Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line: Difference between revisions

Madrid–Barcelona (- Figueres) high-speed rail line
Madrid–Barcelona (- Figueres) high-speed rail line
	AVE Class 103 (Siemens Velaro) near Vinaixa
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Adif
Locale	Spain (Community of Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha,; Aragon, Catalonia)
Termini	Madrid Puerta de Atocha; Barcelona Sants/Figueres Vilafant;
Service
Type	High-speed rail
Operator(s)	Renfe Operadora, SNCF (Ouigo), Trenitalia (Iryo)
Rolling stock	AVE Class 103, 100, and 112
Ridership	4.4 million (2019)
History
Opened	2008 (first section in 2003)
Technical
Line length	620.9 km (385.8 mi) (as far as Barcelona); 748.9 km (465.3 mi) (as far as Figueres)
Number of tracks	Double track
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz
Operating speed	310 km/h (193 mph)
Route map
Route map
	Legend
	Madrid-Sevilla high-speed rail line
	to Seville–Santa Justa
	to Segrià
	(former gauge conversion)
	Mediterranean Corridor
	to Valencia
	Provença Tunnel,
	Sants–La Sagrera
	Perpignan–Barcelona
	high-speed rail line
	Perpignan–Barcelona
	high-speed rail line
	Barcelona–Cerbère railway
	(conventional line)
	Spain
	France
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Revision as of 10:02, 24 April 2023

The Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line is a 621-kilometre (386 mi) standard gauge railway line inaugurated on 20 February 2008. Designed for speeds of 350 km/h (217 mph) and compatibility with neighbouring countries' rail systems, it connects the cities of Madrid and Barcelona in 2 hours 30 minutes. In Barcelona the line is connected with the Perpignan–Barcelona high-speed rail line leading into France which connects it to the European high speed network.

Trains are operated by the national railway Renfe under the AVE and Avlo brands, and by private competitors Ouigo España and Iryo.

First stages

In 2003 construction of the first phase of a new standard gauge line from Madrid to the French border (Madrid–Zaragoza–Lleida) was completed and on 11 October of that year commercial service began. This service also stopped at Guadalajara–Yebes and Calatayud. The service began running at only 200 km/h (124 mph). On 19 May 2006, after two years of operation, speed was increased to 250 km/h (155 mph) when the Spanish ASFA signalling system was replaced with level 1 of the new European ETCS/ERTMS system. On 16 October 2006 the trains on this line increased their operating speed to 280 km/h (174 mph).

On 18 December 2006 the AVE started operating to Camp de Tarragona, and on 7 May 2007 the service increased its speed to the maximum allowable for the line, 300 km/h (186 mph). This puts Tarragona at 30 minutes from Lleida. The extension to Barcelona was delayed various times due to technical problems; the Ministerio de Fomento having originally forecast the AVE's arrival in Barcelona by the end of 2007.^[2]

Complete operation

The complete line was opened February 2008. As of 2012, seventeen trains now run every day between the hours of 6 am and 9 pm, covering the distance between the two cities in just 2 hours 30 minutes for the direct trains, and in 3 hours and 10 minutes for those calling at all intermediate stations. Before the high-speed line was built, the journey between the two cities took more than six hours.

Speed

It was originally forecast that, after reaching Barcelona in 2004, the line would run at 350 km/h (217 mph), the maximum capable speed of the new Siemens AVE trains which have replaced the Talgo Bombardier AVE S102, after the installation of level 2 of the ETCS/ERTMS. But on the AVE's first day of operating at 300 km/h (186 mph) to Tarragona the Minister of Public Works, Magdalena Álvarez, stated that the maximum commercial operating speeds of the AVE on all lines would be 300 km/h (186 mph).^[3] Nevertheless, in October 2011 the speed was raised to 310 km/h on parts of the railway.^[4]

Usage

It was forecast that the AVE would substantially replace air traffic on the Barcelona – Madrid route (in the same way that the Eurostar has on the London-Paris/London-Brussels routes and France's TGV has on the Paris-Lyon route). Indeed, by the end of 2017, the line had already taken 63% of the traffic, taking most of it from aircraft.^[5] A few years before the Madrid-Barcelona route was the world's busiest passenger air route in 2007 with 971 scheduled flights per week (both directions).^[6] Similarly more than 80% of travellers between Madrid and Seville use the AVE, with fewer than 20% travelling by air.^[7]

Criticism

There was criticism during the construction of the Madrid-Barcelona line. A critical report by the consulting firm KPMG, commissioned by ADIF (Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias) at the behest of the Ministry for Public Works (Ministerio de Fomento) on 23 June 2004, pointed to a lack of in-depth studies and over-hasty execution of works as the most important reasons for the problems that dogged construction of the AVE line. For example, during the construction of the AVE tunnel near Barcelona, a number of nearby buildings suffered damage from a sinkhole that appeared near a commuter rail station, damaging one of its platforms. The construction committee of Barcelona's famed Sagrada Familia church lobbied for a re-routing of the tunnel – it passes within metres of the massive church's foundations. It also passes equally near the UNESCO-recognized Casa Milà also designed by Antoni Gaudí.

