Alvia
{{Short description|High-speed rail service in Spain}}
Alvia is a high-speed train service in Spain offered by Renfe Operadora on long-distance routes with a top speed of {{convert|250|kph|mph|abbr=on}}. The trains have the ability to use both Iberian gauge and standard gauge, which allows them to travel on the recently constructed high-speed lines for part of the journey before switching to the "classic" Iberian gauge network to complete it. Trains that run exclusively on high-speed tracks are branded AVE or Avant.
Trains and Routes
File:High speed and mixed high-speed services via conventional lines in Spain.svgs in blue, sections over conventional line (in Iberian gauge) in red).]]
{{As of|February 2025}}, RENFE Class 120, RENFE Class 130 and RENFE Class 730 trains are in service.
Class 120 trains are used on the routes from Madrid to Pamplona, Logroño, Bilbao, Irún and Hendaye (France) (running on high-speed lines from Madrid to Burgos and changing gauge there), from Madrid to Huelva changing gauge at Seville,{{cite web|url=https://huelvaya.es/2013/06/01/renfe-confirma-el-refuerzo-del-servicio-de-trenes-entre-huelva-y-madrid-durante-el-verano/|title=Renfe confirma el refuerzo del servicio de trenes entre Huelva y Madrid en verano|first=Zahira |last=Peinazo |publisher=huelvaya.es|language=es| access-date=19 February 2025}} from Madrid to Santander changing gauge at Venta de Baños{{cite news|url=https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/1153911/0/ |title=Renfe confirma el refuerzo del servicio de trenes entre Huelva y Madrid en verano|date= 9 November 2011 |publisher=EUROPA PRESS|language=es| access-date=19 February 2025}} from Madrid to Salamanca changing gauge at Medina del Campo and between Barcelona and San Sebastian, Bilbao (running on high-speed lines between Barcelona and Zaragoza).{{cite web|url=https://rail.cc/interrail-train-reservation/alvia-renfe/30 |title=Alvia (ALVIA) |publisher=rail.cc|language=en| access-date=19 February 2025}}
Class 130 trains are used on the routes from Madrid to Cádiz,{{cite news|url=https://www.lavozdigital.es/provincia/renfe-cuarto-tren-cadizmadrid-llegara-fin-junio-20240419113748-ntv.html|title=Renfe: El cuarto tren Cádiz-Madrid llegará al fin en junio |publisher=LA VOZ |language=es| date=19 April 2024| access-date=19 February 2025}} from Madrid to Avilés changing gauge at León,{{cite web|url=https://www.elcomercio.es/asturias/renfe-sacara-venta-miles-billetes-siete-euros-20240627223234-nt.html|title=Renfe sacará a la venta miles de billetes a siete euros de Asturias a Madrid |first=Ramón |last=Muñiz |publisher=elcomercio.es|language=es| date=27 June 2024| access-date=19 February 2025}} and from Alicante to Gijón and Santander changing gauge at León and Venta de Baños respectively, and between Barcelona and Salamanca/Galicia.
Finally Class 730 are used on the routes from Madrid Chamartín to A Coruña, Ferrol, Vigo, Lugo and Badajoz as well as from Madrid Atocha to Almeria and Algeciras.{{cite news|url=https://www.railtech.com/infrastructure/2022/07/19/renfe-inaugurates-new-high-speed-line/?gdpr=accept|title=Renfe inaugurates new high-speed line|work=railtech.com|date=19 July 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.renfe.com/es/es/grupo-renfe/comunicacion/renfe-al-dia/sala-de-prensa/renfe-incorpora-la-segunda-frecuencia-por-sentido-entre-Almeria-y-Madrid |title=Renfe incorpora la segunda frecuencia por sentido entre Almería y Madrid con Alvia S730, vía Granada |date=15 December 2024 |access-date=16 December 2024 |publisher=Renfe |language=es}}{{cite web |url=https://www.railway.supply/en/the-hybrid-trains-on-the-algeciras-madrid-line-revolutionize-travel/ |title=The Hybrid Trains on the Algeciras-Madrid Line Revolutionize Travel |date=7 December 2024 |access-date=18 February 2025 |publisher=railway supply |language=en}} These trains also used to operate the routes from Madrid to Murcia, before those are replaced by AVE services. Unlike the other classes, these can run on diesel as well as overhead electric power and so are used on those routes where lines are not electrified.
Operational services
File:130-07 en el Cambiador de Valdestillas.jpg-Hendaye (RENFE Class 130) at Valdestillas, Valladolid.]]
{{As of|2024}} Renfe offers the following Alvia services:
- Alicante–Santander, via Villena, Albacete, Cuenca, Madrid, Segovia, Valladolid, Palencia and Torrelavega.
