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Mobility and Transport

The Trans - European corridors entering the Iberian Peninsula and the Spanish rail network are the following:

  • Atlantic corridor, running from the French border at Irun/Hendaye to Portugal, via Vitoria, Burgos and Valladolid. There is a branch going south via Madrid to Lisbon and the port of Algeciras.
  • Mediterranean corridor, running from the French border at Portbou/Cerbère to the port of Algeciras and Seville along the Mediterranean coast, via Barcelona and Valencia.

Infrastructure Managers

ADIF is the national Infrastructure Manager in Spain, which manages and maintains the Spanish Network. This network has a part that belongs to the Core Network Corridors with more than 6,300 km.

In this country, two gauges co-exist: the Iberian gauge (1668 mm) and the UIC gauge (1435 mm) for the high-speed sections.

ADIF has been divided into two departments, from which stemmed a new organisation, ADIF Alta Velocidad (ADIF High Speed), for the construction and management of the High-Speed network.

National implementation plan

The Spanish National Implementation Plan (NIP) was delivered in 2017. It is compliant with the ERTMS European Deployment Plan with some exceptions, such as the line between Madrid-Bilbao, which has an estimated delay of 4 years but will still be commissioned before 2023.

According to the Spanish NIP:

  • The network will have mixed ERTMS levels; some lines will be equipped with ERTMS Level 1, such as the conventional lines, and others will have both ERTMS levels (Level 1 + Level 2), such as the high-speed lines.
  • Spain has no decommissioning plans for the next 15 years. Nevertheless, no Class B system is required onboard when ETCS is available on the trackside.

National Implementation Plans (NIP) country by country

National Safety Authority

The Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Ferroviaria (The State Railway Safety Agency) was created in 2015 and is the Spanish NSA responsible for railway system safety (infrastructure, rolling stock, railway personnel and management).

It is also responsible for the system’s interoperability, and the concession and revocation of licenses from railway undertakings.

Information related to the Ministerio de Fomento (Public Works and Transport Ministry)