On February 26, the manufacturing of the first metric gauge trains for Asturias begins

2024-02-16 22:00:00

On February 26, the manufacturing of the first metric gauge trains for Asturias begins

The acquisition of the seven additional trains has been authorized and the tender for the eighteen new units is progressing

(16/02/2024)

On February 26, the first units of the metric gauge trains will begin to be manufactured, ten of which will arrive in Asturias in 2026 to renew the fleet, increase energy efficiency and improve reliability and accessibility. The first units will also arrive in Cantabria in 2026.

For the first time, images of the rolling stock that will serve on the metric gauge line in northern Spain have been shown. The trains will have a maximum speed of 100 km/h and will have two and three cars for better adaptation to demand. Likewise, they will be accessible and will have areas for bicycles and strollers, information screens, Wi-Fi and plugs, as well as USB in all spaces, among other services.

Service improvements

Renfe and Adif are now working in three areas: travel times, reliability and the travel experience, which involve activating infrastructure works, the reorganization of the time grid and fare integration. The latter was activated last year so that users could use the services that circulate on metric gauge and conventional gauge tracks interchangeably, without having to get a new ticket.

Thus, the planned investments have tripled compared to the initial 2017-2025 plan, which barely anticipated 580 million euros. In the last year, the budget of the Plan presented at the beginning of 2023 has been increased by 94 million euros. Thus, 1,060 million euros have already been mobilized, 67 percent of the total, of which 458 million euros are currently in execution or have already been completed.

Regarding infrastructure actions, which have a budget of 1,223 million euros, of which 846 million euros have already been mobilized, actions such as:

• The comprehensive renovation of the Gijón-Laviana line (C5), in progress.
• The comprehensive renovation of the C1 Pola de Lena-Oviedo-Gijón line, which includes actions in the Villabona and Padrún tunnels.
• The comprehensive renovation of the Cotollo-Infiesto line (C6), also underway. Along these lines, it is also planned to make improvements to the signage, works that are in the contracting phase.
• The improvement of signaling on the Gijón-El Berrón section (C5), in the tender phase.
• The improvement of signaling on the Gijón-Pravia line (C4), already in progress.
• The Nuevo Langreo and Sama los Llerones stations.
• The reduction of distances from Asfa Beacons.

In 2023, the main actions in the field of infrastructure completed the comprehensive renovation of the Berrón-Laviana section. In addition, the improvement of light signaling began and in 2024 the renovated Adif Traffic Regulation Center in El Berrón was launched, from which all metric and conventional gauge traffic is now controlled.

The tariff unification and the integration of the turnstiles have already been consolidated and progress is being made in improving accessibility at stations and passenger information systems, with a planned investment of 48.9 million euros, of which it has already been mobilized 80 percent.

Regarding the purchase and improvement of rolling stock, 175.7 million euros have already been mobilized, 56 percent of the total. The contract for the supply of metric gauge trains was the subject of an audit, the result of which will be announced once all the procedures are completed.

Asturias-Madrid Connections

The inauguration of the Pajares variant marks the beginning of a new era for railway connections between Asturias and Madrid. Since its inauguration, almost 200,000 high-speed tickets have been sold and it is planned to increase the range of services. In the absence of completely closing the new schedules, the seats offered between both autonomous communities will be doubled with the arrival in Avilés of an Alvia train with a daily frequency, and with the premiere of the low-cost Renfe Avlo service with a daily service with a stop in La Pola, Mieres, Oviedo and Gijón. In this way, there will be two more daily frequencies to Oviedo from Madrid, with a total of six (two AVE, three Alvia and one Avlo). And Gijón will have one more, with a total of five: two AVE, two Alvia and one Avlo.