Renfe OperadoraRenfe OperadoraRenfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 21⁄32 in) Iberian gauge, the 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge and the 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF (Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias—Railway Infrastructure Administration). The network of luxury trains in Spain is state-owned and operated by Renfe Operadora. It runs from March until October on regular and charter trips. The main routes cross northern Spain and Andalusia, with special journeys throughout the peninsula. Renfe Operadora History The name "Renfe" is derived from that of the former Spanish National Railway Network, RENFE (acronym of Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles—National Network of Spanish Railways) created on 24 January 1941 with the nationalisation of Spain's railways. As per EU Directive 91/440, RENFE was divided into Renfe-Operadora (operations) and ADIF (infrastructure) on 1 January 2005. At the same time, the existing RENFE double-arrowed logo (nicknamed the "galleta", Spanish for biscuit), first introduced in 1971 and given a facelift in 1983, with a sans-serif font, and again in 2000, with a mixed-case italic font, has been replaced by a dark purple lower-case wordmark designed by Interbrand, and also replaces some of the separate logos used by the other sectors, although the old RENFE logo remains in use in some stations in Spain and on maps to indicate an ADIF station. The Railway Sector Act, 2003 separated the management, maintenance and construction of rail infrastructure from train operation. The first activity is now the responsibility of Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF), the legal successor of RENFE, while the newly created Renfe-Operadora (commercial name "Renfe Operadora" or simply "Renfe") owns the rolling stock and remains responsible for the planning, marketing and operation of passenger and freight services (though no longer with a legal monopoly). Renfe Operadora inherited the management model of the business units of the old RENFE, which made Renfe Operadora responsible for the operation of the following passenger and freight services. In January 2006. Renfe Operadora restructured the main business units into four:
The Spanish State railways are currently engaged in a major transformation and modernisation project. Key to this effort is a major overhaul of their out-dated ICT (information and communication technology) systems through an ICT renewal project scheduled for completion at the end of 2010 under the responsibility of Corporate Director of Information Systems Óscar Gómez Barbero. So far, the company has introduced improvements to their internet ticket sales and adopted new ICT management practices within a "more industrial" organisational model, though Mr. Gomez has publicly acknowledged the difficulties in transforming what still remains a very hierarchical organisation. Renfe Operadora Structure In June 2013, Renfe's board agreed to restructure the organisation into four separate companies, responsible for:
These four would be underneath a single holding company. Renfe Operadora Operations The company operates some 12,000 km (7,500 mi) of railways, 7,000 km (4,300 mi) of them electrified. Most of the tracks are constructed to the broad "Iberian gauge" of 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 21⁄32 in), the same as that used in Portugal but wider than the international gauge of 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) which is standard in neighbouring France, most of western and central Europe, and most of the rest of the world. The newer high-speed (AVE) network has been built to the international standard gauge of 1,435 mm in anticipation of its eventual connection to the rest of the European railway system. For this reason, the 1,435 mm gauge is generally termed "European gauge" in Spain. The Spanish high-speed system is called AVE (Alta Velocidad Española, meaning "Spanish High Speed"). The logo incorporates a feature which resembles a bird (ave in Spanish). The high-speed lines are built to the standard European gauge (1,435 mm or 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in). Construction of the high-speed rail line between Madrid and Seville began in 1988 and operation commenced in 1991. Train speed on the Seville line is 300 km/h (190 mph). The second high-speed rail line (Madrid to Barcelona) was completed in 2007 with the inaugural service commencing at 06:00 on 20 February 2008. The operational speed on this route is 350 km/h (220 mph). The greater part of the line (Madrid to Lleida) was placed into service on 11 October 2003, with connection to Huesca from Zaragoza. The third high-speed line (Madrid to Toledo) was opened in November 2005, followed by the spur from Córdoba to Málaga as far as Antequera in 2007. Another high-speed route from Madrid to Valladolid was opened in 2007, the line from Madrid to Valencia was opened in 2010 and the first stage of the high-speed line in Galicia opened in 2011. A line to Lisbon is being designed. Other lines operated by Renfe include Euromed, a moderate-speed line between Barcelona and Valencia. In addition to intercity transport, Renfe operates commuter train systems, known as Cercanías (or Rodalies in Catalonia and Cercanías-Aldirikoak in the Basque Country), in eleven metropolitan areas, including Madrid and Barcelona. In some cities, Renfe shares the market with other commuter railway operators, such as FGC in Barcelona. Renfe Operadora Passenger Rolling Stock Renfe Operadora utilises the following rolling stock and commercial products inside of its two divisions:
Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 442 EMU Metropolitan Area: Madrid Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 446 EMU Metropolitan Area: Bilbao Madrid San Sebastián Santander Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 447 EMU Metropolitan Area: Barcelona Madrid Valencia Murcia/Alicante Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 450/451 EMU Metropolitan Area: Barcelona Madrid Metropolitan Area: Civia EMU Metropolitan Area: Asturias Barcelona Cádiz Madrid Málaga Santander Sevilla Valencia Zaragoza Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 592 DMU Metropolitan Area: Valencia Murcia/Alicante Renfe Medium Distance Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 440/470 EMU (to be phased out) Route(s): Córdoba – Rabanales León – Ponferrada – Vigo León – Gijón Valladolid – Santander Valladolid – Ávila Valladolid – León Valencia − Barcelona Valencia − Alicante Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 448 EMU Route(s): Catalunya Aragón Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 449 EMU Route(s): Madrid – Jaén León – Ponferrada – Orense – Vigo Sevilla – Cádiz Barcelona – Girona – Figueres 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 Vitoria – Irun Córdoba – Bobadilla Barcelona – Reus Barcelona – Tortosa Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 592 DMU (to be phased out) Route(s): Madrid – Cuenca – Valencia Madrid – Talavera Murcia – Cartagena Valencia − Alcoi Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 594 DMU Route(s): Valladolid – Zamora – Puebla de Sanabria A Coruña – Ferrol A Coruña – Lugo – Monforte de Lemos Madrid – Soria Murcia – Cartagena Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 596 DMU Route(s): Murcia – Cartagena Orense – Monforte de Lemos Zaragoza – Canfranc Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 598 DMU Route(s): Madrid – Badajoz Huelva – Zafra Sevilla – Mérida Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 599 DMU Route(s): A Coruña – Vigo Salamanca – Ávila – Madrid Zaragoza – Salamanca Salamanca – Palencia Valencia – Cartagena Zaragoza – Valencia Zaragoza - Cartagena Sevilla – Málaga Sevilla – Almería Granada – Algeciras Málaga – Ronda Granada – Linares Madrid − Águilas Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 104 EMU (High-speed) Route(s): Madrid – Toledo Madrid – Ciudad Real Sevilla – Córdoba Barcelona – Camp De Tarragona Zaragoza – Calatayud Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 114 EMU (High-speed) Route(s): Madrid – Valladolid Barcelona – Lleida Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 121 EMU (High-speed) Route(s): Cádiz – Jaén A Coruña – Santiago de Compostela Madrid – Vigo Madrid – Gandia Renfe Long Distance Services (DGSLD) Service: Altaria Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 334 locomotive + Talgo IV cars Route(s): Madrid – Algeciras Madrid – Granada Madrid – Murcia – Cartagena Service: Talgo Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 252/334 locomotive + Talgo VI cars Route(s): Madrid – Almería Barcelona – Murcia – Cartagena/Lorca Torre del Oro: Barcelona – Valencia – Sevilla Service: Intercity Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 252 locomotive + Talgo VI cars Route(s): Madrid – Valencia Service: Trenhotel (sleeper service) Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 252/334 locomotive + Talgo sleeper cars Route(s): Galicia: Barcelona – A Coruña Barcelona – Vigo Rías Gallegas: Madrid – Pontevedra Atlántico: Madrid – Ferrol Lusitania: Madrid – Lisbon Surexpreso: Hendaye – Lisbon Renfe High-Speed Long Distance Services Service: AVE Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 100 EMU Route(s): Madrid – Sevilla Madrid – Alicante Madrid – Marseille Barcelona – Toulouse Barcelona – Lyon Service: AVE Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 102 EMU Route(s): Madrid – Huesca Madrid – Zaragoza Madrid – Valladolid Madrid – Málaga Valencia – Sevilla Service: AVE Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 103 EMU Route(s): Madrid – Barcelona Madrid – Málaga Service: AVE Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 112 EMU Route(s): Madrid – Cuenca – Valencia Madrid – Cuenca – Albacete Madrid – León Barcelona – Málaga Barcelona – Zaragoza Barcelona – Sevilla Service: Alvia (mixed high-speed & conventional service) Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 120/121 EMU Route(s): Madrid – Pamplona Madrid – Logroño Madrid – Irún/Hendaya Barcelona – Irún Barcelona – Bilbao Barcelona – Pamplona Barcelona – Valladolid Service: Alvia (mixed high-speed & conventional service) Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 130 EMU Route(s): Madrid – Gijón Madrid – Santander Alicante – Gijón Alicante – Santander Madrid – Cádiz Madrid – Huelva Madrid – Valencia – Castellón Madrid – Valencia – Gandía Barcelona – A Coruña Barcelona – Vigo Barcelona – Gijón Service: Alvia (mixed high-speed & conventional service) Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 730 HMU Route(s): Alicante – Madrid – Pontevedra Alicante – Madrid – A Coruña Madrid – Ferrol Madrid – Pontevedra Madrid – Ponferrada Service: AVE City Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 104 EMU RENFE Class 121 EMU Route(s): Valencia – Málaga Madrid – Sevilla Madrid – León Service: Euromed (medium-high-speed service) Rolling Stock: RENFE Class 130 EMU Route(s): Barcelona – Valencia – Alicante Renfe Operadora Class Numbers All classes are designated by three numbers. The first digit has a special meaning:
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