Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts
Saturday, August 15, 2009
New Use for Old Railway - Cycle Track
The old disused Malaga to Cartama railway line could be converted into a new green cycle way. The planned route would be over 24 km long.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
2 AVE Stations for Antequera
The Andalucian area of Antequera will soon have two AVE high-speed train stations. The first one was opened at Colonia de Santa, some 18 km from the town centre on the new Cordoba – Malaga AVE line. The high-speed train line between Sevilla and Granada will cross the Cordoba – Malaga line at Colonia de Santa Maria. This line will have a train station in the urban area of Antequera, which currently as one conventional station train station at Bobadilla Estacion. Antequera will also have high speed trains to Ronda and Algeciras.
The Junta de Andalucia also invited tenders for two of the most complex railway sections between Anteqera and Savilla. The Public Works and Transport councilor, Rosa Aguilar, said that the high-speed line is now 60% complete. She remarked that the Junta has invested 401 million euros and that 2524 jobs have been created. The Granada – Seville high speed line will open in 2013.
The Junta de Andalucia also invited tenders for two of the most complex railway sections between Anteqera and Savilla. The Public Works and Transport councilor, Rosa Aguilar, said that the high-speed line is now 60% complete. She remarked that the Junta has invested 401 million euros and that 2524 jobs have been created. The Granada – Seville high speed line will open in 2013.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Rail Gauges in Spain
Rail transport in Spain operates on four rail gauges and services are operated by a variety of private and public operators. The total route length in 2004 was 14,781 km (8,791 km electrified):[1]
broad gauge (1,668 mm)
11,829 km (6,950 km electrified at 3 kV DC)
standard gauge (1,435 mm)
998 km (all electrified at 25 kV AC)
narrow gauge (1,000 mm)
1,926 km (815 km electrified)
narrow gauge (914 mm)
28 km (all electrified)
Most railways are operated by RENFE; narrow-gauge lines are operated by FEVE and other carriers in individual autonomous communities. It is proposed to build or convert more standard-gauge lines, including some dual gauging of broad-gauge lines, especially where these lines link to adjacent countries.
broad gauge (1,668 mm)
11,829 km (6,950 km electrified at 3 kV DC)
standard gauge (1,435 mm)
998 km (all electrified at 25 kV AC)
narrow gauge (1,000 mm)
1,926 km (815 km electrified)
narrow gauge (914 mm)
28 km (all electrified)
Most railways are operated by RENFE; narrow-gauge lines are operated by FEVE and other carriers in individual autonomous communities. It is proposed to build or convert more standard-gauge lines, including some dual gauging of broad-gauge lines, especially where these lines link to adjacent countries.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Extention to Costa del Sol Rail Line
Extention of Coast Railway.
Marbella will soon be connected to the Spanish Rail Network. The line will run from the existing Fuengirola line to San Pedro. And later will link Malaga City with Algeciras by rail. New stations on the first section will be located at Puerto De Cabopino, Las Dunas, Costal Del Sol Hospital, Marbella, Marbella West, Puerto Banus and San Pedro.
Sur in English
Marbella will soon be connected to the Spanish Rail Network. The line will run from the existing Fuengirola line to San Pedro. And later will link Malaga City with Algeciras by rail. New stations on the first section will be located at Puerto De Cabopino, Las Dunas, Costal Del Sol Hospital, Marbella, Marbella West, Puerto Banus and San Pedro.
Sur in English
Across the Straight of Gibraltar
Acoss the Straights of Gibraltar.
An European Union committee is at the moment studying a proposed project for a 40km railway bridge or tunnel link between Punta Polomas, near Algeciras Spain and Malabata in Northern Morocco where a high speed rail line is under construction.
The Olive Press.
An European Union committee is at the moment studying a proposed project for a 40km railway bridge or tunnel link between Punta Polomas, near Algeciras Spain and Malabata in Northern Morocco where a high speed rail line is under construction.
The Olive Press.
Monday, July 27, 2009
AVE Madrid - Barcelona takes Larger Share of Market.
Talgo’s 380 km/h Avril train to take on the airlines
27 July 2009
SPAIN: In its first 18 months of full operation, the Madrid - Barcelona high speed line has made significant inroads into market share on what was the country’s busiest domestic air corridor. But RENFE Operadora believes it needs to do more if rail is to achieve total dominance.
