Adif - Abrimos caminos

The construction of this high-speed line, with a length of 955 kilometres, is an engineering challenge requiring a huge investment. The total planned investment of 12.41 billion euros, and all of the activity before and after the line is put into service will help to boost the economy and regional structure of our country

The train travels through four Autonomous Regions: Madrid, Castile-La Mancha, Valencia Region and Murcia Region. It is the backbone for the high-speed rail connections from the south-east of Spain to the central tablelands. It allows all the provincial capitals in Castile-La Mancha to access high-speed trains, and reduces travel times from the whole of the Valencia Region and Murcia Region to the Spanish capital. These regions are home to approximately 26% of the Spanish population.

All of the cities along the route will have appreciably reduced rail travel times, as well as improved quality and safety conditions on railway journeys.  A significant example is the outstanding travel time between Madrid and Valencia, which is now 1 hour 35 minutes, instead of almost 2 hours before the line opened.

As well as serving as the backbone of the transport structure of the different Autonomous Regions, the line will boost socioeconomic development and business competition.

It also entails the creation of new functional, modern stations, designed for the 21st century, at Cuenca, Requena - Utiel, Albacete, Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, Almansa, Villena and Elche.

All the works on this line have been entrusted to Adif. Of the total investment of 12.41 billion euros, 6.6 billion euros were allocated to the sections opened in 2010, Madrid - Albacete and Madrid - Valencia.

The opening of the first 438 kilometres of the line to Valencia and Albacete, which were put into service on 19 December 2010, has contributed to making Spain the European country with the most kilometres of high-speed lines.

The high-speed line will allow an annual reduction of 80,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, and a saving in energy consumption of almost 30,000 tonnes of petroleum equivalent, for an estimated 3 million travellers.

Their Majesties the King and Queen opened the Madrid-Valencia section on 18 December 2010.  

The Madrid – Cuenca – Albacete section was officially opened by the Prince and Princess of Asturias on 15 December 2010.

Length: 955 km 

Length of sections in service: 438 km

Total planned investment: 12.41 billion euros

International double gauge track (1435 mm)

Infrastructure designed for a maximum velocity of 350 km/h

Maximum commercial speed: 300 km/h

Infrastructure in the Madrid- Albacete-Valencia sections: 79 viaducts and 50 tunnels

Universal gauge changer: Albacete and Valencia

Control and regulation centres (CRC): Albacete and Madrid Puerta de Atocha

Stations in service in 2010: Madrid-Puerta de Atocha, Cuenca Fernando Zóbel, Requena-Utiel, Vialia Albacete los Llanos and Valencia Joaquín Sorolla

Electrification: 25 KV/Alternating current

Signalling: ERTMS. Levels 1 and 2

Telecommunications: Mesh with ring topology. IP and SDH mesh networks

Radiotelephony: GSM-R

Spacing of 4.7 m

Cross-section with platform width of 14 m. Allows a reduction of the area occupied by tracks.

The PIACs provide up-to-date details on the status of construction and installation work, offering personalised information on specific aspects of different projects and responding to inquiries about construction processes, travel disruption and other relevant aspects. The PIACs also process requests for specific information and customer complaints.

The PIACs offer a range of audiovisual resources and leaflets covering the main features of high-speed lines, environmental projects, major infrastructures and the benefits of development work.

Partnerships established for remodelling the railway network in the cities of Murcia and Cartagena.