Madrid–Levante high-speed rail network

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Madrid–Levante high-speed rail network
300px
Current network in 2019 (in red)
Overview
Type High-speed rail
Status Operational
Locale Spain (Community of Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha,
Valencian Community)
Termini Madrid Puerta de Atocha
Valencia-Joaquín Sorolla/Alicante
Ridership 5.4 million (2018)[1]
Operation
Opened 18 December 2010 (Madrid-Albacete-Valencia)
17 June 2013 (Albacete-Alicante)
1 February 2021 (Villena-Elche-Orihuela)[2]
Owner Adif
Operator(s) Renfe Operadora
Rolling stock 100, 112, and 130
Technical
Line length 603 km (375 mi)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Route map
Template:Madrid-Levante high-speed rail network

The Madrid–Levante high-speed network is a network of high-speed rail lines that connects Madrid with the Mediterranean coast of the Levante Region, specifically with Castilla-La Mancha, the Valencian Community and the Murcia Region autonomous communities.

The network extends from Madrid to the east, with branches ending in Castellón, Alicante, Elche, Murcia, Cartagena and continuing from Murcia to Almería.

When fully operational the Madrid–Levante network will total 955 km of high-speed rail capable of top speeds of 350 km/h in the majority of its segments.[3]

Segments

Madrid–Cuenca–Motilla del Palancar–Valencia

The first 28 km of this 391 km line are shared with the existing Madrid–Seville high-speed rail line. The section onwards to Valencia was inaugurated on 15 December 2010 and entered service on 19 December 2010.

Thirty trains run every day, fifteen in each direction. 22 are non-stop services and eight call at intermediate stations.

Non-stop trains between Madrid and Valencia cover the 391 km (243 mi) in 1 hour and 40 minutes, saving two hours on the previous service of Alaris trains on the classic line.[4]

The line is built to international gauge (1435mm), and electric powered at 25 kV AC, with signalling ERTMS levels 1 and 2.

Valencia–Castellón

This segment was inaugurated on 22 January 2018 and is a part of the Mediterranean Corridor. With this extension to Castellón a new AVE service Madrid-Castellón was introduced which cut the journey time between the two cities by further 30 minutes to total 2 hours and 25 minutes.

Four AVE trains per day are scheduled, two in each direction between Madrid and Castellón while this segment is also used by the Alvia service Gijón–Castellón.[5][6]

Valencia–Xàtiva

Segment under construction. Planned for mixed use (goods and passengers).[7]

Xàtiva–Nudo de La Encina

This 41.2 km segment is in service with a maximum speed of 220 km/h.

Motilla del Palancar–Albacete

A 62.8 km segment between Cuenca and Albacete provinces. This section was inaugurated on 15 December and open to the public on 19 December 2010.

Albacete–Nudo de La Encina–Monforte del Cid–Alicante

The 171.5 km section from Albacete to Alicante opened in June 2013.[8]

Monforte del Cid–Elche–Murcia–Cartagena

The segment between the municipality of Monforte del Cid in Alicante and Murcia has a length of 61,7 kilometers, of which 46,2 are located in the province of Alicante and the remaining 15,5 in Murcia. It is a new segment of double track in standard gauge, suitable for speeds up to 350 km/h. The 8,9 km long access section towards the new segment to Murcia had been in service since 2008, and was only used for Iberian gauge trains until the 1st February 2021, when the section linking Monforte del Cid, Elche and Orihuela - 48.4 km in total length - was inaugurated.[9] This section is fitted with three track rails, two of standard gauge and one of Iberian gauge.

Murcia–Almería

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Main article: Murcia–Almería high-speed rail line

The main purpose of this line is to connect the Transversal Rail Line to the Madrid-Levante and Mediterranean Corridor rail lines. This segment is 184.3 km (108.1 km in Almería Province and 76.2 in Murcia Region).

Stations

AVE in Albacete Station

Madrid-Atocha

Madrid Atocha (Spanish: Estación de Madrid Atocha, also named Madrid Puerta de Atocha) is the largest railway station in Madrid. Atocha also hosts commuter trains (Cercanías), intercity and regional trains from the south, and AVE high-speed trains to Barcelona (Catalonia) and Seville (Andalusia).

These services are run by the national rail company, Renfe. The station is in the Atocha neighbourhood of the Arganzuela district.

Cuenca-Fernando Zóbel

The Cuenca–Fernando Zóbel railway station is a new station, and is 5 km from the city centre. It is named after painter Fernando Zóbel to commemorate his links to the city. The station occupies 3.950 m2 with 8.900 m2 of parking space.

Albacete-Los Llanos

Albacete-Los Llanos railway station is 23.000 m2 with a commercial area and parking space for 600 cars.[10]

Requena-Utiel

A new 600 m2 station called Requena-Utiel was built with parking space for at least 250 cars.[11] It brings the two small towns of Requena and Utiel on to the high-speed map./[4]

Valencia Central Station

A new Valencia Central Station will be built that eventually replaces the existing Valencia North station. It will be 12 tracks wide in 2 subterranean levels.[12]

Villena AV

Located 6.5 km from Villena town centre.

Alicante

Current terminus of the Alicante branch at the existing Alicante railway station.

Elche AV

A 5,500 m2 station was planned for opening at the end of 2019,[13] with parking space for 500 cars and 50 motorcycles. This was subsequently delayed until 2021.[14]

Orihuela

The existing railway station at Orihuela is served by the AVE line.[14]

Future expansion

The network is under construction to expand to Murcia (and eventually Cartagena) by 2022,[15] and to be connected to Almería in the Mediterranean Corridor by 2024.

Stations

Murcia

The new intermodal Murcia del Carmen railway station will be close to the present station. It will be 8 rail tracks wide and will serve buses and local trains.[16]

Cartagena

It is yet unclear whether the current Cartagena railway station, located next to the old town, will be the final station for high speed services or a new station will be built on the outskirts of the city. Construction of the high speed railway between Murcia and Cartagena is scheduled to begin in 2018, and be complete by 2022.[17]

See also

  • AVE Spanish high-speed train service

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Nueva estación Vialia de Albacete[permanent dead link]
  11. ↑ Nueva estación de Requena-Utiel Archived 2007-10-12 at archive.today
  12. ↑ Nueva estación Central de Valencia
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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