With 300 km/h operation the journey time is 2 h 40 min non-stop, or around 3 h with calls at Zaragoza, Lleida and Camp de Tarragona. According to Ignacio de Rebeira Sánchez, Head of Innovation at RENFE’s High Speed & Long Distance business, a 2 h 30 min timing is essential; he believes this will be achievable with 320 km/h running, which he considers more realistic than the 350 km/h for which the line was designed.
Whilst the Siemens-built Series 103 and Talgo/Bombardier Series 102 sets are designed for 350 km/h, the gauge-changing trains used for through services off the standard-gauge line are limited to 250 km/h. Speaking at a workshop in Barcelona on June 18-19, organised by the Spanish Railway Foundation to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the start of gauge-changing trains with the Barcelona - Genève Catalan Talgo, Talgo’s Director of Research & Development Dr Emilio García announced that higher speed trials will be undertaken later this year. A prototype trainset derived from the Series 130 will be used to verify the performance of the gauge-changing wheelsets at 300 km/h.
These tests are also intended to contribute to another project, which will see the emergence in 2011 of Talgo’s next-generation trainset, code-named Avril (Alta Velocidad Rueda Independiente Ligero). Technical details are under wraps until mid-2010, but like the Series 130 Avril will have two driving vehicles on powered bogies and 12 articulated trailers riding on 11 single wheelsets.
To allow train operators to offer fares competitive with low-cost airlines, Avril is intended to provide up to 700 seats in a 200 m single-deck trainset. Moving the traction equipment underfloor will release space in the power cars, and Talgo plans to capitalise on the short 13 m length of the trailers by pushing the width out to 3 200 mm, permitting 3+2 seating in second class.
According to company insiders, Avril is being designed for operation at no less than 380 km/h, with inter-car linkages helping to keep the wide bodies within the loading gauge and possibly providing a small degree of tilt in curves. While the prototype is envisaged as a standard-gauge trainset, it is also seen as a platform for a future gauge-convertible version. Potential customers are reportedly ‘very interested’.
Railway Gazette.
27 July 2009
SPAIN: In its first 18 months of full operation, the Madrid - Barcelona high speed line has made significant inroads into market share on what was the country’s busiest domestic air corridor. But RENFE Operadora believes it needs to do more if rail is to achieve total dominance.
With 300 km/h operation the journey time is 2 h 40 min non-stop, or around 3 h with calls at Zaragoza, Lleida and Camp de Tarragona. According to Ignacio de Rebeira Sánchez, Head of Innovation at RENFE’s High Speed & Long Distance business, a 2 h 30 min timing is essential; he believes this will be achievable with 320 km/h running, which he considers more realistic than the 350 km/h for which the line was designed.
Whilst the Siemens-built Series 103 and Talgo/Bombardier Series 102 sets are designed for 350 km/h, the gauge-changing trains used for through services off the standard-gauge line are limited to 250 km/h. Speaking at a workshop in Barcelona on June 18-19, organised by the Spanish Railway Foundation to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the start of gauge-changing trains with the Barcelona - Genève Catalan Talgo, Talgo’s Director of Research & Development Dr Emilio García announced that higher speed trials will be undertaken later this year. A prototype trainset derived from the Series 130 will be used to verify the performance of the gauge-changing wheelsets at 300 km/h.
These tests are also intended to contribute to another project, which will see the emergence in 2011 of Talgo’s next-generation trainset, code-named Avril (Alta Velocidad Rueda Independiente Ligero). Technical details are under wraps until mid-2010, but like the Series 130 Avril will have two driving vehicles on powered bogies and 12 articulated trailers riding on 11 single wheelsets.
To allow train operators to offer fares competitive with low-cost airlines, Avril is intended to provide up to 700 seats in a 200 m single-deck trainset. Moving the traction equipment underfloor will release space in the power cars, and Talgo plans to capitalise on the short 13 m length of the trailers by pushing the width out to 3 200 mm, permitting 3+2 seating in second class.
According to company insiders, Avril is being designed for operation at no less than 380 km/h, with inter-car linkages helping to keep the wide bodies within the loading gauge and possibly providing a small degree of tilt in curves. While the prototype is envisaged as a standard-gauge trainset, it is also seen as a platform for a future gauge-convertible version. Potential customers are reportedly ‘very interested’.
