PCZ 2022: Bridging the cross border missing link between FR & SP: Pau-Canfranc-Zaragoza

ongoing

The Action is part of a Global Project aimed at the reopening of the Pau-Canfranc-Zaragoza cross-border railway line for international passenger and freight transport. This 310 km line connects France to Spain, crossing the Pyrenees through the Somport railway tunnel. Rehabilitation of this railway line, located on the comprehensive network, would provide a third cross-border railway link, offering an alternative route besides the current two coastal cross-border points on the Atlantic Corridor (between Biarritz/Bayonne and San Sebastian) and Mediterranean Corridor (between Perpignan and Figueras). A third cross-border rail crossing with international standards will enable direct, interoperable train connections between Pau and Zaragoza, which will contribute to a shift from road to rail. Opened in 1928, the railway line Pau-Canfranc-Zaragoza was interrupted in 1970 on the French side due to a train derailment that destroyed the Estanguet railway bridge South of Bedous, which was never rebuilt. As a result, also the Somport railway tunnel has gone out of service. This tunnel was built in 1915 to connect the French and Spanish rail systems at the Canfranc railway station, which acted as a transhipment point to transfer between the different French and Spanish track gauges. In past years, given the traffic increase in the Pyrenees, there have been many calls to reopen this third cross-border rail connection between France and Spain. As a result, the line has undergone extensive repair works. On the French side, the Oloron-Bedous section was reopened in June 2016. On the Spanish side, from Huesca to Zaragoza the line has received maximum modernisation with high-speed AVE trains running to Madrid. This Project will build on two earlier CEF funded Actions (2016-EU-TA-0210-S and 2019-EU-TA-0040-M). In these Actions, studies were included regarding (i) the section between Bedous and the Somport rail tunnel (preliminary design, EIA, socio-economic studies), (ii) the section Canfranc-Zaragoza (pre-design, detailed design, including access to logistic platforms PLHUS in Huesca and PLAZA in Zaragoza) and (iii) the Somport rail tunnel (environmental diagnosis, environmental impact study for the Spanish part, current situation of tunnel infrastructure, preliminary design). Also, works were finalised at the Canfranc railway station to modernise rail infrastructure (e.g. track layout including sidings, communication and safety systems), railway infrastructure components (e.g. platforms) and the new passenger building, so the station is ready for the future reopening of the line to international passenger and freight traffic. The current Project aims to carry out mature studies to further pave the way for works along the Bedous-Canfranc-Zaragoza section, and includes the following tasks: - Work Package 1 and 2 will ensure sound project management through an integrated management structure including all project partners, and communication about the Project and its results to the general public and stakeholders at local, regional, national and European levels. - In Work Package 3 all necessary studies will be completed for the (Global) Project to be declared as a Project of Public Interest (DUP) in France. - Work Package 4 focuses on carrying out functional studies to remodel the local rail network in Zaragoza in order to be prepared for new rail traffic induced by the Global Project and studies to analyse a direct freight itinerary to/from the French border via the Mediterranean Corridor. - In Work Package 5 detailed designs will be carried out concerning the railway infrastructure (infrastructure substructure, including platforms and civil protection facilities, the track system in international standard gauge as well as signalling/communication systems and its related energy supply system) to be constructed in the Somport railway tunnel. - In Work Package 6 detailed design studies taking into account the new BIM methodology of ADIF will