Avlo
Avlo ( [aβ'lo] ) is a brand of the Spanish state railway company Renfe for low - cost, high - speed rail services . The concept, borrowed from the SNCF brand Ouigo , is to be introduced on April 6, 2020. Initially, trains between Madrid and Barcelona will run under the brand with specially converted trains from the 112 series .
history
With the endeavor to increase the number of passengers in Spanish high-speed rail traffic, the state-owned Spanish railway company Renfe planned to introduce a low-cost brand from the beginning of 2018 and was strongly based on the Ouigo brand of the French SNCF. The Spanish Transport Minister Íñigo de la Serna announced on February 6, 2018 that it would be introduced in the first quarter of 2019.
Implementation was delayed for various reasons. With the threat of competition from other railway companies in the course of the liberalization of the European long-distance rail transport market from 2020/21, the plans gained momentum again. Discussions in Spanish politics, driven by the proposal of the Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau , to ban short flights between Madrid Barajas and Barcelona El Prat (also known as the "airlift"), promoted the plans.
On December 11th, 2019, Renfe announced that it would start operating under the brand "Avlo" for Holy Week 2020. Initially, three trains per day in each direction were to run on the Madrid – Barcelona high-speed line between Madrid Atocha and Barcelona Sants stations, with a stop in Zaragoza Delicias .
Renfe Operadora launched ticket sales for the new offer on January 27, 2020 with offer prices of 5 euros per journey for trips between April 6 and August 31, 2020.
concept
Analogous to low-cost airlines in air traffic or the low-cost rail traffic Ouigo (SNCF) and IZY (Thalys), the operator Renfe has designed the Avlo brand with minimal operating costs. In the redesigned trains of the 112 series there is only one travel class and no dining car, in the future, converted trains of the 106 series will also be added.
The fares for the Madrid – Barcelona route should be between 10 and 60 euros for passengers aged 14 and over, depending on the date and demand. Accompanied passengers under the age of 14 pay a flat rate of 5 euros. All other additional options, such as seat selection, cancellation, taking more than one hand luggage or WiFi, cost additional. Tickets can only be purchased online.
According to media reports, the punctuality promise valid for the standard brand of Spanish high-speed transport AVE should not apply to the Avlo brand.
Timetable
The offer will initially start on April 6, 2020 with three trains per day in each direction between Madrid Atocha and Barcelona Sants stations, five of six trains stopping at the Zaragoza Delicias intermediate station. The journey time is 2:30 hours (without a stop in Zaragoza) or 2:45 hours (with a stop in Zaragoza) - and is therefore just as fast as the usual AVE trains.
Renfe announced that from May and September 2020 it will be offering an additional connection on the Madrid – Barcelona route. Furthermore, there are to be expansion plans for the entire Spanish high-speed network.
See also
Web links
- Official website (Spanish)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Renfe anticipates competition from other operators with the “low cost” high speed train AVLO. In: The Corner. January 29, 2020, accessed on January 30, 2020 .
- ↑ ¿Tiene futuro el puente aéreo? El Avlo, Colau y ahora Ribera le cortan las alas. In: LaInformacion.com. January 27, 2020, accessed January 30, 2020 .
- ↑ a b c d AVLO: La web de Renfe se colapsa en el lanzamiento del AVE 'low cost' a cinco euros. In: El País. January 27, 2020, accessed January 30, 2020 (Spanish).
- ↑ RENFE to launch Avlo low-cost high-speed rail for everyone. In: Railway Gazette International. December 11, 2019, accessed January 30, 2020 .
- ↑ AVLO: La letra pequeña de la oferta de billetes de AVE a 5 euros. In: El País. January 30, 2020, accessed January 30, 2020 (Spanish).