Spain’s high-speed rail network (AVE,
Alta Velocidad Española, Spanish High Speed) is Europe’s longest with over 3200km of track, second only to China in the world. Most lines converge on Madrid, with the lines in the east connecting to the French TGV network to extend services as far as Marseille, Lyon and Paris.
The national rail operator Renfe offers the full high-speed long-distance AVE brand, together with middle-distance Avant and combined high-speed/conventional line running Alvia services and, with a revised start date of 23 June, the new Avlo, a 438-seater 330 km/h low-cost service connecting Madrid, Zaragoza and Barcelona.