Ilsa is a subsidiary of the Italian rail operator Trenitalia. The company was created to operate a TGV network in Spain. Italian railways hold a 45% stake in Ilsa. The remaining 55% is held by the Spanish regional airline Air Nostrum. But in an interview with International Rail Journal, Ilsa CEO Fabrizio Favara has confirmed the postponement of the launch of its future high-speed train lines.
The delay is in fact linked to delays in the delivery of convoys. Production slowed sharply due to the covid pandemic, which required social distancing in the workshops and partial work measures.
Last summer, Ilsa confirmed an order worth 800 million euros from Hitachi Rail and Bombardier Transportation for the delivery of 23 Frecciarossa high-speed trains 1000. In service in Italy on the Trenitalia network since 2015, the Frecciarossa 1000 is one of the fastest and quietest very high-speed trains in Europe.
Each Ilsa train will be around 200 metres long, will be able to accommodate around 460 travellers and reach a commercial speed of 360 km/h. On board, passengers will enjoy WiFi, a bistro area and high levels of comfort in all classes. The trains are due to arrive in Spain for launch in the first quarter of 2022. Ilsa has therefore confirmed that travellers will now have to wait until the second half of 2022.. The railway company plans to launch its trains on three rail corridors: Madrid - Barcelona - French border (Corridor 1); Madrid - Valencia/Alicante (Corridor 2) and Madrid - Seville/Málaga (Corridor 3).
At least six months' delay for Ilsa trains
However, Hitachi Rail and Bombardier Transportation have confirmed that they will deliver the first train to Ilsa this summer and that two more trains will follow by the end of 2021. According to Fabrizio Favara, two more trains should arrive in September and two more by the end of 2021. But this number will not be enough to launch a line. In the magazine IRJ, Ilsa's CEO says that at least nine to ten trains for the line alone Madrid-Barcelona.
Ilsa aims to carry eight million passengers a year, representing 30% of the Spanish high-speed train market. The company will be in direct competition with the incumbent operator Renfewhich operates theAVE and from June theAVLOits low-cost high-speed train.
Ilsa will also face competition from another operator, Rielsfera. The latter is an SNCF subsidiarywhich will operate services under the Ouigo. Ouigo España to launch its first trains on 10 May between Madrid and Barcelona with stops in Zaragoza and Tarragona. SNCF has sent 14 Euroduplex double-decker trains. They will provide five train services a day in each direction. A sixth seasonal return service will run between 27 May and 3 October.
On-board services will be similar to those offered on Ouigo trains in France. Ouigo España is also planning the launch of services to Valencia and Andalusia from Madrid. No dates have yet been announced for these other routes.
