Rise of railway tickets’ prices in Spain

Train tickets’ prices in Spain will rise from 1 January 2011. The Spanish rail network RENFE announced that the prices of tickets for the train company are to grow by 2.3% - 3.1%.

The rise in prices by 2.3% will mainly affect high-speed trains. As for the local routes and trains, which ply on average distances (the so-called cercanías), the fare will rise by 3.1%, according to typicallyspanish.com.

At the same time it is noted that the cost of tickets to the newly opened high-speed route between Madrid and Valencia, which is served by high-speed express train AVE, will remain the same.

The cost of season tickets for trains in Spain will also increase by 2.3%.

The Spanish rail network is one of the most advanced in Europe. On December 19 was held an opening of a new high-speed rail route that links Madrid and Valencia. AVE Express takes passengers from the capital of Spain to Valencia for half an hour, covering the distance of 393 kilometers.

1.5 months prior to the introduction of new prices for train tickets in Spain was a strike of train drivers, who demanded from RENFE renegotiation of the contracts. Then the company's management made concessions for the unions.

Renfe is a national railroad network, which routes connect major cities in Spain. The company provides services of both conventional trains and AVE high-speed trains. To date, AVE high-speed train services are available on the routes Madrid-Barcelona, Madrid-Valladolid, Madrid-Seville, Madrid - Levante and Cordoba-Malaga.