The story of FEVE is that of a slowly decaying service. It used to work farily well up to the late 90s early 2000s but at that point trains were slow and unreliable and infrastructure was plain old. Many times, regions through which it passes have tried to improve service but with lack of political compliance, the service continues to be slow, of little use and deficitary. But still, thanks for showing everyone the treasure of Spain aka the north haha
Thank you very much for this beautiful trip.I like very much Spain,it's very interesting und very beautiful. I apreciate so much all. I respect you. God bless you! 😘🙃🤗
Yo hice el servicio militar en Ferrol e hice ese trayecto varias veces....tardaba una eternidad y a Oviedo llegaba a la estacion del Vasco.....from Oviedo,Asturias,España....
Incidentally where you mention the A8 being a feat of engineering; The darker grey bridge is the old one. It is now closed to traffic and is a now a part of the Camino from San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela. An amazing structure to walk over. We stopped on it and had lunch with cars travelling at 150 km/h just a few metres away on a totally different bridge.
Great video. I'm from US but live in Santander and agree that the Renfe but especially the Cercanias (regional trains) systems are horrible for finding time tables, buying tickets ahead of time, and services in small stations. I am glad there is a decent station here so staff are available as often you need to go to a staff person as the machines are not the most user friendly or cooperative. I've often seen staff at the machines to help people (not just tourist) deal with how frustrating and confusing the machines are. All that said, the challenges are worth the effort. The scenery is stunning, the people are awesome, and life is slow. I have been here a year and have begun looking for property. This part of Spain is less frequented by non-Spanish travelers and I hesitate to tell you how incredible it is as part of the charm is how off-the-beaten-track it is. So please don't come unless you are ready to slow down to the speed of cows chewing their cud.
Just come back from Galicia and seen loads of this line. Looks fantastic and really tempted to give it a go now. 7+ hours though....! Great video - thanks!
Thank you for your new report, so good as usual and wonderful. I did this journey a few years ago between Xixon to Oviedo, riding on the old units. Now is almost a De Luxe service !! If you go there for a tourist visit head to Culleredo or Tazones both of them in Asturias, fresh seafood and very good cider.
Thank you for a great review ! The scenery is certainly stunning, and the trains themselves seemed right for the job. However, the lack of passengers is alarming !
I recommend you to try the another line of FEVE, which is called "Tren de La Robla" or FEVE Bilbao - La Robla. It goes from the city of Bilbao to the city of León, through the mountains of the north of spain. The landscapes are even better than this line because it goes through very small villages in the countryside.
And the landscape changes dramatically. I love the lush seaside, but the line to León gives you a bit of the diversity this country has to offer, climbing from the green hills into the mountains and finally onto the Castilian plateau. And León is a pleasant city. By combining, you also see the beautiful line from León to Oviedo, which will shortly be replaced by a much faster, but also much duller HSL mostly in tunnels...
This is a very beautiful part of Spain, thanks for showing it. Ferrol train station is forgotten by the Transport ministry. The current line is too slow to be useful to commute to Coruña a and same for Asturias.
Prior to the openning to Renfe's competitors the fact was that profitable services (Barcelona - Madrid HSL, for example) cover non-profitable Media Distancia services, in both iberian and narrow gauges. Competition is here, and average fares are lower on the corridor opened to competitors (Barcelona - Madrid). The same is to be expected in Madrid - Valencia, where the competition will start later this year. it's complicated how non-profitable routes will be covered if fares of profitable services are lower. Narrow gauge infrastructure in Spain is really old and needs lot of investment; and it's not clear if will be done. Those 2400 DMU's are nicknamed "Apolos". The legroom in "bays of 4" is super tight because isn't intended as this. This type of seat can be putted manually forward or rear facing pulling the handle. You will also find this seats in 470, 448 EMU's and on 592 (some) and 596 DMU's The real ironing board seats are the Cercanias grey old-ones ; like the ones on the train standing right in Oviedo. Those also are the seats of 446, 450, 451 and majority of 447 EMU's. Also some 592 DMU's that are on Cercanias duties. Reason for changing trains in Ribadeo? Not sure, but It could be the poor performance of the 2400 DMU's (acceleration and speed) and a lack of avaliavility of 2700's DMU's
Yes and no. No because operations are very different between a hsl vs a commuter line, in wherever gauge is. And yes because if average fare is lower and passengers doesn't grow up quickly no money for less profitable corridors. Sadly Cuenca classic line is the example. Needs a high investment and there's not a plan to do so and the fears of closing are there and real.
Another amazing video! I am so glad that you film these "for the journey" adventures. I particularly like the fact that you cover more "obscure" routes and rail lines. Seeing parts of the world I have never seen before is so entertaining and educational/informative> Thanks
Good scenery is found on the R3 Line on Rodalies de Catalunya. You pass through the city, you pass many little villages and a couple of cities while you go up the mountain
We travelled on this line about four years ago as part of a railway travel group we could not buy tickets online and no one could buy tickets for us when we arrived at Ferrol they weren’t happy to see us at the station. We got the tickets off the guy on the train one at a time and there was thirty to forty of us the roll of paper tickets from his machine was metres long, it seemed they thought the train was for locals only and no one else should bother trying to use it. In the end we had a great day with the locals and to travelled on it all the way to Sandtander
Great video that brought back some fond memories of ‘almost’ catching this train from Treceno back in 2005. Maybe next time I go back this will be on the list 👍
Glad to see the Mini-Apollo class 2400s are still around. I understand RENFE sold some stock to S. American countries and Kenya. I’ve travelled the el Ferrol to Viviero sector a couple of times and also Bilbao to Santander and Bilbao to Leon. The latter is particularly spectacular in parts. That service used to convey a refreshment trolley but that was over a decade ago. Some of the stations it called at were effectively inaccessible by road. Excellent video. Look forward to the eastern section.
