Siemens Mobility and Hitachi Rail are the only remaining bidders for one of the largest high-speed contracts launched by Renfe in recent years. The Spanish rail operator wants to purchase 30 trains capable of traveling at 350 km/h, with an option for 10 more units, in a tender that could reach EUR 1.777 billion.
The Renfe tender for new high-speed trains is shaping up to be a head-to-head contest between Siemens Mobility, the German rolling stock manufacturer, and Hitachi Rail, the rail group with operations in Europe and Asia.
According to the Spanish press, the deadline for submitting bids expired on Tuesday, and three proposals were submitted. Talgo, the Spanish train manufacturer, submitted its documentation after the deadline had passed, so its bid was not evaluated and was considered not submitted.
In contrast, Alstom, the French rolling stock manufacturer, decided not to participate in the tender.
Contract worth over 1.3 billion EUR
The Renfe tender calls for a firm order of 30 high-speed trains, worth EUR 1.362 billion, with an option for an additional 10 trains. If the option is exercised, the total investment could reach EUR 1.777 billion.
Renfe is seeking trains capable of traveling at 350 km/h, and the first units should be delivered and certified within a maximum of 40 months.
The new trains are intended to modernize the AVE fleet and gradually replace the 100 series trains, which have been in service since the early 1990s.
Talgo Suffers a Major Setback After Submitting Its Bid Too Late
The exclusion of Talgo is a major blow to the Spanish manufacturer. The company had publicly expressed its intention to participate with an evolution of the Avril platform, its high-speed model.
However, the bid was not reviewed because the documentation was reportedly submitted after the deadline set in the tender procedure.
Talgo’s absence is all the more significant given that the Spanish manufacturer was one of the expected contenders for a contract of this magnitude, especially in the domestic market.
Alstom Did Not Enter the Bidding Process
The other major absentee is Alstom. The French company ultimately chose not to submit a bid, although it had been considered a potential candidate.
One of Alstom’s models, Avelia Horizon, ordered by the French operator SNCF, is a double-decker train—a solution that Renfe does not currently operate in Spain. The single-deck alternative, Avelia Stream, does not yet have any units in service in Europe and has been ordered for future services in the United Kingdom.
Under these circumstances, the competition is now between Siemens Mobility and Hitachi Rail.
Siemens may offer the Velaro family
Siemens Mobility is associated with the Velaro family, one of the best-known European high-speed train platforms.
The most advanced variant, Velaro Novo, is designed for commercial speeds of up to 360 km/h and has reached 405 km/h during testing. However, the model has not yet received any orders in Europe for multiple units in commercial service.
The Spanish press notes that, in order to meet the very tight schedule required by Renfe, Siemens could rely on a variant derived from the Velaro MS—a platform already in service in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands—incorporating technological features from the Velaro Novo.
Hitachi is offering the ETR 1000
Hitachi Rail is banking on the ETR 1000, the high-speed train also known under the brand name Frecciarossa 1000. The model is already in service in Italy and France and is used in Spain by Iryo, Renfe’s private competitor.
The ETR 1000 is designed for speeds of up to 360 km/h and already has a track record in several European markets. This could be a significant advantage in a tender where Renfe is demanding a short lead time for the delivery of the first certified trains.
It is unclear whether Hitachi has proposed the first generation of the model or a newer version, already in service in Italy, featuring improvements in energy efficiency and comfort.
The Issue of 350 km/h Testing
One of the key issues in the tender is the certification of trains for 350 km/h. To achieve this, the new units must be tested at speeds higher than commercial speed, which requires a rail infrastructure capable of supporting test runs at approximately 385 km/h.
In Spain, such speeds have been reached in the past on the Madrid–Barcelona high-speed line. In 2006, a Series 103 train set a national rail speed record of 403.7 km/h on this route.
However, the Spanish press notes that the current state of the infrastructure could make it difficult to repeat such tests within the required timeframe. Interventions by Adif, the Spanish railway infrastructure manager, are being considered on corridors such as Madrid–Zaragoza or the future Murcia–Almería line, but these would not be ready before 2028.
Decision Expected This Fall
The opening of financial bids is scheduled for September, when the tender will enter its decisive phase.
The contract is a strategic one for Renfe, at a time when the Spanish high-speed market is becoming increasingly competitive. The public operator is already competing with Iryo and Ouigo on several routes, and the modernization of the AVE fleet is essential for maintaining its market position.
For the European rail industry, the tender will be closely watched not only because of its value, but also due to the very tight schedule and the requirement for trains capable of reaching commercial speeds of 350 km/h
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