Ouigo expands Barcelona rail services dramatically with a new direct connection to Seville launching this December.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
The French high-speed operator, which pioneered Spain’s rail liberalisation in 2021, will offer daily services between the Catalan capital and Andalusia starting December 14th. This development marks another significant expansion in Spain’s increasingly competitive rail market.
Ouigo Expands Barcelona Network With Six-Hour Journey
The new service will depart Barcelona at 7:45am, arriving in Seville approximately six hours later after stopping in Zaragoza, Madrid and Córdoba. Consequently, travellers can now journey between Spain’s northeastern and southwestern hubs without changing trains. Furthermore, the return service will leave Seville at 5pm daily, providing convenient scheduling for both business and leisure travellers.
With 360,000 annual seats available on this route, Ouigo strengthens its position in the Spanish market. The expansion adds a sixth daily connection between Barcelona and Madrid, plus five daily services between Madrid and Seville. Hélène Valenzuela, Ouigo’s general director, emphasised that “Barcelona was where we opened the process of high-speed liberalisation and democratisation. Now, with this new connection, we trust we will repeat that success.”
The company’s continued investment in Spanish infrastructure demonstrates confidence in the market’s growth potential. Meanwhile, transport infrastructure investments continue transforming Barcelona’s connectivity across multiple modes of travel.
Competitive Rail Market Drives Passenger Growth
Ouigo’s expansion intensifies competition on the Barcelona-Seville corridor, where Renfe currently operates four daily services and Italian operator Iryo offers two. Remarkably, passenger numbers between Andalusia and Catalonia have multiplied sixfold in just one year as operators expand southern routes to cities like Seville, Málaga and Córdoba.
Since entering the Spanish market, Ouigo has transported 20 million passengers across its 15 routes, with half originating or ending in Catalonia. The company has invested €700 million in Spain, including €550 million for its 16-train fleet. Additionally, this year’s Andalusian route expansion required a €40 million investment.
The competitive landscape continues evolving as operators adjust pricing strategies. According to Ara Cat reports, ticket prices across all operators have increased by 40% in just one month following the removal of AVLO trains between Barcelona and Madrid.
Ouigo expects to achieve positive EBITDA this year, though the company hasn’t specified when it will eliminate overall losses. Last year, despite €164 million in revenue, the operator reported losses of €40.5 million. Therefore, the new Seville connection represents both a service expansion and a strategic move toward profitability.
The ongoing Ouigo expands Barcelona connectivity strategy demonstrates how rail liberalisation continues transforming Spanish travel options. With direct connections now spanning from Catalonia to Andalusia, passengers benefit from increased choice and potentially more competitive pricing as the market matures.
Join our WhatsApp broadcast channel for instant news updates!
Source: Read original article
