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AVE

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 83.54.207.161 (talk) at 20:22, 5 May 2008 (→Madrid-Barcelona: line is not 550 but 621km). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For other uses, see AVE (disambiguation).
Map showing high-speed railway lines currently in operation (with opening date), under construction, and planned. Also shows upgraded lines.
Map showing high speed lines already in operation, under construction, planned or in study (February 2008). Also shows upgraded lines.

AVE, an acronym for Alta Velocidad Española (literally, "Spanish High Speed," but also a play on the word [ave] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), meaning "bird" in Spanish), is a service of high speed trains operating at speeds of up to 300 km/h (186 mph) on dedicated track.

Unlike the rest of the Spanish broad-gauge network, the AVE uses standard gauge, permitting direct connections outside Spain in the future. All AVE trains are currently operated by RENFE, the Spanish state railway company, although it is possible that private companies may be allowed to run lines in the future. On the line from Madrid to Sevilla, the service guarantees arrival within a 5 minutes of the advertised time, and offers a full refund if the train is delayed further, although only 0.16% of trains have been so. In this regard, the punctuality of the AVE is exceptional compared to other non long distance RENFE services. On other AVE lines, this punctuality promise is more lax (15 minutes on the Barcelona line).

History

Nuevo Acceso Ferroviario a Andalucía

AVE "Alstom" trainset at Cordoba.

Towards the end of the 1980s a new line was planned to join the Castilian Meseta with Andalusia without passing through the Despeñaperros national park. After considering various options it was decided that a standard-gauge line, allowing for Spain's first high speed rail link, would be built. The project was named N.A.F.A. (Nuevo Acceso Ferroviario a Andalucía/New Rail Link to Andalusia) and was meant to help revitalise the stagnant southern Spanish economy. The line was inaugurated on the 14 April 1992 to coincide with Expo 92 being held in Seville. Seven days later on 21 April 1992 commercial service began with six daily services stopping at Madrid, Seville, Cordoba, Puertollano and Ciudad Real. In October 1992 RENFE began the AVE Lanzadera service between Madrid and Toledo and Guadalajara.

It has been suggested that the PSOE government chose the French Alstom bid over the Siemens and Talgo bids for political rather than technical reasons, rewarding the French government for its assistance in capturing ETA activists who took "sanctuary" across the border in southern France.[1] Seville's hosting of the 1992 World's Fair prompted its choice for the inaugural AVE line, but there were also accusations that the Spanish head of government Felipe González favoured his home city;[2] apparently, he conceded to support Barcelona in bidding for the 1992 Olympics if Sevilla would be connected to the AVE first.[3] On the other hand, Sevilla is still the fourth biggest city in Spain, after Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, with a population of some 700,000.

In January 1993 the Talgo 200 Madrid–Málaga service commenced, which used AVE lines as far as Cordoba and then Spanish gauge conventional track to reach Malaga. On 23 April of that year, the AVE set a new top speed of Template:Auto km/h on a test run. Later in 1993 the mixed-method services Talgo 200 Madrid–Cádiz and Talgo 200 Madrid–Huelva began.

In 1994 AVE trains on the Madrid - Seville line began to run at Template:Auto km/h, cutting journey times by 40 minutes and covering the Template:Dist km mile in just 2,5 hours.

Although in 1999 RENFE began a mixed-service Talgo 200 Madrid–Algeciras route, this was, along with the other mixed services, transferred to Grandes Líneas Renfe (RENFE's Spanish gauge long-distance brand) following changes to plans for high speed rail in Spain.

The last segment of the Madrid - Málaga line was completed on December 24 2007.

Media Distancia

In December 2004 a new medium distance service (AV Media Distancia) began between Seville and Cordoba using new S-104 trains, reducing journey times between the two cities to 40 minutes. In 2005 a medium distance service also began on the Madrid–Ciudad Real–Puertollano route, which had previously been operated by AVE Lanzadera.

The construction of a 21 km stretch of high speed line from Madrid to Toledo allowed the inauguration of a medium distance service in November 2005. The journey time between the two cities is now less than 30 minutes. The high speed link combined with high property prices in Madrid has encouraged many Madrid commuters to settle in Ciudad Real, the first stop on the Madrid-Seville line. There has, however, been controversy over the construction of this line as the change to standard gauge track meant that large towns such as Getafe, Aranjuez and Algodor, which now has no commercial services, lost their direct services to Toledo. Furthermore since Toledo is now connected by standard gauge track it is impossible for other passenger or goods trains to reach it that haven't come from other high speed lines.

Madrid-Barcelona

In 2003 construction of the first phase of a new standard gauge line from Madrid to the French border (Madrid–Zaragoza–Lleida) was completed and on 11 October of that year commercial service began. This service also stops at Guadalajara–Yebes and Calatayud. The service began running at only Template:Auto km/h. On 19 May 2006, after two years of operation, speed was upped to Template:Auto km/h when the Spanish ASFA signalling system was replaced with level 1 of the new European ETCS/ERTMS system. On 16 October 2006 the trains on this line increased their operating speed to Template:Auto km/h.

