Overview
- Transport Minister Óscar Puente confirmed a policy shift to lift AVE operating speeds toward 350 km/h, targeting a sub‑two‑hour Madrid–Barcelona journey.
- Adif will renew the line without altering its alignment, deploying aerodynamic sleepers and studying new accesses to Chamartín and Barcelona, with airport links among the options.
- The ministry has tendered feasibility studies worth about €2.3 million and framed the effort within an anticipated €60 billion transport investment over four years.
- Renfe introduced immediate capacity measures, including a double‑composition Avant on Puertollano–Madrid adding nearly 1,000 weekly seats and extra services on Valladolid–Segovia–Madrid, with the S‑106 making its Avant debut.
- Reactions diverged as Parla’s mayor hailed the station plan, Madrid authorities pressed for concrete delivery, Zaragoza’s mayor sought guarantees on stops, and the ministry labeled the Sanabria stops file “reserved” to protect Renfe’s competitive position.