Spain’s rail liberalization to boost passenger traffic by 2023

With the liberalisation of rail passenger transport from May 2021, three new operators of High-Speed rail services started operating on the Spanish HS network: OUIGO (SNCF), IRYO (Trenitalia, Air Nostrum and Globalvia) and AVLO (RENFE’s low-cost AVE).

According to the latest CNMC quarterly report (2023Q1), with the entry of the new operators, passengers carried on the MAT-BCN and MCH-VAL routes will grow respectively to 3.1 and 1.1 million passengers in the 1st quarter of 2023, thus increasing in like-for-like terms by 56% and 76% compared to the 1st quarter of 2019.

And these values can still continue to evolve positively as a result of market behavioural changes.

Following other markets in Europe, such as Italy and France, the benefits of liberalisation are also visible in Spain. Operators now face the challenge of generating value for users and their operations.

VTM’s experience and knowledge of rail systems in these geographic markets and the effects of liberalisation will allow us to support our Clients in this sector in transforming the market and adapting to the behavioural patterns of users and their different needs.