Railway Gazette.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
AVE Trains Cut Carbon Imissions
Imagine travelling by train from London to Brighton in 23 minutes or to Southampton in 32 minutes. Imagine letting the train take the strain from Oxford to Brighton via the outskirts of London in 50 minutes. Un-thinkable, of course.
But not for us living in Andalucia. We will soon be able to travel on a network of AVE (Alto Velocidad Espanola) rail routes inter-connecting all the regional cities in not much under an hour. Malaga to Savills in 55 minutes, Cadiz to Granada in 1 houe and 38 minutes, and Ronda (where I live) to Malaga, Sevilla, Cordoba and Granada in less than an houe. Hurrah!
The Spanish Government is committed to constructing 10,000 kilometers of high-speed rail routes throughout Spain by 2020. The plan means that 90% of the population will be no more than 50km from a station on an AVE route. It is no surprise then that President Obama recently praised Spain`s railways while launching similar plans in the United States. The plaudits are well deserved. There are already more high speed routes in Spain than either France or Germany, and both are well ahead of the United Kingdom.
Funded partly by European Union grants and loans from the European Investment Bank, the network is cutting Spains carbon imissions because AVE trains use 19%less energy than conventional trains.
Source. Ray Ward. The Olive Press.
But not for us living in Andalucia. We will soon be able to travel on a network of AVE (Alto Velocidad Espanola) rail routes inter-connecting all the regional cities in not much under an hour. Malaga to Savills in 55 minutes, Cadiz to Granada in 1 houe and 38 minutes, and Ronda (where I live) to Malaga, Sevilla, Cordoba and Granada in less than an houe. Hurrah!
The Spanish Government is committed to constructing 10,000 kilometers of high-speed rail routes throughout Spain by 2020. The plan means that 90% of the population will be no more than 50km from a station on an AVE route. It is no surprise then that President Obama recently praised Spain`s railways while launching similar plans in the United States. The plaudits are well deserved. There are already more high speed routes in Spain than either France or Germany, and both are well ahead of the United Kingdom.
Funded partly by European Union grants and loans from the European Investment Bank, the network is cutting Spains carbon imissions because AVE trains use 19%less energy than conventional trains.
Source. Ray Ward. The Olive Press.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
High Speed Trains Take Bigger Market Share.
Spain which entered the high-speed era in 1992 with the opening of the Madrid-Seville line and is now the most ambitious country in Europe in the rate of growth of its high-speed network. Having just completed the Madrid to Barcelona line, Spain now has 1,600km of high speed line in operation, with another 2,200 under construction and 1,700km planned.
A key construction project is the line north from Barcelona into the French Sud-Est line. This line is of particular significance for European high-speed rail policy for reasons other than its 17 mile tunnel and the link between the Spanish and French networks which it brings. An intense debate is taking place between the Spanish, Catalan and French authorities as to whether the line will carry freight or be passenger only. The Catalan transport minister told me he was pressing strongly for it to be a mixed freight and passenger line, to take lorries off the route north and boost the economic dividend from the line. For the line to carry mixed traffic, however, requires not only a departure from French high-speed practice: it also has a major bearing on the engineering of the line, as it would need shallower gradients, and therefore also on its cost north of the French border, to which, politely, the French have suggested that the Spanish and/or Catalan governments might wish to contribute if they want the much costlier option. Here again the freight issue is rearing its head fairly starkly.
However, the most remarkable feature of Spanish high-speed rail is the sheer scale and rapidity of its development, in a country without an especially strong prior railway tradition. There is a debate about whether the lines were built in the right order. It was clearly a political decision by Philipe Gonzales to build the first line from Madrid to his home town of Seville – the deal is said to have been that Barcelona got the 1992 Olympics in return. But Barcelona now has its line too, and the Spanish government in 2005 published a national high-speed plan with a target of 10,000km of high-speed line by 2020 connecting all the nation’s provincial capitals, accounting for 90% of the population [show slide 3]. It estimates that the cost will be met from allocating 1.5% of GDP to national infrastructure until 2020, which it projects – with additional revenue from concessions – to give a cumulative investment budget of 250bn Euros of which half – yes, half – will go to rail. Spain will be spending 10bn Euros on rail infrastructure investment this year alone, 6bn of it on new high-speed lines. These figures are simply mind-boggling: Network Rail’s has a £10bn budget for capacity enhancement for the next five years. The Spanish Transport Minister told me: “A high-speed fever has taken over the country,” perhaps the most expensive fever in Spanish history.
