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Just under two years after low-cost rail operator Ouigo launched its Madrid-Murcia service, the French-owned company has confirmed that it has carried more than 550,000 passengers on the route, describing the results as comfortably meeting its targets for the Region.

 

"At Ouigo, we have a very positive assessment of our Madrid-Murcia route," the company stated. "The 550,000 passengers who have enjoyed Ouigo since our arrival in Murcia confirm that there is significant demand in the Region."

 

When the service launched in late 2024, Ouigo started modestly with two daily return trips to Madrid via Elche and Albacete, offering around 2,000 seats per day. The response was strong enough that last October the company expanded its offering by 50%, adding an extra return trip and bringing the total to six daily services. That translates to 3,000 seats a day and 21,000 a week, with four of the routes now also stopping at Alicante.

 

It's worth noting that only one of the six daily services makes full use of the high-speed infrastructure, connecting Murcia and Madrid in under three hours. Journey times on the remaining services range from around three hours and sixteen minutes to three hours and forty-eight minutes depending on the route.

 

The growth in Murcia fits into a broader picture of success for Ouigo in Spain. The operator recorded passenger growth of 44.3% across its entire Spanish network in 2025 and closed its first full year of operations in profit, posting a positive EBITDA for the first time since it began running services in the country.

 

Image: Ouigo