As always very informative. A few things to add. First of all, Ave and long distance train operated by Renfe and Iryo includes free rides on tje local regional service (Rodalies in Catalunya. Cercanías in most otjer places, Feve (narrow gauge service) and Alicante tram system. You can use it to get to/from tje train station at the origin and destination. You can use it up to 4h before daparture and after arrival. That leads to the second thing. The regional trains can be the best option to get tothe main train station in quite a few cases. In Barcelona it's easy to do from Pl. catalunya, Passeig de Gràcia and othere city stattions. As for Barcelona Sants. It was opened in 1975 and suits that age. It had a few renovations and it's about romstart a huge one next year that will make it much nicer. A segond main station is under construction on the other side of the city (La Sagrera) and should open in acouple of years. It will also be served by the high speed trains. As for the ride itself. The Mediterranean corridor is nearing completion so the connection for this ride will be fully high speed (probably 2027/8). As for the gauge, you didn't show the gauge changing process. There are some high speed lines that use Inerian gauge and now the Avril trains can reach 300 km/h on those as well as beforenthat it was max 250 km/h. I know that those trains had a rough start but they've managed to solve almost all problems (certainly the main ones). They are also adding more two gauge tracks that can be used by both Iberian and standard trains.
@@Trainviking Basque Country is not an easy place to build rail lines, and definatelly not high speed. The new high speed line serving this area is finally nearing completions and should open in 2027. It is Y shaped connecting all three main cities (Bilbao. Vitoria and San Sebastian/Donostia). This will provide high speed connection between those cities and a high speed connection into France (they have no immediate plans to finish tje high speed connection on their side). The connection to the rest of the network will be throgh a high speed line between Vitoria and Burgos. It's an 86.5 km line, construction is due to start in a few months and shoul be finished in 2030. Until than trains will use the conventional line to connect to the high speed line in Burgos. Also, since the Basque government desided to completely rebuld the train station in Bilbao moving platforms and all tracks leading to it undrground, which will take years, a temporary station will be built.
Yay the S130 :D one of the most iconic and versitile trains in the Renfe fleet. The Euromed service entered in 1997 with a S101 series (a Iberian version of the S100). The S130 you got is verry lucky its had the NEW renfe Interior the old Interior had Grande Lineas color (Greenish blue many poeople say it gives Hospital vibes). Fun fact of this is a bit older than you think well the coche which are Talgo VII sets. These sets where build in 1999 and they did Altaria services (loco HS day services) until 2006-2007 where Renfe and Talgo had the idea of having more EMU with gauge chaching capility. For that they use the Talgo VII sets and add power cars and ask Ariño[ the company that did the power cars you can see their logo on the windows (: ] Some S130 where build from nothing (Power cars +coaches) in 2007. How you can tell the diference now with the Interior? At 18:32 you can see the Grande Lineas logo and colors. 2007 sets on the other hand had on its monitors the Renfe purple colours and with a piture of the S130 in the backround. The S130 are the train in charge of Spain longest routes I hope you migth be instreted on these routes in the future (:
I find Barcelona Sants gets really unpleasant when it's crowded (which you fortunately didn't experience). It's like the worst excesses of an airport, because you have to queue up for security and then queue up again before going to the platform. The station obviously wasn't designed for the way it's run. Queues often intertwine (the line for the coffee shop post-security often is the same as the one for the adjacent platform!), so you're never quite sure you're in the right line.
I have to agree, it’s not my favourite railway station and it hasn’t been designed for the current usage. I’ve think it’s nice it’s been build underground however there’s not really enough room to expand. I’ve heard that there are pans to make a new station or to expand it. Railway stations shouldn’t be designed like airports. I personally don’t find it unpleasant but there are definitely some practical things that can (/need) to be improved.
@@Trainviking Yes, There is a new huge station under construction in north Barcelona City. It will be finish in two or three years after more than a decade under construction. Then Sants station will be under refurbish for better service and much better design.
As always very informative.
A few things to add.
First of all, Ave and long distance train operated by Renfe and Iryo includes free rides on tje local regional service (Rodalies in Catalunya. Cercanías in most otjer places, Feve (narrow gauge service) and Alicante tram system. You can use it to get to/from tje train station at the origin and destination. You can use it up to 4h before daparture and after arrival.
