Renfe

Renfe is Spain’s national railway company. It is owned by the government. It started in 2005 when the old Spanish National Railway Network was split into two parts.

One part, called ADIF, looks after the railway infrastructure, like tracks and stations. The other part, Renfe-Operadora, runs the trains and services for passengers and goods.

Today, Renfe operates many trains across Spain, helping people travel quickly and efficiently.

History

Further information: History of rail transport in Spain

Renfe began as the Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles on January 24, 1941. That day, Spain's railways were joined into one group. In 2005, Renfe split into two parts: Renfe Operadora to run the trains, and ADIF to care for the tracks and stations. This change made sure that running the trains and looking after the tracks were separate jobs.

Before 2005, Renfe did everything. Now, other train companies like Ouigo España and Iryo also offer passenger services.

Structure

Renfe-Operadora took over running passenger and freight train services from the old Renfe. In January 2006, it organized its work into four main areas: suburban and medium-distance trains, long-distance and high-speed trains, freight services, and maintaining and building trains.

In June 2013, Renfe changed its structure again, creating four separate companies under one main company: one for passenger trains, one for freight, one for maintaining trains, and one for renting out trains.

Figures

Operations

Renfe has about 12,000 kilometers of railway tracks. About 7,000 kilometers of these tracks have electricity to power the trains. Most of the tracks use a special width called the Iberian gauge, which is a bit wider than usual track width.

The company has built special fast train lines, called high-speed rail, connecting big cities like Madrid, Seville, Barcelona, and others. These fast trains can go up to 350 kilometers per hour. Renfe also runs regular trains between cities and helps people travel around big city areas with local train services.

Passenger rolling stock

Renfe-Operadora uses many types of trains for different trips.

Suburban and Medium Distance (DGSPCMD)

This group has trains for short trips on tracks of two different widths. It also has trains for medium trips on big tracks, and very fast trains for medium trips.

Long Distance (DGSLD)

This group has special tourist trains, big trips on main tracks, and very fast trains for long trips.

Prototype rolling stock

Some new trains are being tested.

Future rolling stock

There are plans for new trains to join the group soon.

Rolling stock	Region(s)	Image
Renfe Class 433 EMU	Asturias
Renfe Class 435 EMU	Asturias
Renfe Class 436 EMU	Asturias Basque Country Cantabria
Renfe Class 438 EMU	Cantabria
Renfe Class 442 EMU	Madrid
Renfe Class 526 DMU	Asturias Castile and León
Renfe Class 529 DMU	Castile and León Galicia Murcia

Rolling stock	Metropolitan area(s)	Image
Renfe Class 446 EMU	Bilbao Madrid
Renfe Class 447 EMU	Barcelona Madrid Valencia Murcia/Alicante San Sebastián Santander
Renfe Class 450 EMU	Barcelona Madrid
Renfe Class 462/463/464/465 EMU	Asturias Barcelona Cádiz Madrid Málaga Sevilla Valencia Zaragoza
Renfe Class 592 DMU	Valencia Murcia/Alicante

Rolling stock	Route(s)	Image
Renfe Class 440/470 EMU (to be phased out)	Córdoba – Rabanales León – Ponferrada – Vigo León – Gijón Valladolid – Santander Valladolid – Ávila Valladolid – León Valencia − Barcelona Valencia − Alicante
Renfe Class 448 EMU	Catalunya Aragón
Renfe Class 449 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 Irun - Vitoria - Miranda de Ebro Córdoba – Bobadilla Barcelona – Reus Barcelona – Tortosa
Renfe Class 592 DMU (to be phased out)	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
Renfe Class 598 DMU	Cáceres – Valencia de Alcántara Sevilla – Cáceres - Madrid
Renfe Class 599 DMU	Madrid – Badajoz Huelva – Zafra A Coruña – Vigo Guixar Salamanca – Ávila – Madrid Salamanca – Palencia Valencia – Cartagena Zaragoza – Valencia Zaragoza – Cartagena Sevilla – Málaga Sevilla – Almería Granada – Algeciras Málaga – Ronda Granada – Linares Madrid − Águilas

Rolling stock	Region(s)	Image
Renfe Class 524 DMU	Ferrol – Oviedo Oviedo – Santander Santander – Bilbao
Renfe Class 527 DMU	Ferrol – Oviedo Oviedo – Santander Santander – Bilbao Bilbao – León