However, the Spanish are delighted with the results. They are particularly pleased by the initial success of the Madrid to Barcelona line, which only opened last February, with a fastest journey time of 2 hours 38 minutes for the 386 miles, about to come down further to 2 hours 15 minutes. When the service started a few months ago rail had only 16% of the combined train and air market; now [show slide 4] it has 48 per cent, and they expect this to rise to 70% or higher before long, which accords with the experience on similar lines such as London to Paris and Brussels. The load factor on these AVE services is also a high 65%.The traffic on the new AVE line to Malaga is starting to build up and is already taking large numbers of passengers from the domestic airlines.
A key construction project is the line north from Barcelona into the French Sud-Est line. This line is of particular significance for European high-speed rail policy for reasons other than its 17 mile tunnel and the link between the Spanish and French networks which it brings. An intense debate is taking place between the Spanish, Catalan and French authorities as to whether the line will carry freight or be passenger only. The Catalan transport minister told me he was pressing strongly for it to be a mixed freight and passenger line, to take lorries off the route north and boost the economic dividend from the line. For the line to carry mixed traffic, however, requires not only a departure from French high-speed practice: it also has a major bearing on the engineering of the line, as it would need shallower gradients, and therefore also on its cost north of the French border, to which, politely, the French have suggested that the Spanish and/or Catalan governments might wish to contribute if they want the much costlier option. Here again the freight issue is rearing its head fairly starkly.
However, the most remarkable feature of Spanish high-speed rail is the sheer scale and rapidity of its development, in a country without an especially strong prior railway tradition. There is a debate about whether the lines were built in the right order. It was clearly a political decision by Philipe Gonzales to build the first line from Madrid to his home town of Seville – the deal is said to have been that Barcelona got the 1992 Olympics in return. But Barcelona now has its line too, and the Spanish government in 2005 published a national high-speed plan with a target of 10,000km of high-speed line by 2020 connecting all the nation’s provincial capitals, accounting for 90% of the population [show slide 3]. It estimates that the cost will be met from allocating 1.5% of GDP to national infrastructure until 2020, which it projects – with additional revenue from concessions – to give a cumulative investment budget of 250bn Euros of which half – yes, half – will go to rail. Spain will be spending 10bn Euros on rail infrastructure investment this year alone, 6bn of it on new high-speed lines. These figures are simply mind-boggling: Network Rail’s has a £10bn budget for capacity enhancement for the next five years. The Spanish Transport Minister told me: “A high-speed fever has taken over the country,” perhaps the most expensive fever in Spanish history.
However, the Spanish are delighted with the results. They are particularly pleased by the initial success of the Madrid to Barcelona line, which only opened last February, with a fastest journey time of 2 hours 38 minutes for the 386 miles, about to come down further to 2 hours 15 minutes. When the service started a few months ago rail had only 16% of the combined train and air market; now [show slide 4] it has 48 per cent, and they expect this to rise to 70% or higher before long, which accords with the experience on similar lines such as London to Paris and Brussels. The load factor on these AVE services is also a high 65%.The traffic on the new AVE line to Malaga is starting to build up and is already taking large numbers of passengers from the domestic airlines.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Level Crossing Death in Ronda
A woman car driver was killed when her car was hit by a train at the crossing near the Virgin de la Paz Military Barracks. There is no barrier at the crossing. The accident happend at around 5pm. The vehicle was dragged 30 metres along the tracks and the body of the victom was thrown from the car.
The accident as alarmed local people and as once again put into question the use of level crossings without barriers in the Ronda area. Last year a simular incident at another Ronda crossing resulted in the death of a local man.
The accident as alarmed local people and as once again put into question the use of level crossings without barriers in the Ronda area. Last year a simular incident at another Ronda crossing resulted in the death of a local man.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Progress on New AVE in Andalucia
By 2013 all the principle cities of Andalucia, Cordoba, Malage, Savilla and Granada will be linked by fast AVE trains. The existing line from Malaga to Cordoba and Madrid will be joined by a number of new lines. AVEs will run from Malaga to Saville in 55 minutes, and to Granada in 50 minutes. The largest towns along the routes will also be linked into the new system, via the link line that will connect Algeciras with Ronda and Antequera.