Thank you for this nice Video! Last October I travelled from Innsbruck to Hendaye by train, and from there all the way to Ferrol by Euskotren an FEVE. I loved this journey very much - beautyful landscape and cities, nice people an good food! I can highly recommend travelling through Northern Spain by narrow gauge trains!
I really enjoyed this train ride. Passing near the bay, lush green villages. Beautiful towns, all were natural beauty. Both the trains were good. Seating arrangements were also good. WiFi services should be given. Overall it was best train journey. Love from Pakistan.
Fun fact: the frist train( 2400 series ) are caled Apolos like the mision that Nasa did to send people to the moon. Great video! . You will try the electric trains on Feve ferrocarriles españoles de vía estrecha( spanish narrow gauge railways) ?. Have a nice day!
Very interesting. I was looking at the route map on Wikipedia. Is the whole network interconnected or operated as different systems. Let me word it differently, in theory would it be possible to run a train all the way from Ferrol to Bilbo and beyond, Leon, for example? If so that is one massive narrow gauge network.
Me encantó...!!! Estoy programando un viaje por Europa para el año próximo, y quisiera saber si estos trenes se pueden abordar con Eurailpass. Soy de Argentina.
I took a lot of that route in 2019 when returning from doing the Camino del Norte. The train line follows the Camino from Hendaye (France) to Ribadeo, where the Camino then turns SW. It's stunning, as is a bus ride from Santiago to Oviedo and Bilbao via the road. It's a bit of an issue; they have improved the road network so much in the area that the FEVE has very few passengers, things like a food trolley would be a loss maker. As most people only travel less than 1 hour (in my experience) it makes no sense. They can either go the full monty and have a train every 30-60 mins, or just do what they are doing. I fear that it will be no more in 10-15 years.
Great video. This is definitely on my bucket list. Going to do the Euskotren & Feve through the Basque region this year. Renfe clearly spend all their money on their high speed services. Ironically, as I write this, I'm about to head to Cork but that is a lot closer to me... 2 trains a day reminds me of some of the train services here in Ireland. Run 2 at times not particularly convenient times, complain people dont use them & recommend closure..
Yeah that's pretty much where Feve services are. Forgotten railways are sad, but at least they do still run, and it's honestly a hidden gem. I plan to do more soon ☺️
Lovely scenery! Very picturesque. Perhaps the lack of trolley service is due to most frequent ridership is around an hour or so where catering or refreshment is not so much required? Nevertheless RENFE has vending machines on their Media Distancia services (or used to have before the Pandemic) so a small one could be placed on board, considering there is enough room to do so of course. Again, great video👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
greetings from the basque country friend! also, feve was actually a unique company, but that was purchased on 2013 by renfe, removing his original colors (blue and white) and repainting the trains.
(I'm from Galicia) As you say these services are not viable at all, renfe just offers one or two per day to avoid appearing in the newspaper for closing another traditional railway line. This coast line houses a decent amount of people, if there were more frequencies the service would be more usable and viable.
It's been many years since I last took a FEVE train, but they weren't really meant to travel the whole distance. Their purpose was to be used for short trips, like a few towns away at most. They stopped at every little town in their way. They used to depart every 20 minutes back then. I don't think the FEVE trains are very useful nowadays, but there are no other lines connecting the north coast. If anyone decides to try this route I really recommend you to stop at the small towns at the coast. They are all really beautiful.
Thanks for your video and insight. With no usable toilet on a 7+ hour trip, could you at least use a toilet at one of the stops? that's too long for me to hold it! Just wondering and I am inspired to take that journey.
This is a great resource for me. I'm Interrailing this May for the first time since 1978, starting from the ferry to Santander and travelling the North Coast by FEVE. How do you use a mobile Interrail pass if the station is not staffed? Lovely high quality videos, especially the pieces about accessibility.
According to a page (only in Spanish) on the official Renfe website, Feve services can be used with an interrail pass, you just need your pass with the starting date present and some kind of ID with a photo. Most of the "remote stops" (I can't think of any better term to use) in Feve and Cercanías (commuter) services don't have ticket machines, so they rely on people buying the ticket in the less remote station they are probably travelling from/to that has turnstiles and ticket machines. All stations with turnstiles have ticket machines, and all ticket machines (and I'd say that all stations irrespective of whether they have ticket machines of not) have a button you can press to talk to staff even if they aren't physically there in case you have any kind of problem. Every ticket machine has the option to change the language and English is among the available ones. When you go to buy a ticket, one of the buttons on screen allows you to cycle through the different types of tickets available such as discounts from zoos or other companies that have partnered with Renfe. Probably, somewhere in that list, you'll find Interrail, in which case you'll probably have to introduce or scan some kind of code from your interrail mobile pass and you'll get your ticket. Either way, I'm almost positive all of the remote stops that appeared in the video didn't have any ticket machines or turnstiles, since they serve tiny villages where it would be more costly to maintain the ticket machines than the amount of money they might lose from the locals not paying for their tickets since it's a heavily subsidized regional train line. I'm sorry for the long comment I ended up writing to answer such a short question. I hope that my response is somewhat coherent and that it helps you.
I wrote a veeeery long reply to your answer that might be marked as spam by UA-cam for that same reason. Please, let me know if it's visible and, if it is, don't hesitate to ask any more questions. I'll do my best to answer them.
