After 31 years since the initial commitment, the long-awaited high-speed train connection from Madrid to Lisbon is finally becoming a reality. This ambitious project promises to transform travel between these two capitals, with a timeline that targets 2030 for a conventional service and 2034 for the high-speed line. Travelers can expect to cover the distance in a mere three hours, provided that all plans are executed effectively.
2030 and 2034. Portugal, Spain, and the European Commission have officially come to an agreement to rejuvenate the train connection between Lisbon and Madrid . As per the plan, a conventional train service will commence by 2030, followed by a high-speed line in 2034, which will significantly reduce travel time between these two major cities.
The calendar. The execution of the project involves a series of phases and actions necessary for the line’s launch:
- Poceirão-Bombel section : Construction will begin in 2026 and is expected to be completed by 2029 .
- Évora-Caia section : This high-speed segment aims to be ready by 2026 .
- Lisbon-Évora section : Project studies are bound for completion by 2027 .
- Plasencia-Talayuela section : Anticipated to be operational by 2028 .
- Madrid-Lisbon at high speed : The new lines will facilitate the journey in just three hours starting from 2034 .
If the deadlines are not met, there is also a proposal for a Caia-Badajoz-Elvas high-speed line to expedite the connection further.
<img alt="Renfe lines competition" width="375" height="142" src="https://i.blogs.es/dcc904/53155285973_b73520329c_k/375_142.jpeg"/>Target: airlines. A significant goal behind this new high-speed line is to decrease the number of flights between Madrid and Lisbon. Approximately 40 daily flights currently operate between the two cities, and the European Union is aiming to cut down on air traffic by enhancing rail connections. Countries like Spain and France are expected to implement policies that encourage rail travel over air travel.
A 600-kilometer railway line that can take passengers between Madrid and Lisbon in three hours could severely impact local airlines if implemented successfully. The Galician corridor serves as a prime example, where, despite longer travel times, the increase in rail options has led many passengers to forgo flying altogether.
And Galicia? While travelers in Madrid stand to gain significantly from this project, Galicia appears to be left at a disadvantage. Although Portugal initially expressed intentions to create a high-speed line from Lisbon to Vigo , with an intermediate stop in Porto , those plans are now secondary due to renewed focus on establishing a direct connection between the two capitals.
According to Atlantic , the European Union has already allocated over 250 million euros for high-speed projects in Portugal and more than 750 million euros for the Madrid-Extremadura connections. Thus, it seems logical for the current focus to be on completing the corridor that will first benefit these two capitals.
<img alt="Future prospects of a high-speed network" width="375" height="142" src="https://i.blogs.es/977f79/5lhf23doqr4fc5wjpu7dcoyfjo/375_142.jpeg"/>A continental network. The connection between Lisbon and Madrid is part of the European Atlantic Transport Corridor . This expansive project intends to interlink Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, and Ireland through an integrated transport network consisting of roads, airports, ports, and railways .
This high-speed link will also enable a connection from Barcelona to Lisbon in under six hours, serving as a pivotal link that will finally connect the Portuguese capital with the rest of the European Union’s rail network, which has been starkly lacking.
The project will also facilitate swift connectivity to other major hubs within the Spanish high-speed rail network, such as Valencia and Alicante , and incorporate routes into Asturias and Cantabria . Additionally, the proposed extension to Vigo serves as another notable opportunity for efficient travel to northern Spain.
<img alt="High-speed connectivity in Europe" width="375" height="142" src="https://i.blogs.es/b40bd7/portadaportugal/375_142.jpeg"/>The eternal promise. The endeavor to establish a connection between Lisbon and Madrid has been an ongoing commitment for over 20 years . While several initial promises pointed towards having a cross-border AVE by 2010 , the line remains unoperational to this day. Reports indicate that the current railway connection is less efficient than it was in 1881 when the first train line opened between both cities. Remarkably, while Berlin and Warsaw benefit from multiple daily train options, travel between Lisbon and Madrid has been decimated over the years.
As of now, with segments of the high-speed line already in place from Plasencia to Badajoz , travel time for journeys between Lisbon and Madrid has been reduced to just over eight hours , necessitating three different train transfers. In 2022 , this journey was logged at over eleven hours , indicating that progress is both needed and overdue.
In this interconnected age, the proposed train line is not just about linking cities; it’s about fostering economic ties and cultural exchanges within the borders of the European Union . The dream that began decades ago is on the cusp of becoming a tangible reality, albeit with the recognition that efficient rail travel plays a crucial role in the future mobility landscape .