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The launch of Renfe's new low-cost AVE , AVLO , was announced with great fanfare with prices that made you rub your eyes. The ticket would cost between 10 and 60 euros depending on the time and demand and a welcome promotion for five euros was even launched in late January, when the sales service was opened. The amount would have to add some services such as choosing a specific seat or carrying a second suitcase.

On April 6 was the target date for new trains low cost, which would cover the route will be inaugurated Madrid-Barcelona and back, stopping at Zaragoza, three times a day (in May a fourth come). But the coronavirus pandemic arrived and, already on March 15, a day after the state of alarm was declared throughout the country, it was announced that the premiere would have to wait.

Return of purchased tickets

Now reviewed the new conditions when traveling motivated by the Covid-19, those responsible for Renfe believe that the commissioning of the trains will have to wait longer. At least for now. This is what the Minister of Transport and Mobility, José Luis Ábalos, has assured, who does not see it possible to propose a new low cost service "in a short space of time."

Interior of one of the AVLO carriages.

In his opinion, "for a time, as long as the pandemic is not forgotten, the use of transport will be very different from what we were used to." In this sense, it is necessary to highlight the need to maintain the obligatory safety distance, which would reduce the number of passengers, which would force to increase costs and not the profitability of the project. To get an idea, since June 1, the trains of the public operator only travel with 50% of their allowed capacity, which should also apply to AVLO.

These measures should be combined with the exhaustive increase in hygiene and disinfection of all facilities, as is the case with other means of transport. In addition, according to Renfe's health security protocol, the influx of travelers in more than one queue that embarks simultaneously should be managed.

Arrival of new competitors

Similarly, access to the boarding area should be allowed up to 60 minutes before the departure of the train to avoid crowds. Renfe has also proceeded to open the check-ins earlier, bringing its closing to five minutes before departure rather than the current two.

The Tallo Series 112 in purple from the AVLO.

By the time its inauguration was suspended, the operator had already sold a third of the initial offer of places , according to Europa Press. Specifically, 146,389, 28% of the 522,000 that it had initially put up for sale. This number includes the 16,000 that were sold for five euros through a promotion.

Renfe planned to launch in April the new service of the AVLO purple 112 Series Talgo to anticipate the competition from new operators that are expected to enter the AVE network in December this year. Then the liberalization of train transport is planned throughout the European Union.

Even so, the entry of competitors is also currently conditioned by the evolution of the pandemic, the French SNCF studies whether it delays the start-up in Spain of its low cost , scheduled for December, while the other private operator , Ilsa (firm of Trenitalia and Air Nostrum), has already indicated that it will not start operating until January 2022.

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