The delivery of the first high-speed class 106 trains, Talgo’s Avril trains, to Renfe has begun this week. This has been confirmed by the Spanish Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente.
As he informed via X (Twitter), the public operator already possesses the first 10 trains, which should have been delivered before the end of March.
Furthermore, industry sources consulted by elEconomista suggest that the delivery schedule will be shortened and that 29 of the 30 trains will be in Renfe’s hands before the end of the year. The remaining unit will continue to homologate the 106 series in France.
Ticket sales for the Avrils are expected to start on 18 April
Renfe’s plans are for its most modern high-speed train to enter service between Madrid and Galicia, between Madrid and Asturias, and between Madrid and Barcelona with the Avlo service.
Although the train already has the staff authorised to operate it, it still needs to receive the authorisation to put into service some of the stretches it will run on, such as the Olmedo-Galicia and the Venta de Baños-León junction.
Renfe plans to sell tickets on Thursday, April 18th. According to the operator, the deadline for them to enter service is May 21st.
This process will be staggered until October, as Renfe finishes receiving the rest of the trains.
Given that the homologation in France is expected to take longer, elEconomista has indicated that Renfe has extended the contract for vinyl with the Avlo image to 4 more trains of the 106 series. Renfe will, therefore, have 5 fixed gauge and 5 variable gauge units with low-cost interiors and 4 fixed gauge units with Ave interiors but for Avlo services.
In addition to the corridors above, Renfe has begun homologating trains on the Madrid-Levante corridor to run transversal routes.
