Spain connections will be negotiated between Portugal and Spain. Faro-Huelva is “forward”
In September, transport portfolios of the governments of Portugal and Spain will meet for a question of the links, from March, between the two views of countries, links without direct links2020 and with the views of two different countries in regarding connections to be made from March. in the construction of new lines.
The Spanish newspaper “Cinco Dias” this Tuesday, August 23writes that the ministers in charge of the railroad, the Portuguese Minister for Infrastructure, Pedro Nuno Santos, and the Spanish Minister for Transport, Raquel Sánchez, will meet in September to discuss high-speed connections between the two countries for the next decade and short-term and medium-term international rail services.
The first measure that the two governments must take to remedy, for the time being, this privileged state of affairs – which awakens the height of the Commission at a time when European transport is wanted – is to strengthen existing connections. But in Spain there is a need for a daytime connection between Madrid and Lisbon, already proposed by Renfe, the CP counterpart. In Portugal, the priority goes to strengthening Celta, the connection between Porto and Vigo.
And on the lines, the difference is also in the new configurations: the main connection to Madrid is via Badaz; at the same time, Portugal wants to invest heavily in the high-speed line between Lisbon and Porto, with a connection to Vigo and the Spanish high-speed line.
In Spain, the high-speed connection from Madrid to Extremadura, an investment of 1,200 euros, is being carried out in phases, with part of the line between Plasencia and Badajoz having already been inaugurated, 150 kilometers away – although 200 kilometers of this line are still in the design phase. The 150 already open, the 150 already open will allow travel between city times, almost a trip and the shorter hour the travel time between city times, almost a travel route, easier and faster changes, a materials route, an easier travel route.
On the Portuguese side of the border, the end of works on the new Évora-Caia high-speed line, designed for the transport of goods from the port of Sines but which will have passengers, is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, ensuring a faster connection from Lisbon to Madrid. Because currently traveling by train between the two capitals involves at least three transfers and nine hours of travel.
Despite the Évora-Caia line, the big bet is on the high-speed line between Lisbon and Porto, already announced a few times by the minister Pedro Nuno Santos within the scope of the National Investment Plan 2030, and the Porto-Vigo connection, in a total cake of €5.4 billion per spender.
The minister appealed for the Spaniards to “wind up their shoes” in the investment you must make on your side so that the line does not reach Valença and end up with a void on the other side of the Minho. This clashes with a certain indifference on the part of the Madrid government, which does not give much priority to this project, despite the fact that the Spanish Congénere of Infraestruturas de Portugal, Adif, has already provided 35 million euros for the connection to the Portuguese grid.
The two countries will also discuss the connection through Salamanca, with electrification underway on the Spanish side. For further on, but also on the iron tableare the Aveiro-Mangualde and the Faro-Huelva link.
- Text: Expresso, POSTAL’s partner newspaper