Furthermore, until 2005 both Siemens and Talgo/Bombardier train sets failed to meet scheduled speed targets, although in a test run during the homologation tests of the new S102 trains of RENFE, a train-set Talgo 350 (AVE S-102) reached a speed of 365 km/h (227 mph) on the night of the 25/26 June 2006, and in July 2006 a Siemens Velaro train-set (AVE S-103) reached the highest top speed ever in Spain: 403.7 km/h (250.8 mph). At this time, it was a record for railed vehicles in Spain and a world record for unmodified commercial service trainsets, as the earlier TGV and ICE records were achieved with specially modified and shortened trainsets, and the 1996 Shinkansen record of 443 km/h (275 mph) was using a test (non-commercial) trainset.

Extension to France

Barcelona to Figueres

Originally planned to open in 2009, the extension of some Madrid-Barcelona routes to Figueres–Vilafant railway station via Girona, opened on 9 January 2013.^[8] This made possible upon the completion of the 131-kilometre (81.4 mi) Barcelona-Figueres section of the Perpignan–Barcelona high-speed rail line that connected for the first time the Spanish AVE high-speed network with the French TGV high-speed network.^[9] There have been delays in building a four kilometre tunnel in Girona, the first phase of which was finished in September 2010,^[10] and controversy over the route between Sants and Sagrera stations in Barcelona.^[11] As of January 2013^[update] there are eight trains a day running from Madrid, connecting at Figueres Vilafant with two TGV services to Paris.^[12]

Figueres to Perpignan

This is an international high speed rail section between France and Spain. The section connects two cities on opposite sides of the border, Perpignan in Roussillon, France, and Figueres in Catalonia, Spain. It consists of a 44.4-kilometre (27.6 mi) railway which crosses the French–Spanish border via the Perthus Tunnel, an 8.3-kilometre (5.2 mi) tunnel bored under the Perthus Pass.^[13] The section is open to high speed trains and freight. Construction was completed in February 2009, although services did not run until a station was built on the line at Figueres. As of March 2015, a daily TGV service connects Paris to Barcelona Sants via Perpignan-Figueres with 2 pairs of trips, plus other connections involving Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse.^[14]

References

Notes

^ "AVE Barcelona-Madrid cumple 12 años acumulando más de 40 millones de viajeros". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 20 February 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
^ "La Vanguardia, 18 December 2006". Archived from the original on 28 November 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2008.
^ La Vanguardia, 7 May 2007
^ Madrid – Barcelona at 310 km/h with ETCS Level 2
^ Barcelona-Madrid high-speed line has had more than 85 million passengers 21 February 2018
^ Air passenger transport in Europe in 2007
^ Juan Carlos Martín and Gustavo Nombela, "Microeconomic impacts of investments in high speed trains in Spain", Annals of Regional Science, vol. 41, no. 3, September 2007
^ Madrid-Barcelona-French Border line on the ADIF website.
^ "Spain completes Iberia's high-speed link to Europe". International Railway Journal. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
^ "Railway Gazette: Girona tunnelling makes progress". Retrieved 23 September 2010.
^ "Perpignan-Barcelona AVE to open in 2012 or .... 2020?". Today's railways Europe, Issue 140. August 2007. p. 10.
^ "Barcelona - Figueres high speed rail line to open on January 7". International Rail Journal. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2012.
^ "Perpignan-Figueras High-speed Rail Line". Structurae. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
^ "Spain—closer than ever before". SNCF. Retrieved 3 March 2015.

External links

41°36′34″N 0°13′15″E / 41.6094°N 0.2207°E / 41.6094; 0.2207

[1] "AVE Barcelona-Madrid cumple 12 años acumulando más de 40 millones de viajeros". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 20 February 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.

[2] "La Vanguardia, 18 December 2006". Archived from the original on 28 November 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2008.

[3] La Vanguardia, 7 May 2007

[4] Madrid – Barcelona at 310 km/h with ETCS Level 2

[5] Barcelona-Madrid high-speed line has had more than 85 million passengers 21 February 2018

[6] Air passenger transport in Europe in 2007

[7] Juan Carlos Martín and Gustavo Nombela, "Microeconomic impacts of investments in high speed trains in Spain", Annals of Regional Science, vol. 41, no. 3, September 2007

[8] Madrid-Barcelona-French Border line on the ADIF website.

[9] "Spain completes Iberia's high-speed link to Europe". International Railway Journal. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2015.

[10] "Railway Gazette: Girona tunnelling makes progress". Retrieved 23 September 2010.

[11] "Perpignan-Barcelona AVE to open in 2012 or .... 2020?". Today's railways Europe, Issue 140. August 2007. p. 10.

[12] "Barcelona - Figueres high speed rail line to open on January 7". International Rail Journal. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2012.

[db-13] "Perpignan-Figueras High-speed Rail Line". Structurae. Retrieved 30 January 2009.

[14] "Spain—closer than ever before". SNCF. Retrieved 3 March 2015.

