The consultation, is carried out every two years and gathers feedback from passenger and freight users on the quality and conditions of rail services. In this round, the CNMC sent questionnaires to 42 companies and user organisations and received 37 responses. Four working meetings were also held at the authority’s headquarters.
Rail freight: broad dissatisfaction
Rail freight operators and their customers, including logistics companies, shippers and industrial firms, almost unanimously stated that rail freight transport in Spain is not competitive.
Respondents cited several factors contributing to this situation. These include capacity restrictions caused by infrastructure works, high costs of wagons, limited options for transporting smaller consignments and difficulties in accessing international markets. Concern was expressed about the performance of the Mediterranean and Atlantic corridors, where users called for improvements.
Although respondents accepted the need for ongoing infrastructure works, they reported that the growing number of projects has led to uncertainty, higher operating costs and interruptions to services. They also stated that expected support measures to mitigate these effects have not been implemented.
In addition, users reported that subsidy schemes for new traction and rolling stock contributed to price increases in the market. The pricing model applied to service facilities managed by infrastructure manager ADIF was also criticised, with respondents stating that it resulted in higher charges for using those facilities.
Passenger transport: mixed picture
Passenger rail operators generally expressed satisfaction with conditions for accessing infrastructure. However, they pointed to cost differences between rail and road transport that, in their view, place rail at a disadvantage. They also highlighted the lack of cross-border high-speed rail connections and ongoing difficulties with rolling stock certification in France.
Representatives of passengers reported an overall preference for rail compared with other transport modes. When asked specifically about short-distance journeys, however, only around half of respondents stated a preference for rail.
Long-distance high-speed services received the highest satisfaction ratings, with 75% of users stating they were satisfied. Satisfaction fell to 63% for commuter rail services.
Passengers noted that competition on high-speed routes has led to lower fares and higher service frequencies. On routes without competing operators, respondents reported that prices remain high or have increased.
For Cercanías and Media Distancia services, users highlighted the impact of discounted season tickets introduced in the final quarter of 2022.
The CNMC Household Panel showed more favourable assessments across all rail services, although the authority noted a deterioration in ratings over time, except for long-distance high-speed rail.