If a very prominent aspect has brought 2021 for national mobility that is the arrival of Ouigo , as well as the appearance of Avlo as a low cost train from Renfe. Two new ways of traveling on railway lines throughout Spain, which have given more facilities to travelers in the midst of economic restrictions and difficulties . In the same way, a never-before-existing competition has been opened which in the coming months will be completed with a third actor: Ilsa .
Born from the merger of Air Nostrum and Trenitalia , Ilsa continues to take steps in what will be a long-awaited arrival in the Spanish railway market. With all the go-ahead to join the aforementioned Renfe and SNCF, the French company run by Ouigo, this transalpine company will begin its tests these months with the clear objective of having all its trains operational as soon as possible.
And it is that in recent months, Ilsa confirmed the purchase of several direct TR1000 model vehicles to operate in Spain. A train that is already in different European countries and that stands out for measuring 200 meters with capacity for almost 500 passengers and with a top speed of 360 kilometers per hour .
These final months of 2021 will begin the tests for the approval of the trains
In this way, as these units are disembarked in Spain, a homologation process will begin to verify the correct functioning of the components, as well as compliance with Spanish regulations . Last step before the final ‘ok’ for which Ilsa will start operating.
When does Ilsa start operating?
If all goes as planned by the Italian company, the Ilsa trains that will compete directly with Renfe and SNCF will be available to Spanish travelers in the second half of 2022 . This has been confirmed by the company itself, making it clear that next year will be one of more railway novelties after the arrival in 2021 of Avlo and Ouigo.
What routes will Ilsa cover?
Finally, with regard to the routes, still without official confirmation but with clear intentions, Ilsa plans to cover up to three routes, all originating in Madrid : Madrid-Zaragoza-Barcelona, Madrid-Cuenca-Valencia / Alicante and Madrid- Cordoba-Malaga / Seville. That is, the main national foci, at the expense of the north, before expanding to the rest of the geography.
By then, Ilsa expects to have around eight million annual passengers and enough capacity to cover more than 35% of Spain’s high-speed frequencies, which it would cover with the first targeted routes.
