The plan will result in a 60% increase in high-speed network capacity by increasing the number of daily services from 119 to 189. Adif says this will be achieved through greater operational efficiency.
Under the proposals presented to the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) and operators on April 22, the first high-speed package will be similar to the services currently offered by national operator Renfe, with the second package offering the equivalent of around 30% of those services. The third package would be targeted at a low-cost operator.
Adif says the packages, which will guarantee access to the network for 10-year periods, will provide greater security for operators to allow important investments. The combined packages, which will come into effect from December 14 2020, will cover 70% of network capacity, with the remaining 30% allocated on a yearly basis.
The final declaration is due to be published on July 1, with operators able to submit capacity requests until July 31 which will then be announced on October 31.
Package arrangements
The packages have been structured along three axes:
- 1: Madrid - Barcelona - French Border and Valencia - Barcelona
- 2: Madrid - Valencia/Alicante, and
- 3: Madrid - Toledo/Seville/Malaga.
On axis 1, package A comprises 48 daily services (three trains per hour per direction); B comprises 16 services (one train per hour per direction), and C comprises five services, (one train every three hours in each direction). This will result in 69 services per day in total, up from the 43 currently operating, representing a 60% increase.
On axis 2, package A comprises 32 daily services (two trains per hour per direction); B comprises 16 services (one train per hour per direction); and C comprises four services (four trains a day in each direction). This will result in 52 services in total, up from 37, a 40% increase.
On axis 3, package A comprises 48 daily services (three trains per hour per direction); B comprises 16 services (one train per hour per direction); and package C comprises four services (four trains a day in each direction). This will result in 68 services in total, up from 39, a 70% increase.
Adif says the framework agreements may be abandoned if the capacity requests do not exceed 65% of the offered capacity, which would result in a necessary coordination between candidates or the proposal of a new framework capacity offer.
CNMC confirmed on January 24 that it has given the go-ahead for Spanish infrastructure group Acciona to take a controlling stake in open-access high-speed operator Intermodalidad de Levante (Ilsa), which is planning to launch new services in competition with Renfe. French national operator SNCF has also expressed interest in launching open-access services in Spain.
