Renfe

2023: CAF halts train contract for Renfe due to engineering error

When preparing the design documentation, the manufacturer noticed an error in the task from the Spanish carrier: the required dimensions do not allow a number of tunnels to pass on the line in northwestern Spain.

Renfe assured that this data was taken from the documentation of the infrastructure operator Adif. In turn, the latter stated that it had nothing to do with the information provided by CAF. Nevertheless, both companies fired their technical employees.

Now the parties have come to an agreement to design trains, taking the already operated ones as a standard. This technique has yet to be developed.

While neither side has confirmed how long it will take to resolve the issue, Spanish media point out that train production will take about 3 years. The first of 31 1000mm gauge trains ordered by Renfe in 2020 were previously planned to be ready by autumn-2024.

2022:40 Scottish Celtic fans stage brawl on Alicante-Madrid train

40 passengers were disembarked from an AVE train en route from Alicante to Madrid in November 2022 for anti-social behaviour, verbal abuse of other passengers and railway workers and a delay of 52 minutes.

Scottish hooligans boarded the train at 2.45pm in Alicante but their journey was cut short less than an hour later due to their unruly and frightening antics and the national police kicked them out of AVE at Vialia-Los Llanos station in Albacete.

According to police sources, train passengers from Alicante were so concerned that they were travelling in the same carriage as 40 football fans that they requested alternative seats.

A train dispatcher alerted police as soon as they arrived in Albacete and travellers were forced to wait almost an hour until Celtic supporters were taken out of carriages by police.

Renfe confirmed that all passengers affected by the incident will receive "full compensation" for the breach. Renfe will also file a complaint against 40 bullies, who are likely to have to cover compensation, as well as other charges in accordance with a court order.

2017: Revenue 3.5 billion, profit 69.8 million euros

Renfe's total revenues, including ticket sales, subsidies, contracts with regions and organizations exceeded 3.5 billion euros, an increase of 10.8%. The company's expenses, in turn, amounted to more than 3 billion, and also increased by 11.8%.

In 2017, Renfe recorded a profit of €69.84 million.

In 2017, revenue from rail ticket sales rose 4.3%, reaching €2.17 billion. Two-thirds of these (65.4%) were high-speed and long-distance trains. These lines, which are commercial in nature and do not receive state support, earned 1.4 billion euros, 4% more than a year earlier. Revenues from the sale of tickets on suburban and regional lines subsidized by the state increased by 4.5% to a little less than 750 million euros.

According to the company, in 2017, the number of passengers increased, especially on high-speed AVE lines, where passenger traffic amounted to 21.1 million people, which is 3.7% more than in the previous year. This was a record for the company, continuing the upward trend observed over the past five years^[1].

2016: Losses €35.9m

2016 ended with a loss of 35.9 million euros for the company.

2015: Growth in turnover to 3.2 billion euros (+ 10%), the first profit in history

Renfe's turnover grew in 2015 by 10%, to 3266.5 million euros, while expenses remained at the same level (+ 0.7%). Thus, gross profit from core activities (Ebitda) amounted to 492.89 million euros.

Renfe closed 2015 with a profit of €37.3 million, down from the 209 million losses recorded in 2014. The company managed to overcome its losses a year earlier, in relation to the goal originally set in the strategic plan "Renfe +," which was achieved by developing high-speed transportation and reducing costs.

In addition, the company received 96 million euros under an agreement on the use of space with the operator Adif, and 182 million euros of debts put up for collection were received, which is 92% of the total debt at the beginning of the year. However, at the opposite pole - 49.8 million euros, which Renfe has allocated to cover the cost of a voluntary dismissal plan for workers (775 people can count), and to pay employees an unpaid part of extra payments for 2012.

In terms of high-speed transportation, AVE closed 2015 with a profit of 91 million euros, down from the 1 million achieved in 2014. Commercial revenue from the business rose 5.5% to €1,300 million, thanks to record passenger numbers reached in 2015 - 30.8 million people - and increased train congestion. Thus, the average occupancy rate of the AVE train in 2015 was 72%, which is 6% higher than a year earlier^[2] the^[2].

The trading strategy of discounts and promotions pursued by the operator, the commissioning of new high-speed transport lines and an increase in the mobility of citizens are the factors that have achieved a new record and an increase in traffic growth.

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