The Talgo 250 is a Spanish high-speed train family designed to operate across different railway gauges.
Spain has historically used both standard gauge and wider Iberian gauge track. The Talgo 250 addresses this difference with variable-gauge technology, allowing compatible trainsets to change wheel spacing at a gauge-changing facility instead of requiring passengers to change trains. This capability is especially useful where high-speed standard-gauge lines connect with older broad-gauge routes.
The train is based on Talgo’s articulated design, in which short passenger coaches are linked by shared wheel assemblies. It combines that lightweight approach with electric power cars and high-speed operation. Depending on the route and configuration, Talgo 250 trains have been used for services marketed under brands including Alvia.
The train’s name can cause confusion because Alvia is a passenger-service brand, while S-130 is a specific Spanish train series closely related to the Talgo 250 concept. The key identifying fact is the combination of high-speed capability and gauge-changing operation.