Cercanías
Encyclopedia
Cercanías is the name given to the commuter rail systems of Spain
's major metropolitan areas. In Catalonia
and Valencia
, however, the term is replaced by Rodalies (ruðəˈli.əs, roðaˈli.es), while the designation Aldirikoak (aldiɾikoak) is used in the Basque Country
.
Operated by the national rail company RENFE
, Cercanías are in the process of being transferred to the regional autonomous governments
, that is the case of Rodalies de Catalonia
which has already been handed over to the Catalan Government, now operated by FGC
.
There are currently twelve Cercanías systems in Spain: Asturias
, Bilbao
, Catalonia
, Cádiz, Madrid
, Málaga
, Murcia/Alicante
, Santander, San Sebastián, Seville, Valencia, and Zaragoza
. It is well linked to Metro systems in Madrid
, Barcelona
, Valencia, and Bilbao
.
The network was the target of the 2004 Madrid train bombings. The attacks, which killed 191 people in Santa Eugenia, El Pozo and Atocha stations, were the bloodiest terrorist actions in Spain to date.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's major metropolitan areas. In Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
and Valencia
Valencian Community
The Valencian Community is an autonomous community of Spain located in central and south-eastern Iberian Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Valencia...
, however, the term is replaced by Rodalies (ruðəˈli.əs, roðaˈli.es), while the designation Aldirikoak (aldiɾikoak) is used in the Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
.
Operated by the national rail company RENFE
RENFE
Renfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668-mm "Iberian gauge" and 1435-mm "European gauge" networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF .- History :The name RENFE is derived from that of the former Spanish National...
, Cercanías are in the process of being transferred to the regional autonomous governments
Autonomous communities of Spain
An autonomous community In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian .*Galician .*Basque . The second article of the constitution recognizes the rights of "nationalities and regions" to self-government and declares the "indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation".Political power in Spain is...
, that is the case of Rodalies de Catalonia
Rodalies de Catalunya
Rodalies de Catalunya is a commuter rail that serves Barcelona and its metropolitan area, other parts of the province and some municipalities of the provinces of Girona and Tarragona...
which has already been handed over to the Catalan Government, now operated by FGC
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya , or FGC, is a railway company which operates several unconnected lines in Catalonia, Spain....
.
There are currently twelve Cercanías systems in Spain: Asturias
Cercanías Asturias
Cercanías Asturias is a commuter rail service between Oviedo and Gijón and towns in the Autonomous Community of Asturias.- Lines under RENFE management :There are three lines:* C-1 ** Gijón railway station** Gijón-Jovellanos...
, Bilbao
Cercanías Bilbao
Cercanías Bilbao is a commuter rail network in Bilbao, serving the city and its metropolitan area. It is operated by Cercanías, as part of Renfe, the national railway company...
, Catalonia
Rodalies de Catalunya
Rodalies de Catalunya is a commuter rail that serves Barcelona and its metropolitan area, other parts of the province and some municipalities of the provinces of Girona and Tarragona...
, Cádiz, Madrid
Cercanías Madrid
Cercanías Madrid is the commuter rail service that serves Madrid, the capital of Spain, and its metropolitan area. It is operated by Cercanías Renfe, the commuter rail division of RENFE, the former monopoly of rail services in Spain. The system is infamous for being the target of the 11 March 2004...
, Málaga
Cercanías Málaga
Cercanías Málaga is a commuter rail service between central Málaga, Spain, and towns in the province. The network consists of 70 km of track, with two lines and 24 stations in operation. The trains are powered by overhead lines and run on broad Iberian gauge track.- Line C-1 Malaga - Airport -...
, Murcia/Alicante
Cercanías Murcia/Alicante
Cercanías Murcia/Alicante is a commuter rail service in Alicante province and Region of Murcia that connects Alicante and Murcia with San Vicente del Raspeig, Elche, Orihuela, Totana, Lorca, and Águilas. It runs through 200 km of railways with a total of 26 stations.- Lines :The cercanías...
, Santander, San Sebastián, Seville, Valencia, and Zaragoza
Cercanías Zaragoza
Cercanías Zaragoza is the name given to the RENFE operated commuter train service in and around the city of Zaragoza, in Aragon, Spain.There is currently one line, running from Miraflores to Casetas...
. It is well linked to Metro systems in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Valencia, and Bilbao
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
.
The network was the target of the 2004 Madrid train bombings. The attacks, which killed 191 people in Santa Eugenia, El Pozo and Atocha stations, were the bloodiest terrorist actions in Spain to date.
List of Cercanías routes
- Cercanías AsturiasCercanías AsturiasCercanías Asturias is a commuter rail service between Oviedo and Gijón and towns in the Autonomous Community of Asturias.- Lines under RENFE management :There are three lines:* C-1 ** Gijón railway station** Gijón-Jovellanos...
- Rodalies de CatalunyaRodalies de CatalunyaRodalies de Catalunya is a commuter rail that serves Barcelona and its metropolitan area, other parts of the province and some municipalities of the provinces of Girona and Tarragona...
(BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
) - Cercanías BilbaoCercanías BilbaoCercanías Bilbao is a commuter rail network in Bilbao, serving the city and its metropolitan area. It is operated by Cercanías, as part of Renfe, the national railway company...
