Renfe expands in Italy through partnership with Longitude Holding

Credit: Renfe

Renfe, Spain’s leading railway operator, has announced that it has made a significant stride in its European expansion strategy by acquiring a 33% stake in the Italian company Longitude Holding. This move, executed through Renfe Proyectos Internacionales, marks the beginning of the company’s active operations in Italy under the Arenaways brand, managed by Longitude.

Key highlights of the partnership

• Piedmont Services Begin in January: Renfe, alongside Longitude Holding and Serena Industrial Partners, will kick off operations with regional passenger services in Piedmont, Italy. The first routes will include connections between Cuneo, Saluzzo and Savigliano, and between Ceva and Ormea
• 10-year contract worth €54 million: Longitude has secured a decade-long agreement with the Piedmont Mobility Agency to operate these services, with plans to further expand into other regional and long-distance routes in Italy
• Open access authorisations: With approval from the Italian Transport Regulatory Authority, Longitude plans to launch open access long-distance connections across Italy, targeting key routes in the Northwest-Northeast and North-Central-South corridors.

Matteo Arena, CEO of Longitude, said: “The experience, international know-how and strength of the companies behind Arenaways will help us to achieve all our goals by constantly improving the quality of our products and services. We have been defined as ‘the third national operator’; however, we do not consider competition as opposition: competition offers huge benefits for users and for the entire community, as it immediately translates into more choice, better services and diversity.”

Renfe Chairman Raül Blanco said: “For Renfe, this operation means that we have new European partners, expanding into a new market of recognised prestige in the railway sector as is the case of Italy and at the same time, harnessing our experience as an expert operator to support an exciting project that contributes to more sustainable and connected mobility throughout Europe.”

Renfe’s broader European vision

Renfe’s Italian venture complements its growing portfolio across Europe:

• In France, Renfe operates high-speed AVE trains on key international routes, with plans for further expansion
• In Central Europe, Renfe partners with Leo Exprés in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland
• It is also involved in the Rail Baltica project as a strategic consultant in the Baltics.