The Minister for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, today announced an investment of €1 billion to implement an ambitious Comprehensive Plan for Renfe Workshops and Maintenance 2025–2030, —described by the Minister as “the largest railway maintenance investment in Renfe’s history and one of the Spanish Government’s most significant industrial commitments to public transport.”
During his visit to the new Fuencarral II high-speed workshop in Madrid, accompanied by Renfe President Álvaro Fernández Heredia, Minister Puente outlined the Plan as “a new maintenance model that optimises resources, reduces turnaround times and enhances the reliability of trains in service.”
The facilities visited today represent an investment of nearly €100 million and comprises 18,900 m2, effectively doubling the maintenance capacity for standard-gauge trains. According to the Minister, the workshop “is expected to become fully operational before the end of the year, reflecting a clear strategy, coordinated teamwork, and responsible planning.”
“These are facilities that embody the full expertise of Renfe Mantenimiento, fully equipped to service the new generation of high-speed trains, with the technology and equipment required to guarantee comprehensive upkeep,” the Transport minister added.
Plan for Renfe Workshops and Maintenance 2025–2030
The plan envisages the mobilisation of €1 billion across Spain, reflecting, says Minister Puente, a national vision to foster employment, support industrial development, and enhance territorial cohesion while promoting sustainable mobility.
The Department head says that key initiatives over the next five years include:
• The plan includes the development of new Cercanías Madrid workshops under the PSO programme, including sites at Aranjuez, Móstoles–El Soto, and an additional facility at Fuencarral. These projects involve a total investment of €48 million, with design work already underway.
• Similarly, under the Rodalies Catalunya PSO, approximately €100 million has been earmarked for new or expanding workshops at Ripoll, Manresa, Sant Andreu, and for the extension of Vilanova i la Geltrú.
• Additional projects are planned for high-speed and freight train facilities in Murcia, Málaga, Santander and Valencia, alongside new bases in Almería, Irún, and La Sagra.
Minister Puente emphasised the scale and impact of the programme: “There are over 60 workshops included in the plan, 10 of which are already under construction or in the design phase. Each will stimulate economic activity, generate new opportunities, and strengthen territorial cohesion through employment and innovation.”
The plan also foresees the creation of three new Logistics Centres for Spare Parts, strategically located at La Sagra, Venta de Baños and Villaverde, along with the adaptation of the El Berrón workshop to handle components for metric-gauge trains.
Renfe introduces a more innovative maintenance model
A cornerstone of the new plan is Renfe’s modernised maintenance model, which integrates technologies to enhance passenger service and real-time monitoring systems to detect potential issues before they occur. The plan also introduces automated track inspection systems, digital tools for operations management, and modernised industrial equipment within the workshops. In addition, it emphasises the digitalisation of processes, automation of tasks and the installation of energy-efficient systems.
The Minister expressed his satisfaction with these innovations, noting: “Thanks to process reorganisation and digitalisation, workshop turnaround times are reduced by 29%, which means more trains in service, improved punctuality and a more efficient service for all passengers.”
According to Minister Puente, the new model integrates technology at every stage and represents a new approach to maintenance: anticipating problems before they arise and addressing them better, faster, and with fewer resources.
He concluded: “This is the way forward for Renfe: with innovation, responsibility and a focus on the future. Renfe is consolidating its position as an innovative, sustainable, and competitive public company, capable of leading rail transport in Europe.”