Renfe (; ), officially Renfe-Operadora, is Spain's national state-owned railway company. It was created in 2005 upon the split of the former Spanish National Railway Network (RENFE) into the Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF), which inherited the infrastructure, and Renfe-Operadora, which inherited the railway service.
History
The name "Renfe" (acronym of Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles) is derived from that of the former Spanish National Railway Network 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 logo (nicknamed the "galleta", Spanish for biscuit), first introduced in 1971, was replaced by a dark purple lower-case wordmark designed by Interbrand. Separate logos used by the other sectors were also replaced, but the old Renfe logo remains in use in some stations in Spain and on maps to indicate an ADIF station. At the end of September 2026, coinciding with the launch of a new ticket sales website, Renfe reintroduced the "galleta" after a 20 year absence, with the colour changed to match the Interbrand-designed logotype.
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), while the newly created Renfe-Operadora (also known as Grupo Renfe or simply Renfe) owns the rolling stock and remains responsible for the planning, marketing and operation of the passenger and freight services. This same process was followed in FEVE in 2012, whereby its infrastructure and services were merged in Adif and Renfe.
Renfe no longer has a monopoly on domestic passenger services due to Ouigo España launching in 2021, followed by Iryo in 2022.
Structure Renfe-Operadora inherited the management model of the old Renfe, which made Renfe-Operadora responsible for the operation of the passenger and freight services. In January 2006, Renfe-Operadora restructured the main business units into four general directorates:
Dirección General de Servicios Públicos de Cercanías y Media Distancia (General Public Utilities Directorate for Suburban and Medium Distance): responsible for commuter services (Cercanías), medium-distance high-speed rail AVE services and medium-range regional services (:es:Regionales and :es:Media Distancia). Dirección General de Servicios de Larga Distancia (General Directorate of Long Distance Services): responsible for long-distance intercity and high-speed rail services (except medium-distance AVE services and Media Distancia, which is managed by the above business unit). Dirección General de Servicios de Mercancías y Logística (General Directorate for Freight and Logistics Services): responsible for freight services. Dirección General de Fabricación y Mantenimiento (General Directorate of Manufacturing and Maintenance): responsible for rolling stock maintenance and manufacture (also known as Integria).
In June 2013, Renfe's board agreed to restructure the group into four separate companies under the holding company: Renfe Viajeros, operating passenger trains; Renfe Mercancías, freight; Renfe Fabricación y Mantenimiento, rolling stock maintenance; Renfe Alquiler de Material Ferroviario, train leasing.
Figures Figures 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Passengers (Mio.) 527,975 517,583 510,176 476,334 463,012 476,917 472,145 466,057 464,961 465,201 471,359 487,881 507,088 510,453 Passenger-kilometer (Mio.) 20,480 20,167 22,281 21,895 21,166 21,585 21,319 22,563 23,754 24,825 25,291 26,060 26,931 27,263 AVE Passengers (Tsd.) 4.878 5.559 11.461 11.250 10.851 12.563 12.101 14.697 17.967 19.428 20.352 21.108 21.332 22.370 AVE Passenger-kilometer (Tsd.) 1.884 2.161 4.888 5.260 5.171 5.846 5.793 7.095 8.038 9.230 9.632 10.267 10.289 10.760
Operations The company operates some of railways, of them electrified. Most of the tracks are constructed to the broad Iberian gauge of , the same as that used in Portugal but wider than the international gauge of which is standard in most of the rest of the world. The newer high-speed (AVE) network has been built to the international standard gauge of for the connection to the rest of the European railway system. For this reason, the gauge is generally termed "European gauge" in Spain.
Construction of a high-speed rail line between Madrid and Seville began in 1988 and began operations in 1991, going . The second high-speed rail line (Madrid to Barcelona) was completed in 2007 with the inaugural service commencing on 20 February 2008. The operational speed on this route is . The greater part of the line (Madrid to Lleida) entered service on 11 October 2003, with a connection to Huesca from Zaragoza. The third high-speed line (Madrid to Toledo) was opened in November 2005, followed by a spur from Córdoba to Málaga as far as Antequera in 2007. Another high-speed route from Madrid to Valladolid was opened in 2007. A line from Madrid to Valencia was opened in 2010, and the first stage of a 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 Alicante.
In addition to intercity transport, Renfe operates commuter train systems, known as Cercanías (or Rodalies/Rodalia in Catalonia and Valencia, Proximidades in Galicia, and Aldirikoak in the Basque Country), in fifteen metropolitan areas, including Madrid and Barcelona. In some cities, Renfe shares the market with other commuter railway operators, such as FGC.
In 2019, Renfe solicited bids for 31 new trains for the Asturias and Cantabria regions and the €258m contract was awarded to the CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) in June 2020. Around February 2023, authorities discovered the designs were for the wrong loading gauge and would be too wide for the tunnels. Amidst international embarrassment, Renfe and ADIF each tried to deflect responsibility, and some called for the firing of the executives deemed responsible. Fortunately, the trains were still being designed, however the delivery of the trains will be delayed until 2026. Subsequently, transport officials including the president of Renfe and the Secretary of State for Transport resigned.
