en.Wedoany.com Reported - Renfe has signed an agreement with Talgo to refit 15 trains with variable gauge capability, enabling them to operate on future high-speed rail lines between Madrid-Lisbon and Porto-Vigo. The Spanish government told Expansión that Renfe will be the only operator capable of providing international high-speed rail services in Portugal, representing a clear competitive advantage in the Iberian market.
In early July, Renfe signed an agreement with train manufacturer Talgo to refit 15 trains with variable gauge, allowing them to operate both on Spain's high-speed rail network, which primarily uses standard gauge, and on Portuguese lines built to standard gauge. According to Expansión, these refitted trains belong to the 106 Series Avril trains, originally intended for Renfe's growth strategy in France (with a target of reaching Paris), but the plan has been suspended due to certification difficulties for the Spanish fleet in France.
Spain's Ministry of Transport stated that Portugal represents a significant opportunity for Renfe. By refitting 15 Series 106 trains, Renfe will have 30 variable-gauge high-speed trains, which will be joined in the coming months by 13 new Series 107 trains, totaling 43 trains that should also obtain operational certification in Portugal. Portuguese Railways (CP – Comboios de Portugal) also plans to operate international high-speed rail services. The government-approved plan stipulates that, in addition to the procurement tender already launched for 12 trains (with an option for 8 more), a second fleet will be acquired specifically for international transport.
The high-speed rail line between Porto and Vigo is expected to be completed by 2032, reducing travel time between the two cities to approximately 50 minutes. In Portugal, planned station locations include Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, Braga, Ponte de Lima, and Valença. The connection between the two capitals includes the new Lisbon-Évora line (with one section already completed) and the third Tagus River crossing, linking to the Spanish rail network via Badajoz, Mérida, Plasencia, Talavera de la Reina, and Toledo. The timeline shows that in the first phase (by 2030), travel time is expected to be reduced to 5 hours; after the full installation of high-speed rail along the entire line by 2034, travel time between Lisbon and Madrid could be shortened to approximately 3 hours.
