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Renfe Halts SpainParis High‑Speed Plan, Pulls Train Paths Over Lack of Train Approval

The pause reflects unresolved French approvals for Talgo‑built S‑106 trains.

Overview

  • Renfe, which disclosed the move Wednesday, withdrew its reserved operating slots on the French network—known as train paths—for the planned SpainParis service and for ParisLyon.
  • The company cited the absence of certification in France for its new S‑106 trains built by Talgo, which blocks a start date for the route.
  • Existing cross‑border services will continue, including MadridMarseille and BarcelonaLyon.
  • The project missed a planned 2024 Olympic launch, and Renfe has not set a new timeline.
  • Renfe has also paused the BarcelonaToulouse plan since spring 2025 because of the same approval hurdles and has accused French rail authorities of slowing its entry as SNCF’s Ouigo runs in Spain.