FRANCE: The board of Spain’s national operator RENFE is to seek Spanish government approval for the formation of a French subsidiary to take advantage of the ongoing liberalisation of that market.
Announcing its plan to set up a French business on February 2, RENFE said it wanted to commit to a long-term presence in France as a fundamental element of its strategic plan for international expansion.
RENFE has obtained certificates allowing it to operate on the Barcelona – Lyon and Madrid – Barcelona – Marseille routes, and is continuing work to obtain a safety certificate allowing it to operate throughout France; RENFE points out that out that SNCF’s Ouigo already has a safety case covering Spain’s 1 435 mm gauge network.
