The inauguration of a low-cost rail service between Madrid and Barcelona last year paved the way for the establishment of a new low-cost line connecting Spain’s landlocked capital with the seaside towns of Valencia and Alicante, with some tickets costing as little as €9 ($10.10) per person.
Traveling throughout Spain is likely to become more environmentally friendly (as well as more affordable) this year, thanks to the introduction of new low-cost, high-speed rail services.
Ouigo Spain, a subsidiary of SNCF (the French state-owned railway company), is launching new services between Madrid & Alicante and Madrid and Valencia later this year, connecting the Spanish capital with the beaches and resorts of the Costa Blanca. Ouigo Spain is a subsidiary of SNCF (the French state-owned railway company) (exact dates to be announced).
In addition, a new route between Madrid and the Castilla-La Mancha city of Albacete will be introduced.
Adult fares start at only €9 ($10) (subject to availability) while children between the ages of four and fourteen are charged €5 ($5.61) (subject to availability). Children under the age of four are admitted free of charge.
What is included in the purchase of the tickets
Similarly to a budget airline, Ouigo Spain’s price system is based on the elimination of facilities and the addition of additional fees for those that are still available. Tickets must be booked online at least four hours before departure, and luggage allowances are limited on board.
One small piece of hand baggage (handbag, small backpack, etc.) and one piece of cabin luggage are included in the base cost of €9 (for example) (55x35x25 cm). In addition to paying an additional €5 for larger luggage (up to 2 x 2 meters and up to 30 kilos), passengers can pay an additional €9 for the Ouigo Plus, which includes an XL seat (subject to availability), an additional piece of carry-on luggage, and on-board entertainment including movies and television shows.
Spain is expanding the number of routes available on its low-cost train networks.
Ouigo is the first train in Spain to be operated by a company other than the country’s national rail carrier, Renfe. Since the firm began offering a daily service between Madrid and Barcelona last summer, it says that more than 1.4 million people have taken use of the service. There are other stops in Zaragoza and Tarragona for the Ouigo rail service.
While Ouigo was the first low-cost train in Spain, it is not the only one available. There are many more. Renfe has created a low-cost subsidary named Avlo, which is undercutting Ouigo’s pricing on routes where the two companies compete. One-way tickets between Madrid and Barcelona and Madrid and Alicante start at €7, while tickets between Madrid and Alicante start at €9 ($10).
Ougio intends to extend even farther in 2023, connecting Madrid with Andaluca, going via Córdoba on the way to Seville, and finally Málaga on the Costa del Sol in the following year.