Expanded competition should involve routes connecting Madrid with Galicia, Asturias/Cantabria, and Cádiz/Huelva, with a combined total of up to 72 new daily paths.
The FLIRT XL trains will be delivered in VRR's green and white livery and will be operated, maintained, and serviced by VIAS.
The change introduces an estimated 20% increase in seating capacity on the route.
The unveiling took place during the opening day of EXPO Ferroviaria 2025 in Milan.
The updated Frecciarossa 1000 fleet will include an option for ten more.
The decision follows the announcement by SNCF Voyageurs that French government support for these connections will not continue beyond this year.
Their introduction comes six months ahead of schedule.
New connections are expected to serve approximately 440,000 residents with direct access to the long-distance rail network.
Delivery of the first units is planned for the final quarter of 2027, with full fleet deployment expected by early 2028.
The operator has implemented a new timetable from 15 September, increasing the total number of weekly services to 2,045 – exceeding pre-pandemic levels for the first time.
The trial is a milestone in the long-postponed delivery of 34 new trainsets intended for the Bremen–Lower Saxony Express Network (EBN).
The train began commercial operations on 30 August and is expected to improve rail connectivity between Kuala Lumpur and Johor.
Operations began over the weekend from the restored Gettysburg & Harrisburg Railroad Depot, originally constructed in 1884.
For the first time, the high-speed Pendolino train operated by České dráhy (ČD) on the Prague to České Budějovice (South Bohemia capital) line reached speeds of up to 200 km/h.
The decision follows technical inspections that uncovered a crack in a bogie component of a Talgo-built Avril train used on the route.
Iran’s Ministry of Transport has confirmed that a contract for the Tehran–Mashhad high-speed rail line is close to being finalised, with the signing expected during the Iranian president’s upcoming trip to Beijing.
The total number of direct daily connections will rise from 11 to 17, representing a 54% increase in cross-border services.
The trains are configured to run at speeds of up to 257 km/h (160 mph), serving the route between Washington, D.C., New York City, and Boston.
A new domestic connection between Kraków and Warsaw will also be offered, marking the operator’s entry into Polish internal rail services.
These ad hoc test runs will primarily serve to introduce the brand to the Polish market and support the recruitment of up to 300 employees for the company’s newly established Polish subsidiary.