Spain: first HSR network by 2015?

Posted on December 26, 2007 by Matthieu Desiderio

A quick note today to announce that Spain opened the final segment of the High Speed Rail line between Madrid and Malaga, in the South of the country.

The new €2.5 billion infrastructure linking Cordoue and Malaga was mainly financed by the European Union and brings the Spanish network to around 1,000 kilometers of HSR lines. Chief of government José Luis Zapatero announced that Spain will become, in 2010, the country with the largest HSR network and hopes that it will reach 7,000 kilometers by 2015 thanks to a €41 billion plan.

Next step for the Spanish network: Renfe is supposed to start operating AVE trains on the HSR line between the capital city and Barcelona on the east coast of the country. The article from Railway Technology referenced below gives a great overview of the infrastructure planning countrywide.

References

Article: Le Moniteur Expert: here
Website: Renfe official website, AVE page: here
Article: New High-Speed Train to Link Málaga to Madrid by the End of the Year: here
Article: AVE Spain High-Speed Rail Network, Railway Technology: here
Article: Spanish Prime Minister opens high speed train line from Madrid to Málaga: here
Wikipedia: AVE: here