@@manuelbonet Thankyou Manuel for your very thoughtful and comprehensive answer. You dealt with the issues I was thinking about but hadn't expressed in my question.
I couldn't have said it better myself. Yes, interrail is valid on Feve services. But most are so cheap you may not want to waste a travel day if you have a non consecutive day pass.
@@NonstopEurotrip I have a two month pass, but don't mind paying the fare if there is any difficulty. I may even activate the pass after getting to the end of this line. I haven't yet decided where to go to from there. Probably Portugal. Your excellent reviews will help me to decide. Paul.
I cant help thinking what the purpose of this line is or at least still having it - I mean, it's obviously absolutely stunning, but how many people will choose a 7 hour (scenic) train journey instead of a 3 hour car journey? Are som parts of it at least somewhat efficient? Love your vids
It is not a line of thought to obtain benefits, it is a public service. Even if it is not used by many people, it must be maintained because many places do not have other public transport. Of course, it could be greatly improved if the necessary spare parts were available to keep the trains fully operational and in perfect condition, which is not the case.
If you ever come to Madrid, you should see the metro, Cercanías line C-9; which is an alpine meter-gauge line; And Regional/Cercanías Guadalajara-Segovia, one of the most beautiful trips out there; although it's very long
Feve occupies a very odd spot inside of Renfe's portfolio of rail networks because of how old the lines are and the expense required to modernize them. It falls under the Cercanìas arm of the company (think of it like an S-bahn) because it operates through the very mountainous Galicia and Asturias The little orange circle symbol you see on the trains is the Cercanìas logo, which is used on other services through the country. The lines were originally constructed to connect most of Asturias to other pieces of it, back when trains being the primary method of intercity transit was the norm. As time has gone on and cities were connected with roads, the feve system has struggled with competition because it hasn't been modernized at all. It's much more often quicker to travel by intercity bus (which is very common throughout spain) or just drive, since the system's network is limited to Asturias, which is a fairly small province. The main problem with modernizing it is cost, as Asturias is very mountainous and upgrading the line to standard or Iberian gauge would be incredibly expensive. Basically the service is only used by tourists because it's ridiculously slow. It's very scenic, as you have seen, but people who need to travel between towns very seldom use it for that purpose given how readily available most alternatives are.
Funny that Feve also has a short line in Murcia, well on the other side of country. There have been plans to convert it to a light rail line much like what happened in Alicante/Alacant, but I guess politics and/or funding won't allow it yet.
It's only now that I fully realised that Spain has three different gauges. I knew, of course; I was already aware of the narrow gauge lines, but only now I joined the dots. Although by the looks of it, and judging by the comments, the narrow gauge lines are slowly on the way out.
@@NonstopEurotrip The one thing I forgot to mention about narrow gauge railways is that they're so cute. They're like a real train, but smaller. A bit like a six year old claiming to be a big boy who'll protect his mummy. There aren't that many left in Europe: mostly in the Alpine regions, and FEVE.
Whilst the trains were sadly lacking in comfort and accessibility there were some hidden gems en route including some stations. If they wanted this route to be more than a token to the locals not only does it need promoting but a higher level of comfort and some catering facilities.
Yeah a trolley service would be great. The problem is it's too slow. No-one except me is probably crazy to do the whole line 😂 stunning scenery though 👍🏻
Buen video y bonitas vistas. Una pena que esta lineas de FEVE vayan a peor hasta llegar al punto de que la infraestructura este tan mal que los usuarios tengan que seguir el trayecto en autobús porque los de Renfe y Adif solo están centrados en el AVE y las líneas de FEVE ni les interesan mantenerlas. Son muy lentas de otro siglo con lo que conocemos hoy y se pierden estas líneas de ancho métrico con buenas vistas al paisaje. Embargo la linea Bilbao-San Sebastián-Hendaya está muy bien mantenida gracias a Euskotren.
A beautiful journey, and I find this narrow gauge rail network interesting. It makes me reflect on the narrow gauge rail network in Sweden, where most of the mentioned rail network unfortunately no longer exists. A few railway lines still exist as heritage railways, with the only remaining exception with regular services, being Stockholm’s Roslagsbanan. A lot of Sweden’s narrow gauge railways most likely got demolished because of a lack of passengers due to cars and parallel bus services. Now however, in a time when the general interest in train travel (e.g. among Swedes) has growned a lot because of climate change etc, it seems there are very few discussions about building new - och rebuilding former - local railways in Sweden. From my point of view, Swedish politicians are much more keen on discussing new main line railways connecting several Swedish regions. However, I get the impression that local train services is of interest among - at least parts - of the public. Who knows… maybe we one day will see more narrow gauge railways in Sweden. If there’s an interest in learning more about Swedish narrow gauge railways, there is information to be found on the internet (e.g. via this Wikipedia page: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrow-gauge_railways_in_Sweden ).
It is indeed scenic. and for that price it sounds just amazing. If you'd like a scenic line, though it is in Italy, try to travel on the Faentina Railway Line, and you'll see
@@NonstopEurotrip sure. I'd suggest you try over the summer, cause there is a train between Florence and Rimini which travels on the Faentina, to get you a good experience 😁
Because that's not how most people travel now. They like to pre-book the tickets online, or pay with a credit card,. especially with infrequent train services. And when the timetables are hard to find, online tickets unavailable, and ticket offices closed, and machines only accept cash, it all ads to the stress of travelling, especially with a family or on a short holiday.
en febrero de este año 2022 ice el trayecto ferrol a oviedo y solo una incidencia con una revisora mandona lo demas todo bien aunque tarda una eternidad asta oviedo parando en todas las estaciones del recorrido .. no lo recomiendo
Es porque esos trenes están pensados para trayectos cortos entre pueblos. Algunos de ellos (mayormente los que hay que solicitar parada) no tienen autobuses que los conecten entre sí.
