SPAIN: Studies are to assess the viability of upgrading the Madrid – Barcelona high speed line to raise the maximum speed to 350 km/h along with other works which would provide a journey time of under 2 h, Transport Minister Óscar Puente has announced.
Proposals include new high speed line access points in both cities, the construction of a suburban station in Parla in the southern suburbs of Madrid, and the completion of the station at El Prat de Llobregat near Barcelona airport where work stopped during the 2008-09 economic crisis.
Defensive to offensive
On November 17 Puente said Spain is moving ‘from being on the defensive to being on the offensive’ to ensure that its high speed rail infrastructure ‘retains its world leader status’.
He said the improvements would enable ‘more services to be operated, shorter journey times, more passengers, greater regional integration and operating flexibility’, which would have an impact across the rail network. There would be an increase in Madrid to Barcelona services as well as intermediate services, and a boost to operational flexibility and reliability.
Puente said ‘we need more capacity to cope with the increase in ridership. When the line was opened ridership was 2·2 million/year, and now it is 15 million, and 85% of passengers travel between Madrid and Barcelona. This number could increase.’
Infrastructure proposals
The Madrid – Barcelona high speed line was originally designed for 350 km/h, but trains currently run at 300 km/h. The enhancement work could include the use of Aerotraviesa sleepers, which are designed to reduce the risk of ballast flying up and damaging the undersides of trains.
A proposed new access route to Madrid Chamartín station from the east and south would offer an alternative to the current tunnel with 1 435 mm gauge track which runs south to Atocha. This would enable trains to and from Catalunya to be separated from those to and from Levante and Andalucía.
The proposed station in Parla would provide an interchange between Madrid suburban trains and high speed services to Catalunya and Andalucía. It would serve a local population of more than 1·26 million people, relieving pressure on Atocha and Chamartín and providing an alternative if the main stations or the connecting tunnel are out of action.
Also under consideration is a new stretch of direct high speed line between Lleida and Barcelona, providing a substantial reduction in journey times by avoiding Camp de Tarragona. A new link would also be provided through Barcelona to the future La Sagrera transport hub, bypassing the congested lines under the city centre.