In November 2024, Renfe bought a 33% shareholding in Arenaways.Renfe acquires stake in Italian operator Arenaways International Railway Journal 27 November 2024Renfe partners with Longitude to expand into Italian market Renfe 27 November 2024
Passenger rolling stock Renfe-Operadora utilises the following rolling stock and commercial products inside of its two divisions: Suburban and Medium Distance (DGSPCMD)
Cercanías (Commuter Services) Rolling stock Region(s) Image Renfe Class 433 EMU meter gauge Asturias Renfe Class 435 EMU meter gauge Asturias Renfe Class 436 EMU meter gauge AsturiasBasque CountryCantabria Renfe Class 438 EMU meter gauge Cantabria Renfe Class 442 EMU meter gaugeMadridRenfe Class 446 EMU Iberian gaugeBilbaoMadridRenfe Class 447 EMU Iberian gaugeBarcelona MadridValenciaMurcia/AlicanteSan SebastiánSantanderRenfe Class 450 EMU Iberian gaugeBarcelonaMadridRenfe Class 462/463/464/465 EMU Iberian gaugeAsturiasBarcelonaCádizMadridMálagaSevillaValenciaZaragozaRenfe Class 526 DMU meter gaugeAsturiasCastile and LeónRenfe Class 529 DMU meter gaugeCastile and LeónGaliciaMurciaRenfe Class 592 DMU Iberian gaugeValenciaMurcia/Alicante
Mainline Medium Distance Services Rolling stock Route(s) ImageRenfe Class 440/470 EMU Iberian gauge (to be phased out) Córdoba – RabanalesLeón – Ponferrada – VigoLeón – GijónValladolid – SantanderValladolid – ÁvilaValladolid – LeónValencia − BarcelonaValencia − Alicante Renfe Class 448 EMU Iberian gauge CatalunyaAragón Renfe Class 449 EMU Iberian gauge Madrid – JaénLeón – Ponferrada – Orense – VigoSevilla – CádizBarcelona – Girona – Figueres – PortbouHuelva – SevillaJaén – Córdoba – Sevilla – CadizMadrid − Alcázar de San Juan − AlbaceteMadrid − Alcázar de San Juan − Ciudad RealAlicante – Albacete – Ciudad RealMadrid − LeónMadrid – Vitoria Irun - Vitoria - Miranda de EbroCórdoba – BobadillaBarcelona – ReusBarcelona – Tortosa Renfe Class 524 DMU metric gaugeFerrol – OviedoOviedo – SantanderSantander – BilbaoRenfe Class 527 DMU metric gaugeFerrol – OviedoOviedo – SantanderSantander – BilbaoBilbao – León Renfe Class 592 DMU Iberian gauge (to be phased out) Madrid – TalaveraMurcia – CartagenaValencia − AlcoiCELTA:Oporto - Vigo (Service CP) Renfe Class 594 DMU Iberian gauge Valladolid – Zamora – Puebla de SanabriaA Coruña – FerrolA Coruña – Lugo – Monforte de Lemos - OurenseMadrid – SoriaMurcia – Cartagena Renfe Class 598 DMU Iberian gauge Cáceres – Valencia de AlcántaraSevilla – Cáceres - Madrid Renfe Class 599 DMU Iberian gauge Madrid – BadajozHuelva – ZafraA Coruña – Vigo GuixarSalamanca – Ávila – MadridSalamanca – PalenciaValencia – CartagenaZaragoza – ValenciaZaragoza – CartagenaSevilla – MálagaSevilla – AlmeríaGranada – AlgecirasMálaga – RondaGranada – LinaresMadrid − Águilas
High-Speed Medium Distance Services Rolling stock Route(s) ImageRenfe Class 104 EMU Madrid – ToledoMadrid – Ciudad RealMálaga – GranadaSevilla – CórdobaBarcelona – Camp De TarragonaSevilla - Málaga Renfe Class 114 EMU Madrid – PuertollanoMadrid – ValladolidBarcelona – FigueresBarcelona – LleidaSevilla – Granada Renfe Class 121 EMU Cádiz – JaénA Coruña – OurenseA Coruña – Vigo UrzaizMadrid – PonferradaPonferrada-VigoMadrid – GandiaMadrid-Salamanca
Long Distance (DGSLD) Luxury Tourist Train Services Service Route(s) Locomotive Passenger Car Image Al Ándalus Sevilla - Granada - Úbeda - Sevilla Renfe Class 319.3 Locomotive Al Ándalus Costa Verde Express Bilbao - Santiago de CompostelaSantiago de Compostela - Bilbao Renfe Class 619 Locomotive El Transcantábrico El Transcantábrico Gran Lujo San Sebastián–Santiago de CompostelaSantiago de Compostela–San Sebastián Renfe Class 619 Locomotive El Transcantábrico La Robla Express "La Robla Route:"Bilbao - LeónLeón - Bilbao"Pilgrim's Route:"Oviedo - Ortigueira - Santiago de Compostela - Oviedo Renfe Class 316.500 Locomotive La Robla
Mainline Long Distance Services Service(s) Route(s) Locomotive Passenger Car Image Intercity Madrid – AlgecirasMadrid – GranadaMadrid – Murcia – CartagenaMadrid – AlmeríaBarcelona – Murcia – Cartagena/LorcaMadrid – Cáceres – Badajoz Renfe Class 334 Locomotive Talgo Pendular Madrid – AlmeríaBarcelona – Murcia – Cartagena/LorcaMadrid – Valencia Renfe Class 252 Locomotive Talgo Pendular
High-Speed Long Distance Services