Did you know you can flip the seats over by pushing them (on the UTE-2400 Apolo Units only though)? You were lucky to get an Apolo for the longer portion of the trip, as the 2700 and 2900 units are much more common, and uncomfortable (they're designed to be commuter trains, not regional trains). Here's my review of them: ua-cam.com/video/BLZPZ5VKuU8/v-deo.html Finally, I'd recommend traveling on the Oviedo - Santander line for even more gorgeous scenery; and the Gijón Laviana Cercanías line for a ride on Spain's 3rd oldest route.
Thank you, nonstop eurotrip!😊 Yes, I know you love Spain, you say it in every video. Maybe this is where you should live.😁 Anyway, you make us travel well with your trains, we have a lot of fun with you. Especially there, more than 7 hours of trains for uh... not a lot of kilometres. 😆 But I don't know the particular geographical situation of Spain, so I can't say. The seats don't look comfortable to me. Looks like a slightly upgraded tourist train or tram. In any case, more than 7 hours there in these conditions, and in addition having to change trains in the middle of the road, not for me, no. In any case, the fountain at the beginning is magnificent. Thank you very much. I think of you.
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Spain is stunning and varied. Beautiful scenery from a beautiful country
Oh yes, and the north is so untouched 😄
The story of FEVE is that of a slowly decaying service. It used to work farily well up to the late 90s early 2000s but at that point trains were slow and unreliable and infrastructure was plain old. Many times, regions through which it passes have tried to improve service but with lack of political compliance, the service continues to be slow, of little use and deficitary.
But still, thanks for showing everyone the treasure of Spain aka the north haha
Yeah it's a shame, it could be so much more than it currently is 🙏🏻
Thank God Euskotren got control of most of the narrow gauge network in the Basque Country, saved many lines from decaying.
I like the way you occasionally give information about history, natural features etc.: basic, but accurate and with correct spelling of foreign names.
Glad it's appreciated 😊🙏🏻
So gorgeous! I’ve done this trip before and it is honestly the most picturesque railway journey I have ever done in Spain. Good job!
I agree with that!!! 😎
What a lovely trip in a beautiful country!
Absolutely 😀
Many thanks . Nice to see this line in action .
A very memorable trip 😄
Thank you very much for this beautiful trip.I like very much Spain,it's very interesting und very beautiful. I apreciate so much all. I respect you. God bless you! 😘🙃🤗
Thank you 🙏🏻
Great video. I travelled all the FEVE lines. As you said is spectacular landscape. Don't be in a hurry and enjoy the miles
Such a beautiful country.😍 we have the stereotype of Mediterranean beaches but there's a bit of everything there
Oh this is completely different, much more like the UK or northern France 😃
Super scenic!! Fair price for the service.
And the 50mph is good for viewing the scenery.
Thank you Max for sharing.😀😀♥️
Most scenic ride in Spain, maybe I should have called it that 🤣
@@NonstopEurotrip 2😀😀
Vending machines and wi-fi would give a nice refreshment to that service. Thanks for the landscape ride.
Absolutely 🙏🏻
Yo hice el servicio militar en Ferrol e hice ese trayecto varias veces....tardaba una eternidad y a Oviedo llegaba a la estacion del Vasco.....from Oviedo,Asturias,España....
Perfect video, in 2015 I did the trip Oviedo-Ferrol. Started in Bilbao
Incidentally where you mention the A8 being a feat of engineering; The darker grey bridge is the old one. It is now closed to traffic and is a now a part of the Camino from San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela. An amazing structure to walk over. We stopped on it and had lunch with cars travelling at 150 km/h just a few metres away on a totally different bridge.
Oh wow, interesting ☺️
Is it actually opened for pedestrians?? I didnt know!
Great video. I'm from US but live in Santander and agree that the Renfe but especially the Cercanias (regional trains) systems are horrible for finding time tables, buying tickets ahead of time, and services in small stations. I am glad there is a decent station here so staff are available as often you need to go to a staff person as the machines are not the most user friendly or cooperative. I've often seen staff at the machines to help people (not just tourist) deal with how frustrating and confusing the machines are.
All that said, the challenges are worth the effort. The scenery is stunning, the people are awesome, and life is slow. I have been here a year and have begun looking for property. This part of Spain is less frequented by non-Spanish travelers and I hesitate to tell you how incredible it is as part of the charm is how off-the-beaten-track it is. So please don't come unless you are ready to slow down to the speed of cows chewing their cud.
It just doesn't make sense how the trains aren't integrated into national timetables and booking systems! I do love northern Spain tho!
Yes it needs a food trolley and a bathroom 🤔🥰I loved it
It did have a bathroom 😀
Just come back from Galicia and seen loads of this line. Looks fantastic and really tempted to give it a go now. 7+ hours though....! Great video - thanks!
It flew by, honestly 😁
I did this same trip yesterday! It was really fantastic!
🙏🏻😀
Thank you for your new report, so good as usual and wonderful. I did this journey a few years ago between Xixon to Oviedo, riding on the old units. Now is almost a De Luxe service !! If you go there for a tourist visit head to Culleredo or Tazones both of them in Asturias, fresh seafood and very good cider.
Ah thanks for the information 😊
Cudillero*
Spain is incredible kingdom.
😄🇪🇦
Thank you for a great review ! The scenery is certainly stunning, and the trains themselves seemed right for the job. However, the lack of passengers is alarming !
Yeah unfortunately I think the just keep them running because they have to, rather than want to!
