Seville has a special color. And more when the Fair arrives. Malaga dresses solemnly when Easter arrives, as also happens in Cuenca. Córdoba counts the days until May arrives and its Flower-bedecked Patios Festival. Valencia breathes the aroma of the Mediterranean in the Malvarrosa and Zaragoza puts spring at the feet of its Virgen del Pilar. Each city is unique and all of them are now closer with the new routes of iryo, the first Spanish private High Speed operator.
After starting its commercial operations last autumn with two lines: Madrid-Zaragoza-Barcelona on November 25 and Madrid-Cuenca-Valencia shortly before Christmas, on December 16, its arrival was a breath of fresh air for High Speed. First of all, due to its attractive and unique value proposition: iryo debuted with 20 new trains that are the most comfortable, fastest, and with the least carbon footprint in Europe. But, in addition, it came with flexible rates and open to changes from 18 euros in this first phase of launch.
After the excellent reception of these first lines, iryo follows its road map and on March 31 they launch to conquer the Andalusian charm with operations from Madrid to Seville, Malaga and Cordoba. Three new destinations that can be booked right now for all of 2023. A nod to those who like to plan their getaways ahead of time to choose the best rates and at a wide range of times, from early risers to last minute .
It will be the appetizer of an expansion strategy that will reach Albacete, Alicante and Antequera on June 2, and on June 15 it will complete its deployment with the arrival in Tarragona. More than appetizing destinations to enjoy the arrival of summer with a terrace in the sun and even a first dip in the sea.
The price and the possibility of booking many months in advance have been decisive in positioning iryo in just four months among the first options when looking for a ticket. To which is added a personalized proposal for the client's needs at all times with four different comfort classes. The most premium is the Infinita Bistró, followed by Singular Only YOU, Singular and Inicial, the most economical without giving up the most comfortable experience of Spanish High Speed.
The 'Infinita Bistró' class fits the business traveler like a glove, but also those leisure travelers who want to enjoy a premium experience: a very select seat service and haute cuisine on board with Haizea, its gastronomy brand with menus gourmet paired with denomination of origin wines. 'Singular Only YOU', for its part, offers wide leather seats to comfortably carry out work on the computer and even have team meetings during the journey, simulating a mini flying office with the largest space between seats on the market. The 'Singular' class offers excellent value for money and, finally, the 'Initial' class offers the best travel experience, with irresistible rates, but without giving up services such as individual USB and standard plugs to charge any digital device, or Free WiFi access with the possibility of 5G connection.
One of the assets that have contributed to the success of this company is its trains very early in the morning. In this way, those who travel for business can arrive on time for their early meetings, and those who travel for tourism of any kind can make the most of the day in the destination city. For example, getting to a museum before it opens so you don't have to wait in line, visiting the city before going to a concert, eating at a special restaurant, attending a football match, or why not, taking the opportunity to pass a day at the beach and return home on the last train of the day.
Mònica Ollé combines her computer studies with sporadic jobs as an event hostess. “If I get an interesting job for several days, I prefer to give up a getaway, even if I lose the ticket. Since you never know when they are going to call you, buying well in advance is very risky. With iryo, however, I can move my getaways to another date because their tickets offer the possibility of applying changes ”she points out. Her companion Olga Campos adds that "either something or someone comes up at your destination and you prefer to stay a few more days."
Those who travel for work no longer talk only about dates, but about hours and minutes. A meeting that lasts, a client who is late or a traffic jam can turn the arrival at the station into a rush against the clock. This is the case of Marta Miravalls, an executive from an advertising agency who travels several times a month between Barcelona and Madrid. Until the arrival of iryo, she had already experienced on occasion arriving at the station a few minutes after leaving the train and having to buy a new one. Or having to change the return due to last minute changes and losing money.
Like them, those who have already tried iryo value very positively that it is the only rail and mobility operator with flexible tickets and without completely restrictive rates in which customers lose their money. Iryo offers changes to the top 3 fares, including the missed train, which is exchanged for a new trip. In the 'Initial' fare, the traveler must pay part of the new ticket in case of schedule changes, unless they miss the train.
This flexibility gives rise to making plans well in advance. But it also eliminates the anguish when unforeseen events arise on the agenda... or new opportunities that do not want to be missed.
Whatever the chosen fare, everyone benefits from a sustainable fleet with 'Frecciarossa' trains. This model has reduced its CO2 emissions to just 28 grams per passenger-kilometre, a saving of nearly 80% in carbon dioxide compared to other operators on the same stretches. This advance in sustainability has been achieved with electric trains made from 95% recyclable materials and powered by 100% renewable energy.
Younger travelers like Ingrid and Stefan, two Erasmus students waiting for their train to Madrid in Sants, especially like this environmentally friendly proposal. They recognize that what most convinces them of iryo is their "respect for the planet".
Aware that sustainability is everyone's business, iryo implemented a courageous strategy from the beginning of its operations that involves the client in offsetting the emissions of their trip by adding a 'green complement' to the ticket price. With that extra, iryo will create an 'Intelligent Forest' with the company Retree. Companies that request it can obtain a green certificate detailing the CO2 saved and offset by the trips of their employees and add it to their annual corporate social responsibility reports.
With these steps, iryo is already the most sustainable, silent and fastest fleet in Spain and Europe. In the medium term, the company will also connect the capital with Alicante and Albacete, and will complete its connection with Andalusia by reaching Antequera. This will be on June 2, and on the 15th of the same month the premiere of the route between Madrid and Tarragona will take place. For now, in addition, iryo has announced a multimodal transport system that will offer free access to Cercanías trains with iryo tickets. And it is already negotiating Code Share agreements with other airlines, taxis and other means of public transport in the main Spanish cities through the 'iryo by Imbric' platform.
These are the new rules of the mobility game that have arrived to make all trips easier and more comfortable, whether for business or pleasure.
