The European Commission defended this Thursday, 30th, that the high-speed rail link between Lisbon and Madrid is “a notable example” of the European investment in railways, for which Brussels has already made 235 million euros available to Portugal.
“Covering just over 600 kilometers between Lisbon and Madrid in just three hours is a notable example of the high-speed rail connections that we aim to achieve across Europe. These connections make train travel a truly attractive and sustainable alternative for traveling between cities”, says the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, in a statement.
On the day that Lisbon, Madrid and Brussels reached agreement on the main milestones and deadlines to complete the high-speed rail connection between the Iberian capitals, the community executive argues in the note that “this emblematic cross-border infrastructure project will significantly improve connectivity in the European Union [UE]”.
“Unanimously supported by the Member States, the decision promotes the full integration of Portugal and Spain into the European high-speed rail network. By 2030, passengers will be able to travel between the two capitals in around five hours and, by 2034, in just three hours”, says the institution.
Brussels adds that it has already supported Portugal in the creation of this high-speed rail connection with 235 million euros from the Connecting Europe Mechanism for the high-speed line between Évora and Elvas.
Since 2014, around 750 million euros have been allocated to support the high-speed line connecting Extremadura to Madrid.
The governments of Portugal and Spain and the European Commission have agreed on a set of actions that will make it possible to move forward with the rail connection between Lisbon and Madrid by 2030, with a five-hour journey, the Ministry of Infrastructure announced today.
According to the authority, the “Iberian strategy” targets, by 2030, the direct connection between the two capitals, the completion of works on the new high-speed line between Évora and Caia by 2025 and entry into operation in 2026, the entry into operation of the Plasencia-Talayuela (Cáceres) section by 2028, the start of construction of the second route between Poceirão (Palmela) and Bombel (Vendas Novas) in 2026, with completion by 2029 and operation in 2030, and also the completion of studies for the new Lisbon-Évora line, including the Third Crossing over the Tagus by 2027.
By 2034, it is planned to move forward with a high-speed connection between Lisbon and Madrid, with a travel time of around three hours, as well as the construction of the new Lisbon-Évora high-speed line, including the Third Crossing over the Tagus and duplication of the Évora-Caia line, “if the need is justified”, detailed the Government.
It is also planned, by that date, to implement the European rail traffic management system on several sections between Lisbon and Madrid, as well as the preparation of studies and eventual construction of the new high-speed section between Caia and Badajoz and the Elvas-Badajoz International Railway Station, on the border between the two countries.
The project is part of the European investment in railways.
At the beginning of November, the European Commission will present a plan for a high-speed network in the EU.