I recommend you to try the another line of FEVE, which is called "Tren de La Robla" or FEVE Bilbao - La Robla. It goes from the city of Bilbao to the city of León, through the mountains of the north of spain. The landscapes are even better than this line because it goes through very small villages in the countryside.
Ooh I definitely will next time 😄
And the landscape changes dramatically. I love the lush seaside, but the line to León gives you a bit of the diversity this country has to offer, climbing from the green hills into the mountains and finally onto the Castilian plateau. And León is a pleasant city. By combining, you also see the beautiful line from León to Oviedo, which will shortly be replaced by a much faster, but also much duller HSL mostly in tunnels...
Thank you very much! I'm planning my trip in march and this fits perfectly
@@bobbymoin4182Really? I surely recommend it. I did it again, and it's a breathtaking experience, specially during that time of the year.
I did this trip in 2019 and it was great. I will do it again, but then from Oviedo to Ferrol.
Excellent 👌🏻
I believe that's one of those RENFE trains where you can switch the direction of the seat, too.
Maybe, yes!
Renfe s they are orrible s ,because? They are speed s?
Excelente vídeo de Renfe Feve
Saludos desde España 👋🏾
Gracias 🙏🏻
This is a very beautiful part of Spain, thanks for showing it.
Ferrol train station is forgotten by the Transport ministry. The current line is too slow to be useful to commute to Coruña a and same for Asturias.
Oviedo- Pq Principado está bn
Y a truvia tmb
I agree. Very beautiful, and forgotten!
Prior to the openning to Renfe's competitors the fact was that profitable services (Barcelona - Madrid HSL, for example) cover non-profitable Media Distancia services, in both iberian and narrow gauges. Competition is here, and average fares are lower on the corridor opened to competitors (Barcelona - Madrid). The same is to be expected in Madrid - Valencia, where the competition will start later this year. it's complicated how non-profitable routes will be covered if fares of profitable services are lower. Narrow gauge infrastructure in Spain is really old and needs lot of investment; and it's not clear if will be done.
Those 2400 DMU's are nicknamed "Apolos". The legroom in "bays of 4" is super tight because isn't intended as this. This type of seat can be putted manually forward or rear facing pulling the handle. You will also find this seats in 470, 448 EMU's and on 592 (some) and 596 DMU's
The real ironing board seats are the Cercanias grey old-ones ; like the ones on the train standing right in Oviedo. Those also are the seats of 446, 450, 451 and majority of 447 EMU's. Also some 592 DMU's that are on Cercanias duties.
Reason for changing trains in Ribadeo? Not sure, but It could be the poor performance of the 2400 DMU's (acceleration and speed) and a lack of avaliavility of 2700's DMU's
Amazing information as ever, thanks for sharing 😄🙏🏻🇪🇦
Feve‘s decay dates back decades, its current situation doesn’t have anything to do with new companies operating on a select number of routes.
Yes and no. No because operations are very different between a hsl vs a commuter line, in wherever gauge is. And yes because if average fare is lower and passengers doesn't grow up quickly no money for less profitable corridors.
Sadly Cuenca classic line is the example. Needs a high investment and there's not a plan to do so and the fears of closing are there and real.
Those RENFE trains are impressive trains. Plus I do like the water fountain in the beginning of the video. ☺️
Glad you enjoyed it Andrew 🙏🏻
😊
North of Spain, especially Asturias, is the most beautiful region in Spain. Amazing people, food and scenery.
Completely agree 💯😊
Fantastic report. Those views were breathtaking. When I get older I will definetely need to ride this route.
It's well worth it ☺️
Another amazing video! I am so glad that you film these "for the journey" adventures. I particularly like the fact that you cover more "obscure" routes and rail lines. Seeing parts of the world I have never seen before is so entertaining and educational/informative> Thanks
You're very welcome ☺️
Good scenery is found on the R3 Line on Rodalies de Catalunya. You pass through the city, you pass many little villages and a couple of cities while you go up the mountain
I've done this line before 😄
Viva los ferrocarriles españoles 🇪🇸🚉
Y también, importante, no a la guerra 🇺🇦
Absolutely 🙏🏻🇺🇦
Great video !!
Thanks 🙏🏻
awesome trip!!
Thanks 🙏🏻
Excellent 👍👍👍👍 bro very nice ❤️❤️❤️
Glad you liked it 😌
We travelled on this line about four years ago as part of a railway travel group we could not buy tickets online and no one could buy tickets for us when we arrived at Ferrol they weren’t happy to see us at the station.
We got the tickets off the guy on the train one at a time and there was thirty to forty of us the roll of paper tickets from his machine was metres long, it seemed they thought the train was for locals only and no one else should bother trying to use it.
In the end we had a great day with the locals and to travelled on it all the way to Sandtander
Nice trip. Thanks!
You're welcome 🙂
Great video that brought back some fond memories of ‘almost’ catching this train from Treceno back in 2005. Maybe next time I go back this will be on the list 👍
You will make it one day Mark. Maybe not for 7 hours though 😂
Glad to see the Mini-Apollo class 2400s are still around. I understand RENFE sold some stock to S. American countries and Kenya.
I’ve travelled the el Ferrol to Viviero sector a couple of times and also Bilbao to Santander and Bilbao to Leon. The latter is particularly spectacular in parts. That service used to convey a refreshment trolley but that was over a decade ago. Some of the stations it called at were effectively inaccessible by road.
Excellent video. Look forward to the eastern section.
Thank for sharing 🙏🏻😊
You shall do Oviedo/Santander one
I didn't take that specific route, but I went from Santander to Lierganes and back twice on FEVE while studying abroad in Santander.
