Trying out the AVE high speed train with a 44 min blast from Córdoba to Seville

I've had a nice couple of hours in Córdoba, but now it's time to press on to Seville. So let's try out the AVE high speed train that runs between Madrid and Seville. We'll only be on board for just 44 minutes, but we'll still get a flavour of what it's like to travel in Turista class on one of the oldest high speed trains in service in Spain.
Departure: Córdoba, Spain
Destination: Seville Santa Justa, Spain
Distance: 119 km / 74 miles
Duration: 44 mins
Cost: Adult standard (Turista) single €37,10 / £32.90
Date of Travel: December 2022
Operator: Renfe
Motive power: Renfe AVE Series 100 electric multiple unit. Built: Alstom/CAF (1992)
Thank you to everyone that supports the channel by subscribing, liking, commenting or just watching these videos. I really appreciate it!

[@nuinmarnuinmar5321]

Very interesting as always Johnny, cheers.

[@JohnnyHooverTravels]

Thanks, as ever, for watching. Next week I press on to Cádiz and we get a closer look at Seville Santa Justa station too!

[@cryzcryz2345]

Another amazing video from Spain. Thank you!

[@JohnnyHooverTravels]

thanks!

[@AustinKelly94]

I was travelling by Avant from Córdoba to Malaga the same day you made this trip. Train Spotted at Cordoba Station for an hour on that very rainy morning. Had a pint at a very tense Spanish bar during the Morocco game. Thanks for the video which takes me back

[@JohnnyHooverTravels]

You're welcome. There's a few more from Andalusia on my "Spain" playlist that I you'd also enjoy. Thank you so much for watching and commenting. I really appreciate it 👍

[@colinriley123]

Good report. Look forward to more on Seville station. Taunton to Birmingham next Saturday, single with XCountry £32.20 --90 miles. Just checked it.

[@JohnnyHooverTravels]

Yeah. Seville station next week - i hope people like it as much as I did! Hopefully with open access operators like Iryo getting into Spain prices may fall. I'll certainly be going back.

[@MrJimheeren]

Oh I love Cordoba, the old mosque is one of the most beautiful in the world. The AVE is also very good (and cheap). Love your videos good sir Hmmm you definitely paid quite a lot for that ticket, I did this trip from Madrid a couple of years ago and that was around 50, but then again prices might have gone up

[@JohnnyHooverTravels]

Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I definitely overpaid for the ticket. I'm a bit more savvy now and would probably get a better deal! And yes, Cordoba is lovely 😃 Thanks for watching 👍

[@aalmayo]

The Madrid-Sevilla line is crazy expensive for several reasons. No low cost operators from the high speed rail liberalization are operating this line. Only Iryo is spected to operate from March 31st. Neither Avlo nor Ouigo are expected to operate this line until later this year or 2024. At the same time, RENFE is running out of trains, In the last years the completion of different high speed lines across Spain meant that with the same amount of trains RENFE has to offer more services and they are increasing the prices as the demand is ramping up. Meanwhile, they implemented revenue management dynamic prices instead of fixed ones, creating huge disparity of prices between lines they operate like a monolopy like this one and lines with competition like Northeast line or the Levant line. Due to COVID and the supply crisis Talgo has failed to deliver RENFE's demand for new trains like the AVRIL series, expected to be delivered in 2020 ans is still being manufactured. And has to keep up with the material it has at the moment until Talgo delivers the 30 units RENFE purchased.

[@JohnnyHooverTravels]

Thank you for that. Very interesting. Hopefully Iryo will shake things up a bit. I thought the RENFE train was excellent for its age. But they are getting old. 30 years is very old for a high speed train that suffers the stresses and strains that high speed running creates. So they need new trains not just for the new lines but to replace this ageing stock too. I really appreciate you watching and commenting. ❤️

[@aalmayo]

@@JohnnyHooverTravels A huge problem with the Southern Line (or Madrid-Andalucía line) is that it was the first one to be built (1992), much older than the rest of the lines as it was also the easiest to build, there are almost no mountains or valleys between Sevilla and Madrid, and it uses the LZB signal and protection system, different to the system of the rest of the High Speed lines of Spain (ERTMS), that means that the newer models can't operate this line because they can only do so in with the ERTMS system. Adif has just comisioned the renewal of the Southern Line's system and change it to ERTMS but it won't be completed until 2026.

[@MikeS29]

I think that little flip-down is to keep your bottle of lager from sliding around the tray table! And I'm not crazy about the aesthetic of the Cordoba Station, to be honest, but function over form is better than the other way around.

[@JohnnyHooverTravels]

Haha yes! I just find that the loop is often too small to fit the bottle or can or cup! I suppose these days you can use it to prop up a phone to watch the screen. I know cordoba isn't everyone's favourite. I can happily accept that. But as you say, it is, at worst, functional. Thank you for watching 👍

[@andrewlong6438]

Loved Cordoba. The mosque/cathedral is spectacular. The trains are quite old and tired. No wifi I believe but passenger announcements in English unlike say GWR where it’s English only.

[@JohnnyHooverTravels]

Yes Cordoba is lovely. It was my second visit there and the mosque/cathedral is stunning. Thanks for watching another 👍

[@BengtHansves]

The toilet-check ! The toilet-check !

[@JohnnyHooverTravels]

Sorry, sorry, sorry... and now we'll never know! 😀