Most of the work already finished has been carried out on the line to Saville. This is being done in two phases. the first between Antequere and Marchene and the second between Marchene and Savilla. The Granada line is expected to be complted at the same time as the Marchene line. Work on the third line from Algeciras to Antequera via Ronda is expected to be finished in just under three years.
Most of the work already finished has been carried out on the line to Saville. This is being done in two phases. the first between Antequere and Marchene and the second between Marchene and Savilla. The Granada line is expected to be complted at the same time as the Marchene line. Work on the third line from Algeciras to Antequera via Ronda is expected to be finished in just under three years.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
New Underpass at Estacion de Cartama
The new underpass at Estacion de Cartama on the Malaga to Alora railway line has been opened to make it safer for pedestrians. The underpass will connet the northern area of Estacion de Cartama, where most people live with the southern area. The work as cost 1.3 million euros.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Velez - Malaga Trams in Collisions
Just two weeks after the most serious accident yet involving the Velez-Malaga tram line last Sunday saw another collision. A car hit the tram on the roundabout where Calle Las Arenas and Calle Azucarea meet Avenida de Andalucia in Torre del Mar at around nine o'clock in the evening.
Only material damage was caused. The car had lost part of its bumper in the collision but the owner drove off almost immediately after a confrontation with the tram driver. The tram only suffered a few scratches and was able to continue on its way to Velez.
On Monday, May 25th, at around 9 o'clock in the morning, three passengers had to be admitted to hospital with minor injuries after the tram they were travelling in ran past the last stop on the line, crashing into three parked cars and a lorry, at the Jurado Lorca Park in Velez-Malaga. The reson why the tram failed to stop is not known at this time. But it was the lorry that finally stoped it.
Only material damage was caused. The car had lost part of its bumper in the collision but the owner drove off almost immediately after a confrontation with the tram driver. The tram only suffered a few scratches and was able to continue on its way to Velez.
On Monday, May 25th, at around 9 o'clock in the morning, three passengers had to be admitted to hospital with minor injuries after the tram they were travelling in ran past the last stop on the line, crashing into three parked cars and a lorry, at the Jurado Lorca Park in Velez-Malaga. The reson why the tram failed to stop is not known at this time. But it was the lorry that finally stoped it.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
New Trains For Malaga, Fuengirola and Alora Lines
As part of a plan to replace old trains on the Malaga to Fuengirola and Malaga to Alora lines, two new Civia EMUs came into service on Monday 25th May 2009.
The Civia EMUs have improved accessibility, with lower floors and ramps on the third carriage for passengers suffering from reduced mobility. The third carriage will also offer for the first time on the lines space for a number of bicycles.
The carriages have no doors or obstructions between them to make movement up and down the trains easier. The complete order for five trains will be in service by October 2009. Ticket prices and timetables will remain unchanged.
www.myhelpyouesuccess.blogspot.com
The Civia EMUs have improved accessibility, with lower floors and ramps on the third carriage for passengers suffering from reduced mobility. The third carriage will also offer for the first time on the lines space for a number of bicycles.
The carriages have no doors or obstructions between them to make movement up and down the trains easier. The complete order for five trains will be in service by October 2009. Ticket prices and timetables will remain unchanged.
www.myhelpyouesuccess.blogspot.com
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Closure Of Malaga to Fuengirola Line
Work being carried out on the future Malaga airport connection means the C - 1 Costa del Sol local trains will not run between the airport and the Vialia - Maria Zambrano station on Malaga city for a week starting Saturday 6th June 2009. The large number of passengers who use the line between Fuengirola, Banalmadena, Torremolinos and Malaga every day will have to use a bus between Malaga and the airport stations. The work will not affect trains on the local service to Alora.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Trains in Andalucia
Spain's modern day railway system makes travelling by train a delight. Thanks to excellent infrastructure, comfortable trains and good service, more and more people are choosing this relaxing, ecologically friendly form of transport in order to truly experience the best of southern Spain.
The Spanish railway network is run by the state owned company Renfe. In recent years Renfe has made a tremendous investment in Spain's railway network, particularly in the new High Speed (Alta Velocidad) rail system. By 2010, the company will have acquired a total of 560 new trains with 103 dedicated to high speed routes Renfe is also an excellent form of transport for merchandise both within the country and for companies wishing to export products abroad.
