Madrid to Real Sitio de San Ildefonso train with Renfe AVANT

Renfe AVANT is a high-speed, medium-distance passenger rail service operated by Renfe, Spain's national railway company. These trains provide comfortable and efficient travel on shorter routes, typically less than two hours, connecting different provinces within the same or neighboring autonomous communities. AVANT services operate on high-speed lines, reaching speeds of up to 250 km/h, though some sources mention speeds up to 300 km/h. AVANT trains, such as the series 104, 114, and 121, generally offer a single class configuration (Standard Class or Turista) with air-conditioned comfort. While they may lack some features of longer-distance AVE trains, like a full restaurant car, many have vending machines for snacks and drinks, and some AV City branded services include a cafeteria. Popular routes include Madrid to Toledo, Barcelona to Girona, and Seville to Cordoba.

Renfe Alvia are high-speed trains with top speeds of up to 250km/h operated by Renfe, Spain’s national railway company. Alvia trains cover most cities in Spain, including Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Valencia, Alicante, Zaragoza and Cadiz. They are somewhat slower than Renfe AVE and AVLO (high-speed and low cost) but cover more destinations and are a comfortable and effective way of travelling around Spain. Onboard facilities include free WIFI, bike storage and luggage allowance. Alvia trains have two seat classes – Estándar and Confort. Top routes for Renfe Alvia include Barcelona to Pamplona, Madrid to Cádiz and Alicante to Gijón.