Infrastructure upgrades on the Madrid-Seville high-speed railway

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Work under the project includes replacing rails and sleepers, structural upgrades to bridges and tunnels, stabilising embankments and adapting the drainage system. Buildings and installations necessary for the operation of the line will be refurbished, and service and access roads will be improved. Perimeter fences will be installed where none are in place, and existing fences will be strengthened.Two linked projects (financed from the Recovery and Resilience Facility and Next Generation EU Recovery Fund) will be implemented as well to  improve the energy and control, command and signalling systems on the line.A transport backboneOpened in 1992, the Madrid-Seville high-speed line is a backbone of the transport networks of the regions it crosses. In addition to the six cities it serves directly, high-speed connections to Toledo, Málaga and Granada branch off from the line. The line has also improved rail links to Cádiz, Huelva and Algeciras.The line is double track and standard gauge. It has 32 bridges and 17 tunnels. From the outset, it has been equipped with pioneering technologies such as the linear train control (LZB) signalling system, which continuously monitors speed, transmits data between track and train and allows automatic train operation. The line is designed for speeds of up to 300 km/h and, in this regard, is currently functioning at maximum performance levels.Projects carried out since 1992 have improved quality of service and maintained high safety standards. Nonetheless, given recent technological developments, the line has become outdated compared with the rest of the Spanish high-speed network.Optimised serviceBy adapting the line to the latest interoperability specifications, the project will contribute to an efficient, integrated European rail system. In so doing, it will help to strengthen rail links between south-western Europe and the rest of the EU, boosting economic activity in the region. The work will contribute to adaptation to and mitigation of the effects of climate change on the railways.In addition, the upgrades will ensure improved quality, reliability and frequency of services, allowing new operators to use the corridor and further improving performance. Intercity transport by rail should become more attractive to passengers. The resulting shift away from road and air transport will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.Total investment and EU fundingTotal investment for the project “Mediterranean Corridor – Madrid-Seville high-speed section: improvement/adaptation to TEN-T standard – infrastructure and track” is EUR 801 645 381, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 110 000 000 through the “Multiregional” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures”.