Ah nice 😄🇪🇦
Thank you for this nice Video! Last October I travelled from Innsbruck to Hendaye by train, and from there all the way to Ferrol by Euskotren an FEVE. I loved this journey very much - beautyful landscape and cities, nice people an good food! I can highly recommend travelling through Northern Spain by narrow gauge trains!
Wow that's a nice long trip, what an adventure 😄
Amazing trip!
Thanks 🙏🏻
Better than travelling by bus.
Oh for sure 😄
Feve is great for conmuting in Oviedo and nearby
Fatsest way to Parque Principado mall
Excellent 👌🏻
@@NonstopEurotrip i used it july
I really enjoyed this train ride. Passing near the bay, lush green villages. Beautiful towns, all were natural beauty. Both the trains were good. Seating arrangements were also good. WiFi services should be given. Overall it was best train journey.
Love from Pakistan.
Glad you enjoyed it ☺️
I will descover Spain ja train next time. Its are good devices.
Absolutely 😄
Fun fact: the frist train( 2400 series ) are caled Apolos like the mision that Nasa did to send people to the moon. Great video! . You will try the electric trains on Feve ferrocarriles españoles de vía estrecha( spanish narrow gauge railways) ?. Have a nice day!
I have tried them too ☺️
Very interesting. I was looking at the route map on Wikipedia. Is the whole network interconnected or operated as different systems. Let me word it differently, in theory would it be possible to run a train all the way from Ferrol to Bilbo and beyond, Leon, for example? If so that is one massive narrow gauge network.
Yes the whole network is interconnected with over 1200km of track in northern Spain 👍🏻
Me encantó...!!! Estoy programando un viaje por Europa para el año próximo, y quisiera saber si estos trenes se pueden abordar con Eurailpass. Soy de Argentina.
¡Espero que tengas un buen viaje! 🇪🇦
I took a lot of that route in 2019 when returning from doing the Camino del Norte. The train line follows the Camino from Hendaye (France) to Ribadeo, where the Camino then turns SW. It's stunning, as is a bus ride from Santiago to Oviedo and Bilbao via the road.
It's a bit of an issue; they have improved the road network so much in the area that the FEVE has very few passengers, things like a food trolley would be a loss maker. As most people only travel less than 1 hour (in my experience) it makes no sense. They can either go the full monty and have a train every 30-60 mins, or just do what they are doing. I fear that it will be no more in 10-15 years.
Yeah exactly, people just use it for short trips, and no one is as mad as me to do the whole route, as the conductor told me 😂
Great video. This is definitely on my bucket list. Going to do the Euskotren & Feve through the Basque region this year. Renfe clearly spend all their money on their high speed services. Ironically, as I write this, I'm about to head to Cork but that is a lot closer to me...
2 trains a day reminds me of some of the train services here in Ireland. Run 2 at times not particularly convenient times, complain people dont use them & recommend closure..
Yeah that's pretty much where Feve services are. Forgotten railways are sad, but at least they do still run, and it's honestly a hidden gem. I plan to do more soon ☺️
@@NonstopEurotrip Have you done the journey from Oviedo to Santander?
@@markellis6413 Nope I've only done this one, and Bilbao to Santander mate
@@NonstopEurotrip I'm doing the Bilbao to Santander trip in September - looking forward to it.
Lovely scenery! Very picturesque.
Perhaps the lack of trolley service is due to most frequent ridership is around an hour or so where catering or refreshment is not so much required? Nevertheless RENFE has vending machines on their Media Distancia services (or used to have before the Pandemic) so a small one could be placed on board, considering there is enough room to do so of course.
Again, great video👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
This is more a commuter service between small towns than a regional Galicia-Asturias. Very few people makes the full trip.
@@MrStarfishPrime more what I had expected, yeah
A stunning trip. Yeah a vending machine would be nice too 🙂
I know i recomended this ome
greetings from the basque country friend!
also, feve was actually a unique company, but that was purchased on 2013 by renfe, removing his original colors (blue and white) and repainting the trains.
Greetings, thanks for the Information 😊
Do the Canfrancero too
Great video! Thanks for sharing. Do you if there is still a Feve service running from Santander to Ferrol?
Not a direct one...
@@NonstopEurotripThanks.
(I'm from Galicia) As you say these services are not viable at all, renfe just offers one or two per day to avoid appearing in the newspaper for closing another traditional railway line. This coast line houses a decent amount of people, if there were more frequencies the service would be more usable and viable.
Absolutely yes, it's sad, but I doubt it'll change without investment 🙏🏻🇪🇦
It's been many years since I last took a FEVE train, but they weren't really meant to travel the whole distance. Their purpose was to be used for short trips, like a few towns away at most. They stopped at every little town in their way. They used to depart every 20 minutes back then.
I don't think the FEVE trains are very useful nowadays, but there are no other lines connecting the north coast.
If anyone decides to try this route I really recommend you to stop at the small towns at the coast. They are all really beautiful.
Yeah agree they are mainly for shorter journies, and the lines are very pretty! ☺️
Thanks for your video and insight. With no usable toilet on a 7+ hour trip, could you at least use a toilet at one of the stops? that's too long for me to hold it! Just wondering and I am inspired to take that journey.
There is a toilet...?
I would like to move from where we are in Jaén province to Asturias but She Who Must Be Obeyed isn't keen to uproot and move again.
Best do as she says then 😂
epic journey, think i'd have to do it in stages lol
I was thinking the same at the end of the trip 😂
This is a great resource for me. I'm Interrailing this May for the first time since 1978, starting from the ferry to Santander and travelling the North Coast by FEVE. How do you use a mobile Interrail pass if the station is not staffed?
