Minister Opens Up Speed Limit On Ave Trains – 350 Kph Madrid – Barcelona In 2 Hours

Spain’s Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, has announced an eager renewal scheme for nan high-speed obstruction statement connecting Madrid and Barcelona, pinch nan thought to trim nan travel clip to nether 2 hours by permitting nan trains to recreation astatine a nan highly accelerated velocity of 350 kilometres per hour, aliases more.

The existent fastest nonstop services screen nan 506-kilometre region successful astir 2 hours and 30 to 37 minutes. The projected upgrade, therefore, promises to shorten nan intercity recreation clip by almost 40 minutes.

It is estimated that nan task could beryllium completed wrong 3 years, akin to nan clip taken for nan caller Madrid-Seville statement upgrade, is simply a strategical “offensive” alteration of guidance successful Spain’s high-speed obstruction strategy pursuing what Puente described arsenic “painful” obstruction problems successful caller years.

Faster travel, caller infrastructure

The main portion of nan upgrade involves adapting nan statement to accommodate nan faster speeds, specifically done nan preamble of “aerodynamic sleepers” (traviesas aerodinámicas). The innovative components are designed to trim nan aerodynamic load generated by passing trains by 21 per cent, which successful move prevents nan way ballast (gravel) from being thrown and striking nan underside of nan trains astatine utmost speeds.

“This allows for a 12 per cent higher velocity pinch nan aforesaid aerodynamic load, meaning a velocity of 330 km/h pinch this aero-sleeper, successful existent terms, is balanced to 370 km/h nether existent conditions,” Puente explained during a press arena successful Madrid.

Other than nan way improvements, nan scheme includes important infrastructure additions to amended web fluidity:

• New High-Speed Station successful Parla: A caller AVE position will beryllium built successful Parla, southbound of Madrid. This will alteration travellers from Andalusia to transportation to nan Barcelona statement without having to participate nan capital’s main stations, streamlining nationalist connectivity.
• Direct Airport Links: The renewal will incorporated nonstop obstruction links to nan world airports of Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat.
• Madrid Chamartín Bypass: The task will let for a nonstop relationship from Madrid’s Chamartín position to Barcelona, bypassing nan Atocha station.

Viability and regulatory battles

While nan curate acknowledged that nan full basal finance has not yet been calculated, he expressed assurance successful nan project’s financial viability, saying, “With nan number of travellers location is, we judge nan information will beryllium positive.” This renewal is portion of a broader, awesome authorities initiative, pinch an anticipated finance of 60 cardinal euros complete nan adjacent 4 years crossed Spain’s full carrier network, including rail, roads, ports, and airports.

However, Puente besides utilized nan opportunity to return a patient stance against a caller legislature instruction obligating state-owned Renfe to refund summons costs for trains delayed by arsenic small arsenic 15 minutes.

He based on that imposing a stricter punctuality committedness connected Renfe than connected its competitors, Ouigo and Iryo, successful a free-competition situation is “neither viable nor wholly constitutional.” Such a requirement, he warned, creates an unfair playing section that could perchance costs Renfe €42 cardinal annually and lead to higher summons prices, hindering its expertise to compete effectively.