The (more expensive) alternative to Cercanías (commuter rail) is also overwhelmed.

BarcelonaThey are more expensive but also faster trains. This has made them the preferred alternative for many users who have given up on the chaotic Cercanías commuter rail system and switched to the Avant trains. So much so that in the last year and a half, demand for this service has surged. "I have to buy tickets well in advance to make sure I can get to work and back. And sometimes I can't find seats on the trains that best suit my schedule," explains Laura, who has to travel between Valls and Barcelona almost every day. Her case is identical to that of other passengers in Tarragona, Girona, and Lleida. "Here in Lleida, you either buy Avant tickets three or four weeks in advance or you won't find any," confirms Kevin Bruque, a user and spokesperson for the Avant Catalunya Users platform.

Avant trains are also operated by Renfe and are part of a high-speed service, but at regulated prices. They run fast journeys between nearby cities: that is, they make shorter trips with fewer onboard services than the AVE high-speed trains, which are a fully commercial service where prices fluctuate according to supply and demand. "Of course, it's much more expensive than the Cercanías commuter trains, but I spend less time traveling and it's the only punctual service," argues Laura, who pays around 160 euros for her season ticket—equivalent to a monthly pass—while the Cercanías monthly flat rate is 20 euros. "At least I know what time I'll arrive," she says resignedly.

Like her, the shift of users from one service to another is more than evident. "All the Adelante trains between 6 and 9 a.m. are full every day. Demand has practically doubled in the last year," says Alberto Puivecino, the infrastructure secretary for the CCOO union. The reason, he says, is twofold: on the one hand, the construction work and the constant stream of incidents on the Cercanías commuter rail network, and on the other, the fact that the government decided to also subsidize Avant trains by 50%. "The reduction cut fares in half, making them a real alternative to private vehicles and, of course, to Cercanías travel times," argues Puivecino, who affirms: "Conventional trains have ceased to be a viable alternative for many users." Currently, traveling from Girona to Barcelona by Avant takes 40 minutes, while the journey on conventional R11 trains takes an hour and a half. From Valls to Barcelona, the same thing happens: an hour and a half on the Cercanías commuter train and only 36 minutes on the Avant. In the case of Lleida, travel times are also shorter: they go from three and a half hours to just an hour and a quarter. "And that's assuming you don't have any problems with the Cercanías," Bruque points out. But this alternative, despite being more expensive, has also fallen short: there are not enough trains and seats due to high demand, and finding an Avant ticket to get to work or school has become a challenge. "When you go into the app to book... it's already full; always," Laura confirms. "People buy tickets weeks in advance to guarantee their trip, and then they check every day to see if any seats become available and if they can change to a train that suits them better in terms of schedule," adds Bruque, who says that this creates a very high mental load of organization and even conflicts between users.

They are asking for more places at a reduced price.

The demands from user platforms are clear and have two aspects: that the Spanish government maintain the 50% discount and that they add more trains and seats. The Ministry of Transport has not yet commented on how ticket discounts will be affected next year, which is worrying many users. "If the discounted tickets disappear in less than a month, many of us will have to consider quitting our jobs," says Bruque. "I would go from paying 280 euros to paying 560; it's an expense I can't afford," he explains. "The discount must be extended." sine die Because it's what allows the working class and students to access high-speed internet: we've invested a lot with everyone's taxes and only 9% of users utilize it; it needs to be made more accessible to everyone," Puivecino insists.

In fact, CCOO already presented a solution a few months ago to create an Avant network in Catalonia which the Generalitat now seems to have adopted as its own, within the roadmap for the railway strategy of the coming years. The project, called Catav, involves the reuse of a series of out-of-service trains and their integration into the high-speed network. "They were trains from the Avlo service [the line low cost "[AVE] with many available seats that are currently unused, and which we proposed introducing into the Avant service because it would allow us to double the capacity," Puivecino explains. As the report's author, he says that the Department of Territory has met with ministry officials several times to unblock these trains and alleviate the surge in demand. "They are trains. However, in Valladolid, they already have them running," he points out.

Last week, the Minister of Territory, Silvia Paneque, stated during an appearance before Parliament that the Catalan Government was working with the Ministry "to improve Avant services in Girona and Lleida." "We know they accept our proposal and are working on the technical aspects," confirms Puivecino from the CCOO union.

Parallel struggles

For the Public Transport Promotion Association (PTP), the demand for this type of service is "natural," but it shouldn't overshadow the "urgent need" to improve commuter rail. "The improvement of the Avant trains goes hand in hand. It would be the evolution of the Regional Express or the Intercity trains, which ran routes with few stops connecting the country's capital cities. This service existed before and was also neglected, which made regional trains slower and high-speed rail longer and more expensive," reflects Adrià Ramírez, president of the PTP. Puivecino adds another point. "It's also vital for the economy and for jobs to have a good, competitive high-speed rail network. It's a factor that companies value highly when choosing where to locate their factories. And you can compare industrial parks in Catalonia and other parts of Spain, and there's no comparison in terms of how well they're connected," he concludes.