The world’s fastest series production train will soon be traveling from Madrid to Barcelona. The Spanish railway company Renfe will be running Siemens’ high-speed Velaro train on a new line stretching 650 kilometers. The train has an operating speed of 350 kilometers per hour, which means the trip between the two Spanish cities will take only two-and-a-half hours — instead of the roughly four hours previously needed. Last September, the Velaro — an improved version of Deutsche Bahn’s ICE 3 train — set a world record by traveling at a speed of 404 km/h with its normal series layout.

As with the ICE 3, which has been running in Germany and the Netherlands since 2000, the drive system components and technical modules in the Velaro are mounted on the bottom of the rail cars. This creates approximately 20 percent more space for passengers as compared to a locomotive-hauled train. Half of the axles are directly propelled and there are no electric locomotives in the front or back, which means faster acceleration as a result of better propulsion distribution. And the train also performs better on steep climbs.

The Velaro seats 404 people in three classes: Club, Preferente and Turista. It offers exceptional comfort in every class, as nearly all seats can be rotated, allowing passengers to sit in the direction the train is moving if they so desire. Passengers can listen to a choice of six audio programs, and there are also large video screens mounted throughout the train that show entertainment programs. Additional displays equipped with LEDs provide information to passengers in Spanish, Catalan and English. At the front of the train is a special Club class car that includes a conference and VIP lounge, as well as a separate kitchen. The train also has three other restaurant/snack areas. The Velaro employs the new ETCS Level 2 safety standard (European Train Control System). ETCS, which monitors train speed and the distance between trains on a given route, as well as other safety parameters. The system is to eventually replace the 15 incompatible train control systems in Europe that have developed over the years. The Velaro is the first train world wide which observes the rules for European interoperability of high-speed trains. Therefore it is ready for travel between different countries.

Siemens Transportation Systems will deliver 26 of the Velaro high-speed trains to Renfe, and will also be responsible for maintenance for a period of 14 years. Additional orders for the Velaro platform have been received from China and from Russia, where the trains will be used for the Moscow-St. Petersburg line.