That leads to the second thing. The regional trains can be the best option to get tothe main train station in quite a few cases. In Barcelona it's easy to do from Pl. catalunya, Passeig de Gràcia and othere city stattions.
As for Barcelona Sants. It was opened in 1975 and suits that age. It had a few renovations and it's about romstart a huge one next year that will make it much nicer. A segond main station is under construction on the other side of the city (La Sagrera) and should open in acouple of years. It will also be served by the high speed trains.
As for the ride itself.
The Mediterranean corridor is nearing completion so the connection for this ride will be fully high speed (probably 2027/8).
As for the gauge, you didn't show the gauge changing process. There are some high speed lines that use Inerian gauge and now the Avril trains can reach 300 km/h on those as well as beforenthat it was max 250 km/h. I know that those trains had a rough start but they've managed to solve almost all problems (certainly the main ones).
They are also adding more two gauge tracks that can be used by both Iberian and standard trains.
I just love s130, it's truly Spanish-kind: sometimes rough but flexible enough to adapt to every situation
I think that’s the best description for these trains.
Good trip. I got my RENFE pensioners card a few weeks ago in Bilbao. I liked northern Spain and the Basque Country. It was great.
Thank you, Bilbao is also really nice. I'd love to see more and better services to the Basque Country.
@@Trainviking Agree, it deserves better.
@@Trainviking Basque Country is not an easy place to build rail lines, and definatelly not high speed. The new high speed line serving this area is finally nearing completions and should open in 2027. It is Y shaped connecting all three main cities (Bilbao. Vitoria and San Sebastian/Donostia). This will provide high speed connection between those cities and a high speed connection into France (they have no immediate plans to finish tje high speed connection on their side).
The connection to the rest of the network will be throgh a high speed line between Vitoria and Burgos. It's an 86.5 km line, construction is due to start in a few months and shoul be finished in 2030. Until than trains will use the conventional line to connect to the high speed line in Burgos.
Also, since the Basque government desided to completely rebuld the train station in Bilbao moving platforms and all tracks leading to it undrground, which will take years, a temporary station will be built.
Great playlist today!!
Hope you enjoyed it!
Yay the S130 :D one of the most iconic and versitile trains in the Renfe fleet.
The Euromed service entered in 1997 with a S101 series (a Iberian version of the S100).
The S130 you got is verry lucky its had the NEW renfe Interior the old Interior had Grande Lineas color (Greenish blue many poeople say it gives Hospital vibes).
Fun fact of this is a bit older than you think well the coche which are Talgo VII sets. These sets where build in 1999 and they did Altaria services (loco HS day services) until 2006-2007 where Renfe and Talgo had the idea of having more EMU with gauge chaching capility.
For that they use the Talgo VII sets and add power cars and ask Ariño[ the company that did the power cars you can see their logo on the windows (: ]
Some S130 where build from nothing (Power cars +coaches) in 2007.
How you can tell the diference now with the Interior?
At 18:32 you can see the Grande Lineas logo and colors.
2007 sets on the other hand had on its monitors the Renfe purple colours and with a piture of the S130 in the backround.
The S130 are the train in charge of Spain longest routes I hope you migth be instreted on these routes in the future (:
Good video, but the train is the S130. The S103 is the simiens one.
I find Barcelona Sants gets really unpleasant when it's crowded (which you fortunately didn't experience). It's like the worst excesses of an airport, because you have to queue up for security and then queue up again before going to the platform.
The station obviously wasn't designed for the way it's run. Queues often intertwine (the line for the coffee shop post-security often is the same as the one for the adjacent platform!), so you're never quite sure you're in the right line.
I have to agree, it’s not my favourite railway station and it hasn’t been designed for the current usage. I’ve think it’s nice it’s been build underground however there’s not really enough room to expand. I’ve heard that there are pans to make a new station or to expand it. Railway stations shouldn’t be designed like airports.
I personally don’t find it unpleasant but there are definitely some practical things that can (/need) to be improved.
@@Trainviking
Yes, There is a new huge station under construction in north Barcelona City. It will be finish in two or three years after more than a decade under construction. Then Sants station will be under refurbish for better service and much better design.