Following is a basic look at service, which should be complemented by a consultation with your travel agent or Renfe’s excellent online information service.
International Train Service to Andalucia
International trains from France terminate at either Madrid or Barcelona. From there you can catch a train to many of the cities in Andalucia - or anywhere else in Spain, for that matter. You can also travel by Renfe trains between some of the main provincial capitals on the Avant and Medium Distance trains in the south of Spain, and to some of the smaller villages as well, thanks to the numerous "Cercanías", local train routes.
High Speed Long Distance Trains in Andalucia
The magnificent AVE high speed (alta velocidad) trains runs on a special line between:
Madrid and Cordoba (1 hrs. 45 min.)
Madrid and Seville. (under 2 hrs. 30 min.)
Madrid and Málaga (2 hrs 30 min.) with service to Antequera and Puente Genil as well
Málaga and Barcelona (5 hrs. 30 min. appx.)
Seville and Barcelona (5 hrs. 30 min. appx.)
Medium Distance Trains in Andalucia
This service interconnects the entire country. In Andalucia it brings together such provincial capitals as Málaga, Córdoba and Seville.
There is also a service from:
Sevilla-Cádiz
Sevilla-Córdoba-Jaén
Huelva-Sevilla
Sevilla-Málaga
Sevilla-Granada-Almería
Granada-Linares Baeza
Algeciras-Granada
See these routes on the map below:
AVANT
The Renfe Avant trains are high Speedy trains for medium distance routes. In Andalucia, they circulate between Seville, Córdoba and Málaga.
Sevilla-Córdoba: 45 minutos
Córdoba-Málaga: 1 hora 05 minutos
Sevilla-Málaga: 1 hora 55 minutos
Local Train Networks (Cercanias)
Among the routes of these stopping trains are the following:
Malaga to Fuengirola (Calling at Malaga airport)
Malaga to Álora
Seville to Cazalla-Constantina
Seville to Loria del Rio
Seville to Utrera
Seville C-4 Sevilla Santa Justa – Palacio de Congresos (Congress Hall)
Cadiz to Jerez de la Fronterra
Booking and Tickets
Booking is very easy thanks to an excellent website that simply requires you to enter basic data to obtain information and booking services. It is advisable to book ahead for travel on the High Speed Long Distance trains especially if travelling at weekends and bank holidays. Booking can also be made at main stations and Renfe agents which includes many travel agents.
Tickets are reasonably priced but prices vary depending on the class (Club, Preferente, Turista) of service and the peak hour times (Llano, Valle).
Special Prices
Children six and under ride free on local trains with children four and under free of charge on the rest of trains. In the next category, children up to age 14 have a 40 percent discount on their ticket price that can not be combined with any other offer. If you are travelling with a group of students, inquire about special pricing structures.
If you have 3 or more children and live in Spain, you can apply for a "Familia Numerosa" card and obtain a 20 percent discount for all family members and 50 percent off for those who fall in the "special" category.
Various special rates are available for citizens over the age of 65 years old. To obtain special rates in this category it is necessary to first acquire the "Tarjeta Dorada" (Gold Card) either from a Renfe agent or a travel agent. The cost of the card is 5 euros and it must be renewed annually. A Renfe agent or cooperating travel agent can determine if you qualify for other discounts, such as the youth card, group rates, cruise rates or the “Estrella” and “Web” special promotions that can save you up to 40 and 60 percent respectively off your ticket prices.
Refunds
Ticket costs may be partially or totally refunded when a train does not arrive on time, depending on the cause of the delay and how late the train arrives to its final destination. Be sure to save your proof of purchase and if your train arrives late, ask a RENFE representative for more information regarding possible refunds.
Pets
One small domestic pet (up to 6 kilos maximum) per passenger is allowed on all trains provided other users do not complain, that there is space available and that safety and hygiene standards are met. Pets must be in a cage (maximum dimensions = 65x35x35 cm) with facilities to eliminate waste. Check for possible additional restrictions on some medium and short distance routes as well as ticket prices.
The Spanish railway network is run by the state owned company Renfe. In recent years Renfe has made a tremendous investment in Spain's railway network, particularly in the new High Speed (Alta Velocidad) rail system. By 2010, the company will have acquired a total of 560 new trains with 103 dedicated to high speed routes Renfe is also an excellent form of transport for merchandise both within the country and for companies wishing to export products abroad.
