipsos , a joint venture between Renfe and SNCF .
Travel comfort
The AVE offers the highest level of convenience on Renfe's Spanish high-speed network. Almost all seats can be rotated and are rotated in the direction of travel before driving. Therefore, the trains in the departure station are often parked long before they leave the platform. The platforms are cordoned off and only accessible to passengers with valid tickets, luggage checks are carried out. In newer train stations there is a central security check for all long-distance platforms, in older train stations they are partly decentralized at every track access. Boarding is usually released 30 minutes before departure at the exit stations. The ticket is checked before entering the platform; there are normally no more controls on the train. In order to guarantee a punctual departure, the platform entrances close 2 minutes before departure. It is therefore not uncommon for trains to leave the station too early.
Depending on the route, the AVE offers two or three car classes. In all classes there are sockets on the seats, films or TV programs as well as information about the route are displayed on ceiling screens. There is a cafeteria cart on the train with food and drinks for sale. In addition, a “bar móvil” is offered on some routes. This means that passengers can buy small snacks and drinks at their seat. In the Preferente class, food and drinks are included in the fare depending on the time of day.
Turista
The Turista class is the cheapest. Passengers sit in the usual 2 + 2 arrangement. The entertainment program is available to passengers via headphones, which are distributed free of charge by the staff during the journey.
Turista Plus
Former Preferente cars have been converted to Turista Plus. The seats are arranged in a 2 + 1 scheme and have a larger seat pitch compared to the Turista class.
Preferente
Since the Club class has now been completely abolished, the Preferente class is now housed in the former Club car. The seat arrangement also corresponds to a 2 + 1 scheme, the seat spacing is also greater than with the Turista Plus, and the seat covers are made of synthetic leather. Traveling in the Preferente class offers a variety of amenities: there are parking spaces available at some train stations, and special waiting areas (Sala Club) can also be used. Daily newspapers as well as food and drinks are offered free of charge on the train. Depending on the time of day, this includes breakfast, aperitifo, lunch, merienda or dinner and is served with a previous welcome drink, a drink from a rich drinks menu and coffee or tea at the seat. When booking the trip, a special menu can also be ordered online. For economic reasons, the management has been reduced in recent years, so that there is no longer any on-site service on Saturdays and on some routes on Sundays and public holidays.
vehicles
100 series
The 100 series units were the first high-speed trains to run on the Madrid – Seville high-speed line . Renfe decided to buy 18 trains from a further development of the TGV Atlantique as a vehicle for the first regular-gauge new line in Spain. Because switchable contact line sections were to be avoided, especially in the area of the former endpoints Madrid Atocha and Seville Santa Justa, although crossings with broad-gauge tracks were required, the units were designed for dual-system capability for 3 kV DC and 25 kV AC voltage at 50 Hz. Curious in this context: The Spanish bought the equipment for the linear train control and the overhead line from German suppliers, so that the series 100 multiple units were equipped with on-board units from the German LZB and originally also German pantographs. Originally 24 sets had been ordered, but the decision was made to use six of them as the 101 series with the brand name Euromed on the wide-gauge »Corredor Mediterraneo« between Barcelona and Valencia. From 2010, however, the trains of the 101 series were converted to standard gauge and incorporated into the 100 series. In February 2011, RENFE announced that it would convert ten trains of the series for traffic to and from France. The German pantographs were replaced by French ones, now because of the pallet width and the contact strip material in France separately for DC and AC voltage.
- Number: 24
- Top speed: 300 km / h
102 series
Renfe needed new high-speed trains for the new Madrid – Barcelona – French border line. Ultimately, it was decided u. a. for the purchase of 16 sets of the Talgo 350 developed by the Spanish Talgo in collaboration with Bombardier . Because of their characteristic front section, these trains are colloquially called "Pato" ( German duck ).
- Number: 16
- Top speed: 330 km / h
103 series
In the course of the tender for the second generation of the AVE, Renfe procured 26 high-speed trains from Siemens in addition to the 102 series from Talgo . This is a further development of the ICE 3 , which Siemens markets internationally as Velaro and which Renfe calls the 103 series . On July 16, 2006, one of these trains set the speed record on the Spanish rail network at 403.7 km / h. This made it the fastest series production train in the world, because it was neither a prototype nor any modifications.
- Number: 26 (1st series 16, 2nd series 10)
- Top speed: 350 km / h
112 series
A further 30 multiple units similar to the 102 series were ordered in 2004 for the various high-speed lines under construction . The powered end cars are the same, but the train has more seats than the first series.
- Number: 30
- Top speed: 330 km / h
New trains from around 2020
In 2016, RENFE put out a tender for the delivery of 15 train sets including a maintenance contract for 30 years across Europe. Talgo won this tender in November 2016. The value of the contract was given as 786.5 million euros. The trains of the type Talgo Avril with a regular service speed of 330 km / h are to be given 2 + 2 seating in the first class and 2 + 3 seating in the second class. This means that there is space for 105 passengers in first and 416 in second class. On May 31, 2017, RENFE drew an option to purchase 15 additional sets.
- Number: 30 ordered
- Top speed: 330 km / h
Other brands
In addition to AVE for long distances on standard gauge with maximum speeds of more than 250 km / h, RENFE markets its high-speed traffic under various other brand names:
- Alaris for high-speed trains on Iberian broad gauge on the Madrid - Valencia - Castellón line .
- Alvia for trains with adjustable gauge for Iberian and UIC standard gauge.
- Avant for medium distances (up to 90 minutes) also on standard gauge with top speeds of up to 250 km / h based on the Pendolino
- Euromed for high-speed trains on Iberian broad gauge on the Barcelona - Castellón - Valencia - Alicante route .
- Renfe-SNCF en cooperación / en coopération for the high-speed trains operated by Elipsos between France and Spain .
literature
- Wolfgang Bauchhenß: From boom to crisis? In: railway magazine . No. 9/2011 . Alba publication, September 2011, ISSN 0342-1902 , p. 26-29 .
Web links
- Spanish high speed train (Spanish)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Inauguration de ligne de grande vitesse Madrid-Valence
- ↑ a b Spain is investing billions in useless trains. With billions from Brussels and loans, Spain has built the second largest high-speed network in the world. But now the clammy country can hardly afford the business any more . welt.de, June 25, 2013
- ↑ Spain / France: From January 7th, Barcelona - Figueres opens . eurailpress.de, January 7, 2013
- ↑ a b High Speed Lines in the World. (PDF) (No longer available online.) International Union of Railways , November 1, 2013, archived from the original on November 1, 2013 ; accessed on December 6, 2018 .
- ^ Spanish To Build More High-Speed Lines . In: International Railway Journal , September 1999.
- ↑ New fares boost high speed traffic Railway Gazette, accessed on 28 March 2013
- ↑ Test drive on the LAV Olmedo - Zamora on www.lok-report.de on October 23, 2015
- ↑ Operación Chamartín is to be revived on www.lok-report.de on December 2, 2016
- ↑ Diez trenes AVE de la serie 100 aumentarán su capacidad para conectar España y Francia
- ↑ Velaro - Ferrari on rails . In: Focus online from March 29, 2007
- ^ Talgo wins Spanish high speed train order. In: www.railwaygazette.com. November 28, 2016, accessed December 23, 2016 .
- ↑ Announcement of the regional high-speed train for RENFE completed . In: Eisenbahn-Revue International , issue 1/2004, ISSN 1421-2811 , p. 27.