Barcelona-Madrid high-speed rail journeys 40% more expensive after withdrawal of low-cost rates

The online transport platform Trainline has reported that high-speed rail journeys between Barcelona and Madrid are 40% more expensive after withdrawing the Avlo low-cost rates.

Spain's public railway company Renfe scrapped its Avlo low-cost option from service last month. The decision caused that rates quickly increased by 40% in September, as Pedro Garcia, general director of Trainline Spain, told reporters in Barcelona on Wednesday based on data from their website, selling bus and train tickets.

Garcia is optimistic that "train operators will find ways" to reduce rates, either with the "recovery of Avlo or other available offers." However, he said that they do not have enough data to confirm which high-speed train option benefited the most from Avlo's withdrawal: Renfe, Ouigo, or Iryo.

On Tuesday, Spain's competition regulator CNMC reported on its quarterly analysis of the high-speed network that the line between the Catalan and Spanish capitals reached a record of 3.9 million passengers between April and June. 

CNMC also reported that tickets increased by 15%, with the average trip at €63.

Renfe, in response to the study released on Wednesday, said that rates between Madrid and Barcelona increased before the withdrawal of the Avlo service.

"It is a trend that has been going on for a long time, since 2023," the public railway company said in a statement.

"In general, prices of all railway operators increased by 25.8% during the last quarter compared to the previous quarter, and by 15.3% compared to the same quarter in 2024, reaching an average cost of €63.14 per ticket," the text reads.

Renfe said that Iryo increased prices by 38.7% in the previous quarter and by 22.5% in the previous year. Ouigo by 37.1% and by 18.7% respectively, Avlo by 37.4% and 14.5%, and Renfe's AVE by 19.4% and 13.1%.

Based on the data, the public company said that price increases have been around "for a long time."

Trainline's Pedro Garcia pointed out that 47% of Spanish train users are unaware of the possibility of crossing the border by train.

"The trend in other countries is different," he said, explaining that over 80% of users in central European countries know that people can use this transport option to cross borders.