Lovely high quality videos, especially the pieces about accessibility.
According to a page (only in Spanish) on the official Renfe website, Feve services can be used with an interrail pass, you just need your pass with the starting date present and some kind of ID with a photo.
Most of the "remote stops" (I can't think of any better term to use) in Feve and Cercanías (commuter) services don't have ticket machines, so they rely on people buying the ticket in the less remote station they are probably travelling from/to that has turnstiles and ticket machines. All stations with turnstiles have ticket machines, and all ticket machines (and I'd say that all stations irrespective of whether they have ticket machines of not) have a button you can press to talk to staff even if they aren't physically there in case you have any kind of problem.
Every ticket machine has the option to change the language and English is among the available ones. When you go to buy a ticket, one of the buttons on screen allows you to cycle through the different types of tickets available such as discounts from zoos or other companies that have partnered with Renfe. Probably, somewhere in that list, you'll find Interrail, in which case you'll probably have to introduce or scan some kind of code from your interrail mobile pass and you'll get your ticket.
Either way, I'm almost positive all of the remote stops that appeared in the video didn't have any ticket machines or turnstiles, since they serve tiny villages where it would be more costly to maintain the ticket machines than the amount of money they might lose from the locals not paying for their tickets since it's a heavily subsidized regional train line.
I'm sorry for the long comment I ended up writing to answer such a short question. I hope that my response is somewhat coherent and that it helps you.
I wrote a veeeery long reply to your answer that might be marked as spam by UA-cam for that same reason. Please, let me know if it's visible and, if it is, don't hesitate to ask any more questions. I'll do my best to answer them.
@@manuelbonet Thankyou Manuel for your very thoughtful and comprehensive answer. You dealt with the issues I was thinking about but hadn't expressed in my question.
I couldn't have said it better myself. Yes, interrail is valid on Feve services. But most are so cheap you may not want to waste a travel day if you have a non consecutive day pass.
@@NonstopEurotrip I have a two month pass, but don't mind paying the fare if there is any difficulty. I may even activate the pass after getting to the end of this line. I haven't yet decided where to go to from there. Probably Portugal.
Your excellent reviews will help me to decide. Paul.
You really should try Cercanías Madrid. The services they offer are amazing.
I have, many times 😂
A refreshment trolley would be great, but where would they secure it when not vending snacks and drinks?
Rear cab? 🤷🏻♂️
Video's score: 22/10
Getting higher ever week 🤣
I cant help thinking what the purpose of this line is or at least still having it - I mean, it's obviously absolutely stunning, but how many people will choose a 7 hour (scenic) train journey instead of a 3 hour car journey? Are som parts of it at least somewhat efficient? Love your vids
Pretty much sums it up. It was busier towards the start and end of the trip, but not by much! Thanks 🙏🏻
In my opinion another main reason this line can survive is the luxury train El Transcantabrico.
It is not a line of thought to obtain benefits, it is a public service. Even if it is not used by many people, it must be maintained because many places do not have other public transport.
Of course, it could be greatly improved if the necessary spare parts were available to keep the trains fully operational and in perfect condition, which is not the case.
This train looks a little bit happier than the last train
Seats were comfier in the first train 🚆
If you ever come to Madrid, you should see the metro, Cercanías line C-9; which is an alpine meter-gauge line; And Regional/Cercanías Guadalajara-Segovia, one of the most beautiful trips out there; although it's very long
I have been to Madrid many times ☺️
@@NonstopEurotrip But you don't have any videos about Madrid, do you? At least I haven't seen them sorry
@@jacool2565 Many
@@NonstopEurotrip Such as which? All I see for Madrid are for long-distance travel, no commuter or local transit
18.25 is my favourite. :)
😃🇪🇦
Beautiful scenery! I don't think Renfe is going to start selling Feve tickets online, though. At least for now, which is really exasperating!
They should!!!
@@NonstopEurotrip they will soon do
Feve occupies a very odd spot inside of Renfe's portfolio of rail networks because of how old the lines are and the expense required to modernize them. It falls under the Cercanìas arm of the company (think of it like an S-bahn) because it operates through the very mountainous Galicia and Asturias The little orange circle symbol you see on the trains is the Cercanìas logo, which is used on other services through the country.
The lines were originally constructed to connect most of Asturias to other pieces of it, back when trains being the primary method of intercity transit was the norm. As time has gone on and cities were connected with roads, the feve system has struggled with competition because it hasn't been modernized at all. It's much more often quicker to travel by intercity bus (which is very common throughout spain) or just drive, since the system's network is limited to Asturias, which is a fairly small province. The main problem with modernizing it is cost, as Asturias is very mountainous and upgrading the line to standard or Iberian gauge would be incredibly expensive.
Basically the service is only used by tourists because it's ridiculously slow. It's very scenic, as you have seen, but people who need to travel between towns very seldom use it for that purpose given how readily available most alternatives are.
Very interesting! Thank you. I believe the longer distance ones are technically MD services tho...
Fui ahi
I live ten minutes from Ferrol, i live near a city called A Coruña!!
I've been ☺️
@@NonstopEurotrip is it advisable to get tickets an hour before the train departs or ??
Funny that Feve also has a short line in Murcia, well on the other side of country. There have been plans to convert it to a light rail line much like what happened in Alicante/Alacant, but I guess politics and/or funding won't allow it yet.
I've been on that too 🙂
It's only now that I fully realised that Spain has three different gauges. I knew, of course; I was already aware of the narrow gauge lines, but only now I joined the dots. Although by the looks of it, and judging by the comments, the narrow gauge lines are slowly on the way out.
