(Adnkronos) – The governments of Portugal and Spain have agreed to open the first direct Lisbon-Madrid high-speed rail line, with service starting by 2034, officials said. The rail link would be ready by 2030 and would begin with a five-hour service, according to the Portuguese Ministry of Infrastructure, with travel time then reduced to three hours with the introduction of high-speed trains.
Currently there are no rail services between the Spanish and Portuguese capitals, although there are about 40 flights a day that take about an hour to cover the 600 kilometers. The agreement for the line was signed by the two governments with the European Commission. “This project is more than just a rail link: it represents a step towards the future of sustainable mobility and European cohesion,” said Portuguese Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz.
The two countries have also agreed to complete a study by 2027 on the feasibility of aligning their railway gauge with the European standard of 143.5 centimeters. Most tracks on the Iberian Peninsula have a gauge of 166.8 centimeters.
