Spain: Renfe put its first Stadler-built series 453 trains into passenger service on 24 August, running a four-car and an eight-car set on the 71.6 km C-7 line.
Each unit pairs double-deck KISS intermediate cars with single-deck FLIRT motor cars. The four-car set runs to 97.2 m and carries up to 912 passengers and has 252 seats; the eight-car set stretches to 191.6 m and carries up to 1,884 passengers and has 524 seats.
Interiors include multifunctional areas for bicycles and pushchairs, plus dedicated spaces for passengers with reduced mobility. Seat get USB chargers and power sockets, and the trains carry passenger information and CCTV systems along with LED lighting.
Renfe ordered the fleet under a March 2021 contract with Stadler, then exercised an option in December 2022 for 24 four-car T100 sets and 55 eight-car T200 sets worth €1.3 bln combined. The trains will operate at up to 140 km/h on 3 kV DC lines with a 1,668 mm track gauge.
