The Alicante AVE Returns to Atocha with Two Stops a Day Until Next Year

The Alicante-Madrid AVE will once again stop at the central Atocha station, after months of being rerouted to Chamartín due to construction in the Spanish capital. The National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) has allowed Renfe to maintain four services to Alicante from the central terminal. The remaining daily routes will continue to depart from Chamartín's northern station. Trains from Iryo and Ouigo will also remain there.

The CNMC had previously authorized these services to remain at Atocha instead of moving to Chamartín, as was initially planned in the capacity reservation framework agreements, although it was conditioned in 2023 to apply a discount on the charges for traffic from Chamartín.

Only Iryo and Renfe showed interest in departing from Atocha for 2024, but the CNMC concluded that the Italian operator altered the offered terms, hindered infrastructure optimization, and reduced the offer from Atocha station, potentially causing confusion among travelers. Conversely, it believes that Renfe's offer of eight daily services "will not significantly affect" its competitors, who will continue to have all their trains depart from Chamartín, north of the capital.

The Competition analysis shows that "maintaining some services at Atocha station benefits travelers because they can choose between Madrid's two main stations." Additionally, it considers that "it enhances the competitiveness of the train against road transport, which is widely used for these routes."

Currently, 95% of travelers use Chamartín station as the main departure point in Madrid for routes to Alicante, where the average income from services departing from Atocha remains higher than from Chamartín, although the difference has narrowed.

Previously, Ouigo had filed a complaint against Renfe for being able to maintain certain daily services from Atocha, alleging a "competitive advantage" for the public operator, although the CNMC dismissed the complaint.