- Barcelona–A Coruña, via Camp Tarragona, Lleida, Zaragoza, Tudela, Castejon, Tafalla, Pamplona, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Miranda de Ebro, Burgos, Palencia, Sahagun, León, Astorga, Bembibre, Ponferrada, O Barco de Valdeorras, A Rúa, San Clodio-Quiroga, Monforte de Lemos, Ourense and Santiago de Compostela.
- Barcelona–Bilbao, via Camp Tarragona, Lleida, Zaragoza, Tudela, Castejon, Calahorra, Logroño, Haro and Miranda De Ebro.
- Barcelona–San Sebastian, via Camp Tarragona, Lleida, Zaragoza, Tudela, Castejon, Tafalla, Pamplona, Altsasu and Zumarraga.
- Barcelona–Salamanca, via Camp Tarragona, Lleida, Zaragoza, Tudela, Castejon, Tafalla, Pamplona, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Miranda de Ebro, Burgos, Valladolid and Medina del Campo.
- Barcelona–Vigo, via Lleida, Zaragoza, Pamplona, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Burgos, León, Ponferrada, Ourense and Guillarei, with connection services to Gijón in León and to A Coruña in Monforte de Lemos.
- Gijón–Alicante, via Oviedo, Mieres Del Camín, La Pola, León, Palencia, Valladolid, Segovia, Madrid, Cuenca, Albacete and Villena.
- Madrid–Algeciras via Ciudad Real, Puertollano, Córdoba, Antequera, Ronda and San Roque-la Línea.
- Madrid–Almeria, via Córdoba, Antequera, Granada and Guadix.
- Madrid–Avilés, via Palencia, León, Mieres Del Camín and Oviedo.
- Madrid–Badajoz, via Leganés, Torrijos, Talavera De La Reina, Oropesa de Toledo, Navalmoral De La Mata, Monfragüe-plasencia, Cáceres and Mérida.
- Madrid–Bilbao, via Segovia, Valladolid, Burgos and Miranda de Ebro.
- Madrid–Badajoz, via Leganés, Torrijos, Talavera De La Reina, Oropesa, Navalmoral De La Mata, Monfragüe-plasencia, Cáceres and Mérida.
- Madrid–Cádiz, via Ciudad Real, Puertollano, Córdoba, Sevilla and Jerez de la Frontera.
- Madrid–Ferrol, via Segovia, Medina del Campo, Zamora, Sanabria, A Gudiña, Ourense, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Betanzos and Pontedeume.
- Madrid–Huelva, via Cordoba and La Palma Del Condado.
- Madrid–Irun, via Segovia, Valladolid, Burgos, Miranda de Ebro, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Zumarraga, Tolosa and San Sebastián.
- Madrid–Logroño, via Guadalajara, Calatayud, Tudela and Calahorra
- Madrid–Lugo, via Segovia, Medina del Campo, Zamora, Sanabria, A Gudiña, Ourense, Monforte De Lemos and Sarria.
- Madrid–Pamplona, via Guadalajara, Calatayud, Tudela and Tafalla.
- Madrid–Salamanca, via Segovia and Medina del Campo.
- Madrid–Santander, via Valladolid, Palencia, Aguilar De Campoo, Reinosa and Torrelavega.
- Madrid–Vigo, via Segovia and Medina del Campo, Zamora, Sanabria, A Gudiña, Ourense, Vilagarcia De Arousa and Pontevedra (trains with selective stops are also scheduled).
Crash
{{main|Santiago de Compostela derailment}}
On 24 July 2013, the train driver of an Alvia 730 train traveling from Madrid to Ferrol, Galicia, took a curve well above the posted speed limit, and the train derailed near Santiago de Compostela killing 79 people and injuring more than 140.{{cite news|url=https://www.elmundo.es/espana/galicia/2024/11/28/67485f9ce4d4d801428b45ad.html|title=Víctimas del Alvia citan una auditoría de la UE que ve "deficiencias" en el sistema ferroviario y "deja en ridículo a la Fiscalía"|author= Natalia Puga|work=elmundo.es|location=Santiago de Compostela|language=Spanish|date=28 November 2024|accessdate=10 January 2025}}
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{cite news| title=Accidente ferroviario en Santiago de Compostela |trans-title=Railway accident in Santiago de Compostela|url=http://elpais.com/elpais/2013/07/25/media/1374703338_483146.html| access-date=25 July 2013|newspaper=El País|date=25 July 2013|time=00:02 CET|author=Rodrigo Silva|author2=Antonio Alonso|location=Madrid|language=es}}
|work=CBC|title=Spain train crash video shows moment of derailmentSocial Sharing}}
}}
External links
- [http://www.renfe.es/alvia/ RENFE Alvia] {{in lang|es}}