EXPLAINED: Spain's new low-cost Iryo train between Barcelona and Seville
Low-cost, high-speed operator Iryo has announced it will start offering a new route between the Catalan and Andalusian capitals soon, taking just five hours and fifty minutes. Find out everything from dates, to fare types and where else it stops.
When will the new service begin?
The new route will begin operation on December 10th 2023, but tickets are already available to book in advance.
The service will operate four frequencies a day with two round trips, seven days a week, and will have stops at just three stations in between - Zaragoza, Madrid and Córdoba.
In addition, between June 15th and September 14th, 2024, one service per day will also stop in Tarragona.
A total of 673,060 seats per year will now be available through Iryo between the two cities.
Iryo's CEO and general manager Simone Gorini has stated that he hopes that with the connection between Barcelona and Seville "more and more travellers will choose the train for both business and leisure trips and thus continue promoting sustainable mobility”.
READ ALSO: The domestic flights in Spain that could be cancelled to reduce emissions
How much will tickets cost?
The price of the tickets will of course depend on the date chosen and the time of travel, among other factors, such as the type of trip selected. The cheapest is the 'Initial' fare, where the lowest price tickets can be bought for as little as €25 each way.
This fare allows changes on the day of travel as long as the fare difference is paid and a refund of 80 percent of the ticket if it's cancelled within one week of the trip. It also includes a free local Cercanías ticket.
READ ALSO: Catalonia takes full control of Rodalies trains from Spain in win for separatists
What are the types of fares offered?
The other two fares offered include the 'Singular only you' tickets, which are around €50, and the 'Infinita Bistró' starting at €70.
The 'Singular only you' option allows you to have extra benefits such as not paying for a ticket change on the day of travel, having a bigger seat, and getting a greater percentage of the ticket price back in case of a cancellation.
The 'Infinita Bistró' ticket, on the other hand, includes the same as the 'Singular only you', in addition to a full breakfast. It also allows you to bring a pet weighing a maximum of 10kg in a carrier.
Iryo began its Andalusia service at the end of March 2023 with routes between Madrid and Málaga, being the first competitor to RENFE in the region.
The company began operations on November 25th, 2022 and connects the cities of Madrid, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Tarragona, Cuenca, Valencia, Alicante, Albacete, Córdoba, Seville and Málaga, with a fleet of 20 trains. It is privately owned by Air Nostrum, Globalvia and Trenitalia.
Renfe’s low-cost Avlo service also started offering routes to Andalusia this year, starting from June 1st, with a minimum price of just €7. This included services between Seville and Madrid, and Málaga and Madrid.
READ ALSO:
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When will the new service begin?
The new route will begin operation on December 10th 2023, but tickets are already available to book in advance.
The service will operate four frequencies a day with two round trips, seven days a week, and will have stops at just three stations in between - Zaragoza, Madrid and Córdoba.
In addition, between June 15th and September 14th, 2024, one service per day will also stop in Tarragona.
A total of 673,060 seats per year will now be available through Iryo between the two cities.
Iryo's CEO and general manager Simone Gorini has stated that he hopes that with the connection between Barcelona and Seville "more and more travellers will choose the train for both business and leisure trips and thus continue promoting sustainable mobility”.
READ ALSO: The domestic flights in Spain that could be cancelled to reduce emissions
How much will tickets cost?
The price of the tickets will of course depend on the date chosen and the time of travel, among other factors, such as the type of trip selected. The cheapest is the 'Initial' fare, where the lowest price tickets can be bought for as little as €25 each way.
This fare allows changes on the day of travel as long as the fare difference is paid and a refund of 80 percent of the ticket if it's cancelled within one week of the trip. It also includes a free local Cercanías ticket.
READ ALSO: Catalonia takes full control of Rodalies trains from Spain in win for separatists
What are the types of fares offered?
The other two fares offered include the 'Singular only you' tickets, which are around €50, and the 'Infinita Bistró' starting at €70.
The 'Singular only you' option allows you to have extra benefits such as not paying for a ticket change on the day of travel, having a bigger seat, and getting a greater percentage of the ticket price back in case of a cancellation.
The 'Infinita Bistró' ticket, on the other hand, includes the same as the 'Singular only you', in addition to a full breakfast. It also allows you to bring a pet weighing a maximum of 10kg in a carrier.
Iryo began its Andalusia service at the end of March 2023 with routes between Madrid and Málaga, being the first competitor to RENFE in the region.
The company began operations on November 25th, 2022 and connects the cities of Madrid, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Tarragona, Cuenca, Valencia, Alicante, Albacete, Córdoba, Seville and Málaga, with a fleet of 20 trains. It is privately owned by Air Nostrum, Globalvia and Trenitalia.
Renfe’s low-cost Avlo service also started offering routes to Andalusia this year, starting from June 1st, with a minimum price of just €7. This included services between Seville and Madrid, and Málaga and Madrid.
READ ALSO:
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