The Council of Ministers has put the Lisbon-Madrid high-speed rail on the fast track. This plan aims to reduce travel time to just six hours by 2027. Their goal is to cut it down even more, to three hours by 2034.
By improving the rail link, they hope to offer a strong alternative to flying. They aim to move a big chunk of the daily flights between these capitals to the train. This move is expected to be better for the environment and efficiency.
Recent updates show big improvements for the rail lines between Portugal and Spain. For instance, the Porto-Lisbon route will soon take only 1 hour and 15 minutes. And the Lisbon-Elvas journey is set to drop to two hours by 2025, and later to just one hour.
Work on the Évora-Elvas stretch is going well, with plans to finish by 2025. This project will tie together different rail systems across borders. But, it still needs key pieces like a new bridge over the Tagus in Lisbon.
This high-speed rail project ties into the EU’s Green Deal and the Paris Climate Agreement. It’s all about growing the economy, connecting places better, and taking care of the planet. The project is a big deal, costing up to €4.1 billion. It’s a significant step in changing how we travel in the EU.
High-Speed Train: Transforming Travel Between Madrid and Lisbon
The high-speed train line is a major development between Lisbon and Madrid. It involves an investment of about £3.5 billion. This project will cut the travel time to three hours from the current nine hours, changing the way we travel.
The plan is to reduce trip time to six hours by 2027 and to three hours by 2034. This shows the deep commitment of both nations to improve their infrastructure.
Boosting Tourism and Economic Growth
The fast train between Madrid and Lisbon will surely enhance tourism. It will also drive economic growth in Spain and Portugal. For instance, Spain saw a 21% rise in international tourists in March.
During the same period, tourist spending jumped to €8.652 billion. The first quarter’s figures were also impressive with a 27.2% increase in spending. Meanwhile, Portugal welcomed over 30 million visitors in 2023, earning about €25 billion from tourism.
This eco-friendly train service will make trips between the countries more appealing. It will make it simpler for international tourists to visit both places.
Environmental Sustainability
The green transportation initiative makes travel more sustainable than flying. Taking a train from London to Paris emits 14 times less CO2 than flying. Adding Spain’s Extremadura to the route shows an effort to cut emissions and promote green travel.
Integrating this train with the current railway systems in Portugal and Spain shows a real commitment to the environment. Both countries are moving closer to meeting their climate goals.
Construction and Investments: The Roadmap to 2027
The high-speed rail project linking Lisbon and Madrid is a joint effort of Portugal and Spain. It aims to start in 2026 and be fully done by 2034, changing how people travel between these cities. The construction of the Évora-Elvas section is expected to finish by 2025. Also, a new bridge over the River Tajo will tackle old transport problems and improve connections. This project shows how well the two countries can work together, using European funds for a greener travel option.
Portuguese and Spanish Collaboration
This rail project highlights the need for Portugal and Spain to work together. After a train service was stopped in 2020, there was a bigger push for this new, eco-friendly link. The goal is to make train travel preferred over cars, as trains are much cleaner for our planet. The European Commission is backing this push by funding a lot of rail projects. They are putting more than 70% of their €25.8 billion budget towards making trains better.
Stages of Development
The project is moving through important stages, starting with the almost-done Évora-Elvas part. It’s about linking train systems of Portugal and Spain despite their different setups. With a budget of about €3.9 to €4.1 billion, the aim is to cut down travel time to just 3 hours by 2034. There’s a detailed plan in place for building what’s needed and making sure things stay on track.
EU advice includes speeding up updates to the signaling system for easier cross-border travel. This project is part of a bigger picture, where over 201,000 km of train tracks in the EU are getting upgraded. Such efforts show a strong commitment to better and more connected rail services.
