Ouigo in the fast lane: New high-speed route connects Madrid to Elche and beyond

Ouigo has launched its third high-speed line between Madrid and the Valencian Community, which now makes the region the most serviced by the company.

In addition to its routes to Valencia and Alicante, Ouigo has introduced a new connection between Madrid and Elche, with stops in Albacete, covering the distance in about 2 hours and 20 minutes.

The train service continues beyond Elche to Murcia, which poses challenges for future growth, according to Federico Pareja, Ouigo’s Commercial Director.

High Demand

Pareja expressed surprise at the high demand from Elche and Murcia during the initial days of the new service, with the first train recording 70 per cent occupancy.

This level of interest exceeded the company’s expectations, as typically new lines take time to gain traction.

Average Occupancy

With average occupancy rates of 90 per cent to 95 per cent on other routes, Pareja is confident that the Elche-Murcia line will quickly reach similar figures.

However, when asked about increasing the number of trains in the short or medium term, the commercial director highlighted limitations.

Key Issue

The key issue lies in the single high-speed line between Elche and Murcia, compounded by capacity restrictions at Murcia’s El Carmen station.

While Elche’s station boasts modern infrastructure, the bottleneck in Murcia’s line and terminal limits Ouigo’s ability to expand its service.

No Further Expansion

Pareja acknowledged that although they managed to establish two trains in each direction, further expansion is not feasible at the moment due to these constraints.

The connection between Elche and Murcia was crucial, as both cities had previously suffered from limited high-speed links to Madrid.

Underused Infrastructure

Ouigo saw an opportunity to maximise the underutilised high-speed infrastructure in the region, making travel more affordable and accessible.

Pareja believes that price had previously been a barrier for many, and the high demand for the new service indicates that there is significant interest in the route.