Ouigo, owned by the public SNCF, burst into the Spanish railway sector. Minister Óscar Puente accuses Ouigo, more aggressive in its price offer, but with less presence on the network, of carrying out unfair practices.

The Ministry of Bridge Transport is now waiting for the 2023 accounts to decide whether it is possible to file a complaint for anti-competitive practices. There are those who trust that the Italian case will be replicated in Spain, where the entry of Italo against Trenitalia meant a jump in demand that have removed thousands of cars from corridors such as the Rome-Milan-Rome. There is a fear that a long rate war will end up bursting operating margins, limit the survival of new competitors and hamper the quality of services, says Deusto Business School professor Massimo Cermelli. The conflict between the ministry and the company brings into debate the real effects of liberalization on prices, he adds. The average train fare falls in the middle of a long battle between the French and Iryo.