24/09/2024 (Agence Europe) – “It’s clear to everyone that France is doing everything it can to prevent a genuine process of liberalisation in its market”, was the criticism from the Spanish Transport Minister, Oscar Puente, in an interview with the daily El Pais on Tuesday 24 September. Although it was planned for the Olympic Games, the arrival of the operator Renfe in Paris is unlikely to take place before the end of the year, or even in 2025. Since July 2023, Renfe has been operating direct high-speed services between Barcelona and Lyon, then between Madrid and Marseille. The French company SNCF has been present on the Spanish market, via its subsidiary Ouigo, since spring 2021, with which it serves Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante. Connections to Andalusia are also due to be launched in the autumn. Mr Puente criticised a lack of “reciprocity”. (MB)