Spain: Discount high-speed rail growing

Spain's two competing low-cost train operators are ramping up both routes and competition, with announcements of new routes and pricing.

Avlo, the discount service operated by Spain's national rail operator Renfe, announced a number of new routes last week that it will begin operating this year. The new services are between the cities of Gijón (Asturias), Valladolid (Castilla y León) and Madrid. This comes just weeks after launching high-speed service between Asturias and the Spanish capital. Renfe has also been adding routes to its regular-price AVE high-speed lines.

The competition, a discount division of France's state-owned rail operator, SNCF, is expanding its Ouigo service as well, including routes to Valladolid and Segovia, routes that will compete with the Avlo service. The new Ouigo routes will start up in April, connecting the cities to Madrid and Alicante. Initial fares will be as low as €9 each way.