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The Portuguese government has announced plans to build a high-speed train line between Lisbon and Madrid which will take passengers between the two countries in just three hours. The railway will be constructed within the next 10 years and aims to provide a sustainable and more environmentally-friendly alternative to daily flights.

 

The rail link, which includes connections with Badajóz and Plasencia, also seeks to connect Vigo with Porto in 50 minutes, and with Lisbon in 1.15 hours. With these alternatives, the 40 daily flights between Lisbon and Madrid and twenty between Porto and Lisbon could be drastically reduced.

 

The authorities in Portugal have indicated that the decision to accelerate the construction of these high-speed train lines lies in the need to decarbonise transportation through more efficient modes of transport and to address economic development and territorial and social cohesion.

 

The Portuguese Council of Ministers has included this project within the framework of the construction of a new airport in the Lisbon region, which will be in Alcoche, about 40 kilometres from the capital, and a bridge over the Tagus River. Railway plans have become urgent due to the need to guarantee the accessibility of the new airport.

 

“The investment calendars will be compatible with Spain, to guarantee a coordinated and timely execution of the project, fully optimising the availability of European financing,” reads a statement from the Portuguese Government.

 

For his part, the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, has said that he has spoken with his Spanish counterpart, Óscar Puente, who has assured him of “his commitment to this strategic alignment.”

 

Some sections of these railway connections are already under construction, such as the one that connects Évora with Elvas, on the border with Spain. However, work has yet to begin on the tracks that connect Évora with Lisbon.

 

 

Image: Renfe