Iryo CEO and General Manager Simone Gorini confirmed that high-speed prices will “definitely” rise and stressed that it is necessary to give “fair value” to the service. In a symposium at the Equestrian Department. Guerini stated that income continues to rise due to rising employment rates as well. However, he warned that there are also high costs which is why he asked Adif to reduce the fees. In this sense, he gave the example of Italy, where it was reduced by 40%, which allowed to reduce ticket prices and increase frequencies. On the other hand, Gorini showed interest in operating the Mediterranean corridor in the second phase of liberalization and, at the European level, the Barcelona-Paris route.
Gorrini commented that high speed is an “important product” and that it is necessary to give it the value it has and place it in a “higher” position. For this reason, he considered it “essential” to propose a service for different audiences such as the “business” category.
Iryo entered service in the country in November 2022 and in its first full year of service, in 2023, it carried 6 million passengers between Barcelona and Madrid and expects to reach 10 million next June. The manager revealed that approximately 40% of travelers are for business and 60% for leisure.
Asked whether Ouigo was “dumping” with its low prices, as Transport Minister Oscar Puente criticized, Jorini did not want to get into this “controversy” and limited himself to saying that the company was focused on “providing value.” . However, he ruled out that Ouigo, with this policy, would pose a “threat” because it is a “low-quality” product.
Regarding the new services in the state, the company’s CEO expressed interest in operating the route between Barcelona and the town of Valencia in the future. “We are very much looking forward to the Mediterranean corridor,” admitted Gorrini, who defended the presence of “works” and that since the UIC is wide, it will be easier to operate this route. On the other hand, in Galicia, where he also has an interest, it could be more difficult – he said – because the width is more Iberian and new trains will have to be bought.
Aerio’s chief executive has expressed his “absolute conviction” that railways are entering a “golden age” and said it is a means of transport that is “exploding” in France, Italy and the UK.
On the other hand, Gorrini stressed that the company has no interest in participating in the process of liberalization of the local service (Cercanías a l’Estate). In this regard, he stated that the editing would be very small and stated that providing such a service was “operationally very complex”. “You have to go in with a lot of determination, investment, training and organization. It’s not simple,” he said.
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