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 === Barcelona to Figueres ===
-Originally planned to open in 2009, the extension of some Madrid-Barcelona routes to [[Figueres–Vilafant railway station]] via [[Girona]], opened on 9 January 2013.<ref>[https://www.adifaltavelocidad.es/l%C3%ADnea-madrid-barcelona-frontera-francesa Madrid-Barcelona-French Border line] on the [[Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias|ADIF]] website.</ref> This made possible upon the completion of the {{convert|131|km|mi|1|adj=on}} Barcelona-[[Figueres]] section of the [[Perpignan–Barcelona high-speed rail line]] that connected for the first time the Spanish [[AVE]] high-speed network with the French [[TGV]] high-speed network.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Spain completes Iberia's high-speed link to Europe |url=http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/europe/spain-opens-iberias-high-speed-rail-link-to-europe.html |newspaper=International Railway Journal |date=1 August 2013|access-date=30 December 2015}}</ref> There have been delays in building a four kilometre tunnel in [[Girona]], the first phase of which was finished in September 2010,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/girona-tunnelling-makes-progress.html|access-date=23 September 2010|title=Railway Gazette: Girona tunnelling makes progress}}</ref> and controversy over the route between [[Barcelona Sants railway station|Sants]] and [[Sagrera railway station|Sagrera]] stations in Barcelona.<ref>{{cite news|title=Perpignan-Barcelona AVE to open in 2012 or .... 2020?|date=August 2007|work=Today's railways Europe, Issue 140|page=10}}</ref> {{As of|2013|1}} there are eight trains a day running from Madrid, connecting at Figueres Vilafant with two TGV services to Paris.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/high-speed/barcelona-figueres-high-speed-rail-line-to-open-on-january-7.html|title=Barcelona - Figueres high speed rail line to open on January 7|work=International Rail Journal|date=10 December 2012|access-date=18 January 2012}}</ref>
+Originally planned to open in 2009, the extension of some Madrid-Barcelona routes to [[Figueres–Vilafant railway station]] via [[Girona]], opened on 9 January 2013.<ref>[https://www.adifaltavelocidad.es/l%C3%ADnea-madrid-barcelona-frontera-francesa Madrid-Barcelona-French Border line] on the [[Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias|ADIF]] website.</ref> This made possible upon the completion of the {{convert|131|km|mi|1|adj=on}} Barcelona-[[Figueres]] section of the [[Perpignan–Barcelona high-speed rail line]] that connected for the first time the Spanish [[AVE]] high-speed network with the French [[TGV]] high-speed network.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= Spain completes Iberia's high-speed link to Europe |url=http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/europe/spain-opens-iberias-high-speed-rail-link-to-europe.html |newspaper=International Railway Journal |date=8 January 2013|access-date=30 December 2015}}</ref> There have been delays in building a four kilometre tunnel in [[Girona]], the first phase of which was finished in September 2010,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/girona-tunnelling-makes-progress.html|access-date=23 September 2010|title=Railway Gazette: Girona tunnelling makes progress}}</ref> and controversy over the route between [[Barcelona Sants railway station|Sants]] and [[Sagrera railway station|Sagrera]] stations in Barcelona.<ref>{{cite news|title=Perpignan-Barcelona AVE to open in 2012 or .... 2020?|date=August 2007|work=Today's railways Europe, Issue 140|page=10}}</ref> {{As of|2013|1}} there are eight trains a day running from Madrid, connecting at Figueres Vilafant with two TGV services to Paris.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/high-speed/barcelona-figueres-high-speed-rail-line-to-open-on-january-7.html|title=Barcelona - Figueres high speed rail line to open on January 7|work=International Rail Journal|date=10 December 2012|access-date=18 January 2012}}</ref>
 === Figueres to Perpignan ===

v t e Railway lines in Catalonia
High-speed	Madrid–Barcelona–Figueres Perpignan–Figueres Valencia–Sant Vicenç de Calders (partly)
Mainline	Barcelona–Cerbère Barcelona–El Prat Airport rail link Barcelona–Mataró–Maçanet-Massanes Barcelona–Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg Castellbisbal–Mollet-Sant Fost La Plana-Picamoixons–Sant Vicenç de Calders Lleida–Manresa–Barcelona Madrid–Barcelona Reus–Caspe–Zaragoza Sant Vicenç de Calders–Vilafranca del Penedès–Barcelona Tarragona–Lleida Valencia–Sant Vicenç de Calders
Local	Barcelona Metro L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L9/L10 L11 Montjuïc Funicular Barcelona–Vallès Vallvidrera Funicular Lleida–La Pobla Llobregat–Anoia Tibidabo Funicular Trambaix Trambesòs
Mountain	Montserrat Rack Railway Sant Joan Funicular Santa Cova Funicular Vall de Núria Rack Railway
Heritage	Alt Llobregat Tourist Railway Gelida Funicular Tramvia Blau
Proposed	Bages Tram-train Cornellà–Castelldefels Orbital Railway Line TramCamp TramGavarres TramVallès Transversal Rail Link
Defunct	Manresa–Guardiola Mina Grott Mollerussa–Balaguer Olot–Girona Palamós–Girona–Banyoles Reus–Salou Roda de Berà–Reus (partly) Sant Feliu de Guíxols–Girona Tortosa–La Cava Trams in Barcelona (historical system)