Spain has announced its plan to finish the high speed train line between Madrid and Lisbon. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has confirmed this during a press conference at the Iberian summit held in Faro, Portugal.
The new train line will improve travel between the two countries. The Portuguese government led by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has said its current priority is the high speed rail line between Porto and Vigo. The Lisbon Madrid link is still important to Portugal but it is considered a second priority.
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Lisbon-Madrid High-Speed Train Project
Prime Minister Sánchez made it clear that Spain is committed to the high speed rail project between Madrid and Lisbon.
He said:
The Spanish government’s commitment to the AVE [high-speed railway] Madrid-Lisbon is 2030. I insist, it’s the Spanish government’s commitment and it’s the horizon we’re working towards
This statement shows strong dedication of Spain to completing the project on time. The high speed rail will create better links between the two capitals and make travel easier and faster.
Sánchez also discussed another high speed rail project in addition to the Lisbon Madrid line which is the Lisbon Porto Vigo line. Spain and Portugal both aim to complete this route by 2032. This route is expected to enhance the economic relationship between the two countries and provide faster travel options for passengers.
Porto-Vigo Line
While Spain is working toward the 2030 completion of the Lisbon Madrid line but Portugal has a different focus. Prime Minister Montenegro said that main priority of Portugal is to complete the high speed rail line from Lisbon to Porto and then to Vigo in Spain. This rail link is important for Portugal because it will strengthen connections in northern Portugal and improve access to Spain.
Montenegro said:
It’s the priority on the Portuguese side. We’ve already awarded the first section of this link and we even want to bring forward the timetable as far as possible
This shows that Portugal is eager to speed up work on the Porto Vigo route. Even though the Lisbon Madrid line is still a goal for Portugal but it will take longer to complete.
Lisbon-Madrid Project Challenges
The Lisbon Madrid high speed train project faces several challenges in Portugal. Montenegro explained that this project is linked to other big infrastructure projects in Lisbon. The rail line will run through Évora and Badajoz but it also depends on the construction of a new airport in Lisbon and a third bridge over the River Tagus.
He said:
The second priority is the Lisbon-Madrid link via Évora-Badajoz. There is a first section that is already on the ground. We now need to reconcile the third crossing over the River Tagus in Lisbon with the construction of the high-speed link in Évora. It’s a process that runs simultaneously with the construction of the new Lisbon airport
Montenegro confirmed that work has already begun on the first section of the Lisbon Madrid line. However, he noted that Portugal is working to align the construction of this train line with the building of the new Lisbon airport and the Tagus bridge and make the timeline for the rail project more complex.
He said:
The two governments are working together to try to combine the construction schedules for one and the other link so that they can be realised in the shortest possible time
This means that both Spain and Portugal are trying to ensure that the train project and other developments move forward together.
Future Rail Connections Between Spain and Portugal
Other railway connections between Spain and Portugal are being considered in addition to the Lisbon Madrid and Porto Vigo lines. At the summit, both countries agreed to study new routes that can improve travel between them.
These include possible rail lines between Aveiro and Salamanca, and between Faro, Huelva, and Seville. These new lines can create even more options for cross border travel and make transportation more efficient for both tourists and businesses.
