HIGH-SPEED rail services between Spain's largest two cities and France have been snapped up by half a million passengers in less than nine months, reveals the transport board.
RENFE to build 'AVE' between Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth
21/02/2020
SPAIN'S State-run rail board RENFE has won a €5.6-billion contract to build an 'AVE' express line between Houston and Dallas in Texas, USA.
The train will cover 386 kilometres in just 90 minutes – the same distance and time as the AVE takes to get from Valencia, on Spain's east coast, to the capital, Madrid.
'AVE' stands for Alta Velocidad Española, or 'Spanish High-Speed', but it will probably be given a different name when it starts to operate in Texas.
RENFE's own trains will not be used, according to Spain's public works minister José Luis Ábalos, but the Spanish rail board will be behind the track-building and other features.
It has been working on the AVE project in Texas since October 2018, when it was chosen as strategic partner for advising on design and construction.
Once this phase is finished – in 2026 – RENFE will get US$311 million (€288m), and during the years it is contracted to perform maintenance, it will receive the balance of US$5.6bn (€5.2bn), between 2026 and 2042.
The Houston-to-Dallas/Fort Worth line will be the first 'AVE' in the USA, the result of the firm set up last May called RENFE of America, which will work as a joint-venture company with Texas Central Partners.
Construction will be carried out by Flour Enterprise and Lane Construction, a holding of the Italian company Salvini Impregilo.
It all forms part of RENFE's 2019-2023 strategy plan, involving 'going international' so as to increase its business network and capital ahead of Spain's rail system being opened up to private companies in competition from December this year.
RENFE's international operations are predicted to account for around 10% of its income in the next 10 years.
But it has not started with the US operations: RENFE already runs an AVE between Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia as part of a consortium of around a dozen companies, bid for – although failed to obtain – the high-speed California rail network, and is gunning for the Los Angeles outer suburban line, as well as researching the idea of bidding for the Boston (Massachusetts) outer suburban line.
Although the Houston-Dallas line – which includes a halfway stop in Brazos Valley – will be the first privately-run AVE outside Spain.
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SPAIN'S State-run rail board RENFE has won a €5.6-billion contract to build an 'AVE' express line between Houston and Dallas in Texas, USA.
The train will cover 386 kilometres in just 90 minutes – the same distance and time as the AVE takes to get from Valencia, on Spain's east coast, to the capital, Madrid.
'AVE' stands for Alta Velocidad Española, or 'Spanish High-Speed', but it will probably be given a different name when it starts to operate in Texas.
RENFE's own trains will not be used, according to Spain's public works minister José Luis Ábalos, but the Spanish rail board will be behind the track-building and other features.
It has been working on the AVE project in Texas since October 2018, when it was chosen as strategic partner for advising on design and construction.
Once this phase is finished – in 2026 – RENFE will get US$311 million (€288m), and during the years it is contracted to perform maintenance, it will receive the balance of US$5.6bn (€5.2bn), between 2026 and 2042.
The Houston-to-Dallas/Fort Worth line will be the first 'AVE' in the USA, the result of the firm set up last May called RENFE of America, which will work as a joint-venture company with Texas Central Partners.
Construction will be carried out by Flour Enterprise and Lane Construction, a holding of the Italian company Salvini Impregilo.
It all forms part of RENFE's 2019-2023 strategy plan, involving 'going international' so as to increase its business network and capital ahead of Spain's rail system being opened up to private companies in competition from December this year.
RENFE's international operations are predicted to account for around 10% of its income in the next 10 years.
But it has not started with the US operations: RENFE already runs an AVE between Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia as part of a consortium of around a dozen companies, bid for – although failed to obtain – the high-speed California rail network, and is gunning for the Los Angeles outer suburban line, as well as researching the idea of bidding for the Boston (Massachusetts) outer suburban line.
Although the Houston-Dallas line – which includes a halfway stop in Brazos Valley – will be the first privately-run AVE outside Spain.
Related Topics
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