Following is a basic look at service, which should be complemented by a consultation with your travel agent or Renfe’s excellent online information service.
International Train Service to Andalucia
International trains from France terminate at either Madrid or Barcelona. From there you can catch a train to many of the cities in Andalucia - or anywhere else in Spain, for that matter. You can also travel by Renfe trains between some of the main provincial capitals on the Avant and Medium Distance trains in the south of Spain, and to some of the smaller villages as well, thanks to the numerous "Cercanías", local train routes.
High Speed Long Distance Trains in Andalucia
The magnificent AVE high speed (alta velocidad) trains runs on a special line between:
Madrid and Cordoba (1 hrs. 45 min.)
Madrid and Seville. (under 2 hrs. 30 min.)
Madrid and Málaga (2 hrs 30 min.) with service to Antequera and Puente Genil as well
Málaga and Barcelona (5 hrs. 30 min. appx.)
Seville and Barcelona (5 hrs. 30 min. appx.)
Medium Distance Trains in Andalucia
This service interconnects the entire country. In Andalucia it brings together such provincial capitals as Málaga, Córdoba and Seville.
There is also a service from:
Sevilla-Cádiz
Sevilla-Córdoba-Jaén
Huelva-Sevilla
Sevilla-Málaga
Sevilla-Granada-Almería
Granada-Linares Baeza
Algeciras-Granada
See these routes on the map below:
AVANT
The Renfe Avant trains are high Speedy trains for medium distance routes. In Andalucia, they circulate between Seville, Córdoba and Málaga.
Sevilla-Córdoba: 45 minutos
Córdoba-Málaga: 1 hora 05 minutos
Sevilla-Málaga: 1 hora 55 minutos
Local Train Networks (Cercanias)
Among the routes of these stopping trains are the following:
Malaga to Fuengirola (Calling at Malaga airport)
Malaga to Álora
Seville to Cazalla-Constantina
Seville to Loria del Rio
Seville to Utrera
Seville C-4 Sevilla Santa Justa – Palacio de Congresos (Congress Hall)
Cadiz to Jerez de la Fronterra
Booking and Tickets
Booking is very easy thanks to an excellent website that simply requires you to enter basic data to obtain information and booking services. It is advisable to book ahead for travel on the High Speed Long Distance trains especially if travelling at weekends and bank holidays. Booking can also be made at main stations and Renfe agents which includes many travel agents.
Tickets are reasonably priced but prices vary depending on the class (Club, Preferente, Turista) of service and the peak hour times (Llano, Valle).
Special Prices
Children six and under ride free on local trains with children four and under free of charge on the rest of trains. In the next category, children up to age 14 have a 40 percent discount on their ticket price that can not be combined with any other offer. If you are travelling with a group of students, inquire about special pricing structures.
If you have 3 or more children and live in Spain, you can apply for a "Familia Numerosa" card and obtain a 20 percent discount for all family members and 50 percent off for those who fall in the "special" category.
Various special rates are available for citizens over the age of 65 years old. To obtain special rates in this category it is necessary to first acquire the "Tarjeta Dorada" (Gold Card) either from a Renfe agent or a travel agent. The cost of the card is 5 euros and it must be renewed annually. A Renfe agent or cooperating travel agent can determine if you qualify for other discounts, such as the youth card, group rates, cruise rates or the “Estrella” and “Web” special promotions that can save you up to 40 and 60 percent respectively off your ticket prices.
Refunds
Ticket costs may be partially or totally refunded when a train does not arrive on time, depending on the cause of the delay and how late the train arrives to its final destination. Be sure to save your proof of purchase and if your train arrives late, ask a RENFE representative for more information regarding possible refunds.
Pets
One small domestic pet (up to 6 kilos maximum) per passenger is allowed on all trains provided other users do not complain, that there is space available and that safety and hygiene standards are met. Pets must be in a cage (maximum dimensions = 65x35x35 cm) with facilities to eliminate waste. Check for possible additional restrictions on some medium and short distance routes as well as ticket prices.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Welcome To My New Blog
Welcome to my new blog 'Trains in Spain 'I hope that it will become a place of interest to for those following railway developments in sunny Spain.
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