On the 18th of December 2006 the AVE started operating to Camp de Tarragona, and on 7 May 2007 the service increased its speed to the maximum allowable for the line, Template:Auto km/h. This puts Tarragona at 30 minutes from Lleida. The extension to Barcelona was delayed various times due to technical problems; the Ministerio de Formento having originally forecast the AVE's arrival in Barcelona by the end of 2007.[4]

The Madrid-Zaragoza-Barcelona line was inaugurated on February 20 2008. 17 trains run now every day between the hours of 6am-9pm. This line is now one of the world's fastest long-distance trains in commercial operation, with non stop trains covering the Template:Dist km mile between the two cities in just 2 hours 38 minutes, and those stopping at all stations 3 hours 23 minutes. Before the high speed line was built, the journey between the two cities took almost six hours and when the high speed line went only as far as Tarragona, via Zaragoza, 3 hours 45 minutes, with the Alvia service (120 series train), which continued on the conventional line to Barcelona, after a change of rail gauge.

It was originally forecast that, after reaching Barcelona in 2004, the line would run at Template:Auto km/h, the maximum capable speed of the new Siemens AVE trains which have replaced the Talgo Bombardier AVE S102, after the installation of level 2 of the ETCS/ERTMS, which is scheduled to be installed in 2008. But on the AVE's first day of operating at Template:Auto km/h to Tarragona the Minister of Public Works, Magdalena Álvarez, stated that the maximum commercial operating speeds of the AVE on all lines would be Template:Auto km/h.[5]

It is forecast that the AVE will substantially replace air traffic on the Barcelona - Madrid route (in the same way that the Eurostar has on the London-Paris/London-Brussels routes and France's TGV has on the Paris-Lyon route). In fact, more than 80% of travellers between Madrid and Seville use the AVE, with fewer than 20% travelling by air.[6]. In order to compete with each other RENFE has made, and Iberia will make, changes to their fare structures, as well as changing services; Iberia plans to use smaller planes which will leave as soon as full, and a non-stop AVE service is available between the two capitals.

Criticism

There was much criticism during the construction of the Madrid-Barcelona line. A highly critical report by the consulting firm KPMG, commissioned by ADIF (Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias) at the behest of the Ministry for Public Works (Ministerio de Fomento) on June 23 2004, pointed to a lack of in-depth studies and over-hasty execution of works as the most important reasons for the problems that dogged construction of the AVE line. For example, during the construction of the AVE tunnel near Barcelona, a number of nearby buildings suffered minor damage from a large sinkhole that appeared near a commuter rail station, damaging one of its platforms. The construction committee of Barcelona's famed Sagrada Familia church lobbied for a re-routing of the tunnel - it passes within meters of the massive church's foundations. It also passes equally near the UNESCO-recognized Casa Milà also designed by Antoni Gaudi.

Furthermore, until 2005 both Siemens and Talgo/Bombardier train sets failed to meet scheduled speed targets, although in a test run during the homologation tests of the new S102 trains of RENFE, a train-set Talgo 350 (AVE S-102) reached a speed of Template:Auto km/h on the night of the 25th to the 26th of June, and on July 2006 a Siemens Velaro train-set (AVE S-103) reached the highest top speed ever in Spain: Template:Auto km/h. This is a Spanish record for railed vehicles and a world record for unmodified commercial service trainsets, as the earlier TGV and ICE records were achieved with specially modified and shortened trainsets, and the Shinkansen (Template:Auto km/h, 1996) record was for a test (non-commercial) trainset. However, running HSR trains is not a simple matter of making a train run fast. Energy usage, comfort, vibration, noise through tunnels and near homes, weather, hydroplaning, front end lift, everyday safety, disaster management, ease of use, wear and tear costs, construction costs, station design, routine maintenance of trains, rails, power lines, security, interoperability, ticket prices, schedules, passenger load and congestion are all factors that keep speeds to "manageable" levels.

Madrid-Valladolid

The Madrid-Segovia-Valladolid line was inaugurated on December 22 2007. It Includes a tunnel of Template:Km to mi at Guadarrama, which is the fourth longest train tunnel in Europe. Valladolid will become the hub for all AVE lines connecting the north and the north west of Spain with the rest of the country. Trainsets used on this line include S120 (max speed 250 km/h), Talgo S130 (Patito, max speed 250 km/h) and the S102 (Pato, max speed 320 km/h).

Trains

Currently, there are several series of High speed trains that run the AVE service:

  • S/100, manufactured by Alstom
  • S/102, manufactured by Talgo and Bombardier
  • S/103, manufactured by Siemens, marketed globally under the brand Siemens Velaro

There are also other series of trains that are considered high speed, but don't run under the AVE name. They run under the brand Alvia, and are variable gauge trains. They can run on High speed lines at a maximum of 250 Km/h, and can also change between standard and Iberian gauge lines without stopping. The trains that are operated under the Alvia brand are:

  • S/120, manufactured by CAF and Alstom
  • S/130, manufactured by Talgo and Bombardier

Operational Services

Currently the Spanish high speed network is made up of the following services:

The central hub of the system is Madrid's Puerta de Atocha, except for the Valladolid line, which terminates at Chamartin Station.

