The European Investment Bank ( EIB ) has agreed to provide a €250 million ( US$295 million ) loan to Spanish rail operator Renfe for the purchase of 101 electric trains that will expand and upgrade the fleet of Catalonia’s commuter rail network ( Rodalies ).

The loan is the first tranche of a €500 million facility approved by the EIB. The new fleet will include high-capacity units for suburban services in the Barcelona area and units for medium-distance or regional services.

The new units will replace trains that have been running since 1990 and are now at the end of their service life. With the new fleet, passenger capacity will increase significantly – from around 830 passengers per train to between 900 and 1,800.

The new trains will include the European Rail Traffic Management System ( ERTMS ) for interoperability, efficiency, and enhanced operational safety. The fleet refurbishment is expected to contribute to improved reliability and a reduction in the number of technical incidents.

The EIB is supporting a shift towards more sustainable urban and inter-urban travel, along with efforts to reduce reliance on private cars and cut carbon emissions in major urban areas and surrounding communities.

The project will also contribute to the climate action objectives outlined in the EIB Group’s Strategic Roadmap for 2024-2027 and Phase Two of the Climate Bank Roadmap for 2026-2030. It is backed by InvestEU, an programme of the European Union to mobilize over €372 billion in additional investment between 2021 and 2027.

Renfe Operadora is one of Europe’s key railway companies. In 2024, it served over 537 million passengers across all its commercial ( AVE, Avlo, Alvia, Euromed, and Intercity ) and public ( commuter, medium distance, metre gauge, and Avant ) services.