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Cañamero Palacios, Francisco
Renfe also features access to all its digital services, such as checking schedules and tickets,
Renfe Viajes (the new range of tourist services linked to railway), the loyalty programme +Renfe
or useful information on any aspect of the trip. Renfe offers this platform as well as a new
Marketplace for the relationship with its customers.
The +Renfe programme customers and those who wish to join it free of charge, as well as those
who travel First Class, will have direct free access to the connection and the contents. By doing
so, Renfe aims at the creation of a new traveller relationship model, with priority given to those
subscribed to its loyalty programme.
But it does not end here. Our engagement with customer satisfaction goes even further. For
this reason, Renfe introduced some months ago a new after-sales commitment for the clients
of its commercial services (AVE, Alvia, Euromed, etc.) simplifying the reference times for
its punctuality commitments and adding new bonus options in the event of a delay. Thus, in
addition to the usual cash refund of the amount of the relevant ticket, Renfe introduced the
option of receiving such relevant amount plus a further 20% as a discount on the purchase of
the next ticket, or its accumulation with an extra 30% for the customers subscribed to +Renfe
loyalty programme opting for the refund in Renfe points (redeemable for tickets or other tourist
services from the partners engaged in the programme).
The new Renfe after-sales commitment relating to its commercial sales expanded the voluntary
punctuality commitment to any circumstances that might delay a train arrival, including also
those circumstances due to force majeure (adverse weather, fire, service disruption by a court,
government or police order, limitations stated by the railway infrastructure manager, etc.).
Thanks to this measure, Renfe expects to keep a leading position regarding the level of
commitment towards its clients and improve one of the most advanced after-sales models
among European transport companies.
Spain wants to travel by train
Between May 2016 and April 2017, 11 Renfe lines reached an all-time high in terms of travellers.
The lines are those connecting Madrid with Barcelona, Asturias, Valencia, Cádiz, Málaga,
Alicante, Pamplona, León and Cantabria, and the lines Barcelona-Valencia and Barcelona-
Zaragoza.
All these lines reached historic levels until the end of April, positioning railway as the most used
collective transport in Spain, well over airplane and bus for the routes around mainland Spain,
where all three modes can compete.
Furthermore, Renfe reaches a high for its AVE and Long Distance trains during July and August,
when 5.8 million travellers used the company, AVE and Long Distance commercial services. This
data means an all-time high representing the biggest passenger volume of the company for the
two months of highest demand in summer, as this result shows a 2.1% improvement, 122,000
more travellers, compared to the same period in 2016.
While high-speed commercial services (AVE, Alvia...) were chosen by more than 3.5 million
travellers (+2.3%, 77,000 more travellers than in 2016), Long Distance services were the choice
of 2.3 million clients (+2.1%, 47,000 more travellers).
These data are complemented with public service trains, Medium Distance and Commuter, used
by more than 64.5 million travellers during July and August, a 3.2% increase compared to 2016.
This means that, altogether, the trains operated by Renfe have served 70.4 million travellers.
Conclusion and next steps
In financial terms, high speed is the most profitable current railway service. Furthermore, Spain
is experiencing a significant growth in line with the great infrastructure investments carried
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