Construction and current development

Northeastern Corridor - to the French Border

Main article: LGV Perpignan-Figueres
  • Barcelona – Girona – Figueres – Perpignan - Montpellier. The construction of this line is currently underway. It will connect Spain with the French TGV network via the Perthus tunnel, also currently under construction. The line from Barcelona to Figueres is scheduled to open in 2012, the line Figueres to Perpignan is set the open in 2009. France has yet to commit to the part Perpignan - Montpellier, but until completion trains use at Perpignan the regulair track to reach the TGV Network at Montpellier. The line will be operated by Talgo and Siemens AG train sets, although it require special train sets. The French line Perpignan - Montpellier is electrified at 1.5 kv DC, but Spanish trains use 25kv AC. French trains are dual-voltage meaning both TGV and regional trains can operate on the line, but all Spanish trains are single-voltage.

North-Northwestern Corridors

  • Bilbao-Vitoria-San Sebastian (Basque Y). This line will connect the three Basque capitals in 2011. Planned connection with Madrid via Valladolid, and with the French border via Irún and Bayonne.
  • Madrid-Pamplona. It will be operational in 2012. There is a planned extension to connect Pamplona with the Basque line and the French border.
  • Variante de Pajares. This line will cross a very mountainous area between León and Asturias. Planned extension to connect Valladolid with Oviedo and Gijón.
  • Eje Atlántico de Alta Velocidad (Atlantic line). This line will connect all Galician coastal cities, including A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela and Vigo, with the Portuguese border, and eventually, with Porto.
  • Ourense-Santiago de Compostela. First segment of the line that will connect Galicia and the Atlantic line with Madrid, via Valladolid.

Southwest - Portuguese Corridor

  • Cáceres-Mérida-Badajoz-Lisbon. This line will connect the two peninsular capitals in 3 hours, connecting the south west region of Extremadura to the High Speed network. This line has been an important matter in bilateral summits during the last years. Spanish track should be completed around 2010 and the Portuguese one around 2015. It is not clear if there will finally be a station in the Spanish town of Mérida.

Eastern Corridor

The Future & Projected lines

In the short term another connection to the LGV is planned, at either La Jonquera in Catalonia or Irun in the Basque Country. Other new lines are under consideration, including a line connecting Soria to the Madrid-Barcelona line at Calatayud. Finally, the Madrid-Barcelona line currently terminates in Barcelona's Estació de Sants, there has, however, been talk of a new station being built on the other side of the city in La Sagrera.

In the long term the Spanish government has an ambitious plan to have Template:Dist km mile of high-speed rail operational by 2010, with all provincial capitals at most only 4 hours from Madrid, and 6.5 hours from Barcelona. According to the Strategic Plan for train infrastructures developed by the Spanish Ministerio de Fomento Ministry of Public Works, called PEIT, a second expansion program is planned to start in 2010-2011, when the last lines of the first program still under construction begin to operate. This plan has a ten-year scope, ending 2020, and its ambition is to make the 300 km/h (186 mph) network reach Template:Dist km mile by the end of that year. This would be the most extensive network in Europe, with several operational links with France and Portugal and is by far the most ambitious high speed rail plan in the European Union.

Critics of this scheme point out that raising the average speed of Spain's regional trains would achieve a much greater global impact at much less cost. At present, there are some rural lines where average speeds barely exceed Template:Auto km/h. The speed between some provincial capitals is little better; for example, it takes some 9h30min to cover the Template:Dist km mile between León and Barcelona.

On the other hand there has been a great improvement of speed and time with trains that link Madrid with other capitals that do not have direct AVE connections, but that use the high speed line for most of the route, such as Huelva (4h50min), Cádiz (4h55min), Pamplona (2h59min), Logroño (3h40min), Irún (5h19min), Bilbao (4h46min), San Sebastián (5h20min) and Santander (4h25min).

References

  1. ^ http://www.diariolatorre.es/index.php?id=39&tx_ttnews[pointer]=6&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=4021&tx_ttnews[backPid]=46&cHash=e01ceacfd2 'Diario La Torre, interview with Rafa Sánchez.
  2. ^ Café Babel, 13 November 2007 (by Nicholas Newman)
  3. ^ La Vanguardia, 17 November 2007
  4. ^ La Vanguardia, 18 December 2006
  5. ^ La Vanguardia, 7 May 2007
  6. ^ Juan Carlos Martín and Gustavo Nombela, "Microeconomic impacts of investments in high speed trains in Spain", Annals of Regional Science, vol. 41, no. 3, September, 2007
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