Yeah 3 gauges! Hopefully these lines do keep running, it's some network!
@@NonstopEurotrip The one thing I forgot to mention about narrow gauge railways is that they're so cute. They're like a real train, but smaller. A bit like a six year old claiming to be a big boy who'll protect his mummy. There aren't that many left in Europe: mostly in the Alpine regions, and FEVE.
1259 is Galicia is that a name of a game made in the 60s I’m sure of it
😂
In Regional trains in Spain food is never served. Sometimes there is a vending machine but that's it
Bro! 7h 11m in the train but 6h 1 transfer in bus to Oviedo
Much less scenic though 😉
Whilst the trains were sadly lacking in comfort and accessibility there were some hidden gems en route including some stations. If they wanted this route to be more than a token to the locals not only does it need promoting but a higher level of comfort and some catering facilities.
Yeah a trolley service would be great. The problem is it's too slow. No-one except me is probably crazy to do the whole line 😂 stunning scenery though 👍🏻
It’s supposed to act like a bus on rails what are you saying- 💀
Buen video y bonitas vistas. Una pena que esta lineas de FEVE vayan a peor hasta llegar al punto de que la infraestructura este tan mal que los usuarios tengan que seguir el trayecto en autobús porque los de Renfe y Adif solo están centrados en el AVE y las líneas de FEVE ni les interesan mantenerlas. Son muy lentas de otro siglo con lo que conocemos hoy y se pierden estas líneas de ancho métrico con buenas vistas al paisaje. Embargo la linea Bilbao-San Sebastián-Hendaya está muy bien mantenida gracias a Euskotren.
It's a shame, but still a very underrated network 😀
A beautiful journey, and I find this narrow gauge rail network interesting.
It makes me reflect on the narrow gauge rail network in Sweden, where most of the mentioned rail network unfortunately no longer exists. A few railway lines still exist as heritage railways, with the only remaining exception with regular services, being Stockholm’s Roslagsbanan.
A lot of Sweden’s narrow gauge railways most likely got demolished because of a lack of passengers due to cars and parallel bus services.
Now however, in a time when the general interest in train travel (e.g. among Swedes) has growned a lot because of climate change etc, it seems there are very few discussions about building new - och rebuilding former - local railways in Sweden. From my point of view, Swedish politicians are much more keen on discussing new main line railways connecting several Swedish regions. However, I get the impression that local train services is of interest among - at least parts - of the public. Who knows… maybe we one day will see more narrow gauge railways in Sweden.
If there’s an interest in learning more about Swedish narrow gauge railways, there is information to be found on the internet (e.g. via this Wikipedia page: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrow-gauge_railways_in_Sweden ).
Ah very interesting, thank you 🙏🏻
It is indeed scenic. and for that price it sounds just amazing. If you'd like a scenic line, though it is in Italy, try to travel on the Faentina Railway Line, and you'll see
I'll maybe check it out next time I'm there 😊
@@NonstopEurotrip sure. I'd suggest you try over the summer, cause there is a train between Florence and Rimini which travels on the Faentina, to get you a good experience 😁
I don't really understand what is complicated about having to buy a ticket at a station. I've been doing it all my life.
Because that's not how most people travel now. They like to pre-book the tickets online, or pay with a credit card,. especially with infrequent train services. And when the timetables are hard to find, online tickets unavailable, and ticket offices closed, and machines only accept cash, it all ads to the stress of travelling, especially with a family or on a short holiday.
Because it can be twice the price
Euskotren please
Maybe when I'm next in Spain ☺️
Euskotren is FEVE with a budget for spare parts :)
en febrero de este año 2022 ice el trayecto ferrol a oviedo y solo una incidencia con una revisora mandona lo demas todo bien aunque tarda una eternidad asta oviedo parando en todas las estaciones del recorrido .. no lo recomiendo
Es porque esos trenes están pensados para trayectos cortos entre pueblos. Algunos de ellos (mayormente los que hay que solicitar parada) no tienen autobuses que los conecten entre sí.
Did you know you can flip the seats over by pushing them (on the UTE-2400 Apolo Units only though)? You were lucky to get an Apolo for the longer portion of the trip, as the 2700 and 2900 units are much more common, and uncomfortable (they're designed to be commuter trains, not regional trains). Here's my review of them: ua-cam.com/video/BLZPZ5VKuU8/v-deo.html
Finally, I'd recommend traveling on the Oviedo - Santander line for even more gorgeous scenery; and the Gijón Laviana Cercanías line for a ride on Spain's 3rd oldest route.
Thanks! I've done Santander-Bilbao and the Cartagena line in the south too
Thank you, nonstop eurotrip!😊 Yes, I know you love Spain, you say it in every video. Maybe this is where you should live.😁 Anyway, you make us travel well with your trains, we have a lot of fun with you. Especially there, more than 7 hours of trains for uh... not a lot of kilometres. 😆 But I don't know the particular geographical situation of Spain, so I can't say. The seats don't look comfortable to me. Looks like a slightly upgraded tourist train or tram. In any case, more than 7 hours there in these conditions, and in addition having to change trains in the middle of the road, not for me, no. In any case, the fountain at the beginning is magnificent. Thank you very much. I think of you.
You're welcome 😄 I can say for sure, it's very scenic, but also very long 😂
The narrow gauge in the statal company is being abadonned I am spanish I know renfe-feve I consider that the services are insuficient
They could do with more services
Renfe is the worst thing that has happened to Spain since 1898
Ummm.... Ok 😂
@@NonstopEurotrip they're a bunch of rude, lazy and latecomer thieves