- Cercanías Cádiz
- Cercanías MadridCercanías MadridCercanías Madrid is the commuter rail service that serves Madrid, the capital of Spain, and its metropolitan area. It is operated by Cercanías Renfe, the commuter rail division of RENFE, the former monopoly of rail services in Spain. The system is infamous for being the target of the 11 March 2004...
- Cercanías MálagaCercanías MálagaCercanías Málaga is a commuter rail service between central Málaga, Spain, and towns in the province. The network consists of 70 km of track, with two lines and 24 stations in operation. The trains are powered by overhead lines and run on broad Iberian gauge track.- Line C-1 Malaga - Airport -...
- Cercanías Murcia/AlicanteCercanías Murcia/AlicanteCercanías Murcia/Alicante is a commuter rail service in Alicante province and Region of Murcia that connects Alicante and Murcia with San Vicente del Raspeig, Elche, Orihuela, Totana, Lorca, and Águilas. It runs through 200 km of railways with a total of 26 stations.- Lines :The cercanías...
- Cercanías Santander
- Cercanías San Sebastian
- Cercanías Sevilla
- Cercanías Valencia
- Cercanías ZaragozaCercanías ZaragozaCercanías Zaragoza is the name given to the RENFE operated commuter train service in and around the city of Zaragoza, in Aragon, Spain.There is currently one line, running from Miraflores to Casetas...
Rolling stock
The Cercanías services use these rolling stock:| Series | Area | Image |
|---|---|---|
| 440 | Santander | |
| 440R | Asturias Cercanías Asturias Cercanías Asturias is a commuter rail service between Oviedo and Gijón and towns in the Autonomous Community of Asturias.- Lines under RENFE management :There are three lines:* C-1 ** Gijón railway station** Gijón-Jovellanos... CádizMadrid Cercanías Madrid Cercanías Madrid is the commuter rail service that serves Madrid, the capital of Spain, and its metropolitan area. It is operated by Cercanías Renfe, the commuter rail division of RENFE, the former monopoly of rail services in Spain. The system is infamous for being the target of the 11 March 2004... San SebastiánSantanderSevillaValencia |
 |
| 442 | Madrid Cercanías Madrid Cercanías Madrid is the commuter rail service that serves Madrid, the capital of Spain, and its metropolitan area. It is operated by Cercanías Renfe, the commuter rail division of RENFE, the former monopoly of rail services in Spain. The system is infamous for being the target of the 11 March 2004... |
 |
| 446 | Bilbao Cercanías Bilbao Cercanías Bilbao is a commuter rail network in Bilbao, serving the city and its metropolitan area. It is operated by Cercanías, as part of Renfe, the national railway company... Madrid Cercanías Madrid Cercanías Madrid is the commuter rail service that serves Madrid, the capital of Spain, and its metropolitan area. It is operated by Cercanías Renfe, the commuter rail division of RENFE, the former monopoly of rail services in Spain. The system is infamous for being the target of the 11 March 2004... Málaga Cercanías Málaga Cercanías Málaga is a commuter rail service between central Málaga, Spain, and towns in the province. The network consists of 70 km of track, with two lines and 24 stations in operation. The trains are powered by overhead lines and run on broad Iberian gauge track.- Line C-1 Malaga - Airport -... Sevilla |
 |
| 447 | BarcelonaMadrid Cercanías Madrid Cercanías Madrid is the commuter rail service that serves Madrid, the capital of Spain, and its metropolitan area. It is operated by Cercanías Renfe, the commuter rail division of RENFE, the former monopoly of rail services in Spain. The system is infamous for being the target of the 11 March 2004... Valencia |
 |
| 450 | BarcelonaMadrid Cercanías Madrid Cercanías Madrid is the commuter rail service that serves Madrid, the capital of Spain, and its metropolitan area. It is operated by Cercanías Renfe, the commuter rail division of RENFE, the former monopoly of rail services in Spain. The system is infamous for being the target of the 11 March 2004... |
 |
| 451 | Barcelona | |
| 592 | Murcia/Alicante Cercanías Murcia/Alicante Cercanías Murcia/Alicante is a commuter rail service in Alicante province and Region of Murcia that connects Alicante and Murcia with San Vicente del Raspeig, Elche, Orihuela, Totana, Lorca, and Águilas. It runs through 200 km of railways with a total of 26 stations.- Lines :The cercanías... Cercanías SevillaValencia |
 |
| Civia | Asturias Cercanías Asturias Cercanías Asturias is a commuter rail service between Oviedo and Gijón and towns in the Autonomous Community of Asturias.- Lines under RENFE management :There are three lines:* C-1 ** Gijón railway station** Gijón-Jovellanos... BarcelonaCádizMadrid Cercanías Madrid Cercanías Madrid is the commuter rail service that serves Madrid, the capital of Spain, and its metropolitan area. It is operated by Cercanías Renfe, the commuter rail division of RENFE, the former monopoly of rail services in Spain. The system is infamous for being the target of the 11 March 2004... Málaga Cercanías Málaga Cercanías Málaga is a commuter rail service between central Málaga, Spain, and towns in the province. The network consists of 70 km of track, with two lines and 24 stations in operation. The trains are powered by overhead lines and run on broad Iberian gauge track.- Line C-1 Malaga - Airport -... SevillaValenciaZaragoza Cercanías Zaragoza Cercanías Zaragoza is the name given to the RENFE operated commuter train service in and around the city of Zaragoza, in Aragon, Spain.There is currently one line, running from Miraflores to Casetas... |
 |