Transport Minister Óscar Puente announced today an ambitious plan to expand the high-speed rail network (AVE). The key goal is to reduce travel time between Madrid and Barcelona to “less than two hours” within the next three years.
To achieve this, the existing line will be upgraded to allow speeds of up to 350 km/h.
As part of the project, a new AVE station will be built at Barcelona El Prat Airport. It will be integrated into the current line that connects Catalonia’s capital with Tarragona and Madrid.
The plan also includes the construction of a new AVE station in Parla, south of Madrid, to create a convenient transfer hub (for example, from Andalusia to Barcelona) without entering the capital.
These steps are crucial for the full deployment of the Mediterranean Corridor, a strategic EU project. Its goal is to solve the long-standing issue of different rail gauges: Spain’s historic Iberian gauge prevents direct connections with the standard European gauge. The project aims to create a unified high-speed network on the European standard—for both passengers and freight.
To achieve this, the existing line will be upgraded to allow speeds of up to 350 km/h.
As part of the project, a new AVE station will be built at Barcelona El Prat Airport. It will be integrated into the current line that connects Catalonia’s capital with Tarragona and Madrid.
The plan also includes the construction of a new AVE station in Parla, south of Madrid, to create a convenient transfer hub (for example, from Andalusia to Barcelona) without entering the capital.
These steps are crucial for the full deployment of the Mediterranean Corridor, a strategic EU project. Its goal is to solve the long-standing issue of different rail gauges: Spain’s historic Iberian gauge prevents direct connections with the standard European gauge. The project aims to create a unified high-speed network on the European standard—for both passengers and freight.
