Overview
- The Ministry of Transport has published €2.3 million in EU tenders to study higher speeds, new access variants into Madrid and Barcelona, and potential high-speed stations in Parla and at El Prat near the airport.
- Officials plan to begin on the Madrid–Barcelona corridor, targeting sub‑two‑hour journeys and greater line capacity by rotating trains faster.
- The upgrade hinges on ADIF’s patented aerotraviesa technology, which is designed to limit ballast lift and allow safe operation at 350 km/h without altering the existing alignment.
- A new link to Chamartín is under study to create a flexible northern node for high‑speed services, reducing reliance on the Atocha–Chamartín standard‑gauge tunnel.
- Local reactions diverge as Parla hails the proposed station, the Madrid regional government presses for concrete delivery and better incident data from Renfe, and Zaragoza’s mayor seeks assurances that services will not bypass the city; a separate Vigo–Porriño study has been extended by 11 months, underscoring wider procedural delays.