Leo Express, the Czech railway company whose main shareholder since 2021 is Renfe, has presented today the Talgo VI trains during an inaugural journey between Prague and Slovakia. As of 30 April, this new material leased to Renfe will enable the launch of two new international routes and reinforce rail connectivity between the Czech Republic and Slovakia, consolidating the Renfe Group's presence in Central Europe.
The addition of the Talgo VI trains will enable the launch of a new direct connection between Prague and Bratislava, as well as the revival of the service between Prague and Prešov (eastern Slovakia). It will also make it possible to recover the operation in Staré Město. One of its historic destinations, service in Staré Město had been interrupted as a result of changes in the electrification of the infrastructure, an issue that has been resolved with the incorporation of the Talgo VI material.
The opening ceremony was attended by the President of Renfe, Álvaro Fernández Heredia; the General Manager of Renfe Proyectos Internacionales and President of Leo Express, Inmaculada Gutiérrez Carrizo; the General Manager of Renfe Alquiler de Material Ferroviario, Carmen García Cristóbal; and the Economic and Financial General Manager and Director of Leo Express, Marta Torralvo Liébanas. Their presence highlights the strategic nature of the project for the Renfe Group.
Cooperation in material management
The commissioning of the Talgo VI trains represents the culmination of an international project of high technical and regulatory complexity, developed over more than two years of joint work between different areas of the Renfe Group and the Central European operator Leo Express.
Renfe Alquiler de Material Ferroviario has leased to Leo Express three sets of thirteen carriages, with a capacity of 354 passengers per train.
For more than two years, Renfe Proyectos Internacionales and Leo Express have been involved in the standardisation work to obtain European authorisation allowing Talgo IV trains to operate interchangeably across the railway networks of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
In parallel, a maintenance model has been defined in which Leo Express will act as the entity in charge of maintenance for the trains, while Tarvia, in coordination with Renfe Ingeniería y Mantenimiento, will be responsible for more complex repairs and the management of strategic components.
Leo Express, Renfe's main European partner
Leo Express is a private rail operator based in the Czech Republic that started its activity in 2014 and has established itself as one of the most dynamic players in Central Europe in open-access commercial and public service rail services.
Since Renfe’s entry into its capital in December 2021, acquiring a 50% majority stake, the company has experienced sustained growth in passenger numbers, financial performance and operational quality, underpinned by a model that combines technological innovation, sustainability and a clear international focus.
The company is currently expanding its activity by adding new routes to Slovakia, Poland and Germany and consolidating its role as a railway reference in Central Europe, with the forecast to exceed six million passengers per year in 2026.