Rolling stock	Route(s)	Image
Renfe Class 104 EMU	Madrid – Toledo Madrid – Ciudad Real Málaga – Granada Sevilla – Córdoba Barcelona – Camp De Tarragona Sevilla - Málaga
Renfe Class 114 EMU	Madrid – Puertollano Madrid – Valladolid Barcelona – Figueres Barcelona – Lleida Sevilla – Granada
Renfe Class 121 EMU	Cádiz – Jaén A Coruña – Ourense A Coruña – Vigo Urzaiz Madrid – Ponferrada Ponferrada-Vigo Madrid – Gandia Madrid-Salamanca

Service	Route(s)	Locomotive	Passenger Car	Image
Al Ándalus	Sevilla - Granada - Úbeda - Sevilla	Renfe Class 319.3 Locomotive	Al Ándalus
Costa Verde Express	Bilbao - Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela - Bilbao	Feve Class 1900 Locomotive	El Transcantábrico
El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo	San Sebastián–Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela–San Sebastián	Feve Class 1900 Locomotive	El Transcantábrico
La Robla Express	"La Robla Route:" Bilbao - León León - Bilbao "Pilgrim's Route:" Oviedo - Ortigueira - Santiago de Compostela - Oviedo	Feve Class 1650 Locomotive	La Robla

Service(s)	Route(s)	Locomotive	Passenger Car	Image
Intercity	Madrid – Algeciras Madrid – Granada Madrid – Murcia – Cartagena Madrid – Almería Barcelona – Murcia – Cartagena/Lorca Madrid – Cáceres – Badajoz	Renfe Class 334 Locomotive	Talgo Pendular
	Madrid – Almería Barcelona – Murcia – Cartagena/Lorca Madrid – Valencia	Renfe Class 252 Locomotive	Talgo Pendular

Service	Rolling stock	Route(s)	Image
AVE	Renfe Class 100 EMU	Madrid – Sevilla Madrid – Castellón Huesca–Sevilla
	Renfe Class 102 EMU	Madrid – León Madrid – Huesca Valencia – Sevilla
	Renfe Class 103 EMU	Madrid – Barcelona – Figueres Madrid – Málaga Barcelona – Málaga
	Renfe Class 106 EMU	Gijón–Castellón Madrid–Gijón Madrid–A Coruña Madrid–Vigo Madrid – Murcia Madrid – Marseille Barcelona – Lyon
	Renfe Class 112 EMU	Madrid – Alicante Madrid – Burgos Madrid – Cuenca – Valencia Madrid – Granada Madrid – Murcia Madrid – Ourense Alicante – Ourense Alicante – León Barcelona – Granada Barcelona – Sevilla Burgos – Valencia Málaga – Murcia León – Valencia
Alvia (mixed high-speed & conventional service)	Renfe Class 120 EMU	Madrid – Pamplona Madrid – Logroño Madrid – Irún/Hendaya Madrid – Bilbao Madrid – Salamanca Madrid – Santander Madrid – Huelva Barcelona – Bilbao Barcelona – San Sebastian Torre del Oro: Barcelona – Valencia – Sevilla – Cádiz
	Renfe Class 130 EMU	Madrid – Avilés Madrid – Cádiz Alicante – Gijón Alicante – Santander Barcelona – A Coruña Barcelona – Vigo Barcelona – Salamanca Euromed: Barcelona – Valencia – Alicante
	Renfe Class 730 HMU	Madrid – Algeciras Madrid – Almeria Madrid – Ferrol Madrid – Vigo Madrid – Lugo Madrid – Badajoz

Service	Rolling stock	Image
AVE	Renfe Class 105 EMU

Vehicles register numbers

All trains in Spain have special numbers to help us know what kind of train it is. The first number tells us the type of train:

• 1xx: High-speed trains that can carry lots of people quickly.
• 2xx: Electric locomotives that run on electricity.
• 3xx: Diesel locomotives that run on fuel.
• 4xx: Electric trains with many cars connected together.
• 5xx: Diesel trains with many cars connected together.
• 6xx: Hybrid locomotives that can use both electricity and fuel.
• 7xx: Hybrid trains with many cars connected together.
• 8xx: Trams that can also travel on regular train tracks.

Tickets

Travel tickets are sold at train stations and online. In 2023, the European Commission checked if Renfe was being fair when selling tickets online. They were concerned Renfe wasn’t sharing all the travel details with other ticket websites. Renfe made some promises to fix this, and in January 2024, these promises became official rules.