More than 509,000 travellers stop taking high-speed trains between Madrid and Barcelona due to journey slowdowns
The CNMC estimates that this transport method loses more than 1.5 users throughout the State
BarcelonaThe National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) calculates that more than 509,000 travelers have given up using high-speed trains between Madrid and Barcelona compared to the times when they made the journey in "historical best times".
This estimate is one of the conclusions of the study published by the government body this Tuesday. The Competition authority has developed a model to study the competitiveness of different means of transport based on demand for 2024.
Of the 509,000 travelers it estimates the train would lose between the Catalan and Spanish capitals, the majority are replacing it with private vehicles –282,000 people–, even though the train has a cost "clearly lower than that of private vehicles". In contrast, it calculates that around 207,000 people have opted for airplanes after abandoning high-speed rail.
It maintains that currently 64% of people traveling the distance between Barcelona and Madrid opt for high-speed rail, but, according to the CNMC, if the train journey took two hours 72% of travelers would take it. In this hypothetical scenario, it keeps ticket prices and station access times constant.
State trend
Despite the climate crisis, the loss of passengers due to longer journeys is a widespread trend across the country. "The evolution of rail demand will not allow us to meet the sustainability and decarbonization objectives for transport established at European and national level," warns the competition authority.
The report estimates that high-speed rail is losing more than 1.5 million passengers. In parallel, train punctuality has worsened, according to 2024 data compared to five years earlier, despite remaining above 90%.
The CNMC has analyzed the operation of the five main routes, all departing from Madrid. In addition to the journey between the Spanish capital and Barcelona, it has also taken into account those connecting it with Valencia, Alicante, Seville, and Malaga.
It should be noted that the report attributes the increase in journey time between Barcelona and Madrid to the temporary speed restrictions established after the accident in Adamuz in January. In contrast, the journey along the Levante and Sud corridors takes about 20 minutes longer, but the CNMC does not attribute this to any extraordinary measure.