Madrid–Asturias high-speed rail line

The Madrid–Asturias high-speed rail line (Spanish language: Línea de Alta Velocidad Madrid - Asturias) connects the city of Madrid with the autonomous community of Asturias and was inaugurated on 29 November 2023.^[2] The line is built to standard gauge and gauge changers are provided at strategic points to allow interchange with older Spanish railways which were built to Iberian gauge.

Madrid–Asturias high-speed line
Rail lab (ADIF series 330) in El Goloso (Madrid) heading towards Colmenar Viejo eleven days before the opening of the line.
Overview
Native name	Línea de Alta Velocidad Madrid - Asturias
Status	operational
Locale	Spain
Termini	Madrid Chamartín Pola de Lena
Stations	5
Service
Type	high-speed rail
Ridership	4.1 million (2017-8)[1]
History
Opened	29 September 2015; 9 years ago (2015-09-29)
Technical
Line length	342.3 km (212.7 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC
Operating speed	350 km/h (220 mph)
Route map Legend km length in m Conventional line to/from Gijón Pola de Lena Conventional line to/from León Tunnel Vega de Ciego 2,460 Gauge changer Campomanes Tunnel Pontones 5,935 Pajares Base Tunnel 24,600 La Pola de Gordón Conventional line León-Asturias Río Bernesga Conventional line León-Asturias La Robla Conventional line to/from Asturias line León-La Robla in modernization Gauge changer (provisional) 345.45 León Conventional lines to La Coruña and Palencia LE-20 (Avenida de Portugal) LE-30 LE-11 Torneros Bridge 581 Palencia-La Coruña line 606 Río Esla 660 Canal de la margen izquierda del Porma 63 A-231 152 Arroyo de Valdearcos 86 Canal del Porma 136 A-231 152 N-601 & Cañada Real Leonesa Oc. 168 A-60 Santas Martas crossover Valle de la Utielga 315 Valle de la Granja 315 Camino de Santiago Arroyo del Olmo 167 A-231 152 Arroyo del Coso 116 Camino de Santiago 442 N-120 Arroyo del Valle Río Cea 116 Río Valderaduey 82 Palencia-La Coruña line 53 276.5 Villada maintenance center Río Sequillo 90 Río de la Huerga 185 Río Valdeguinate 85 Río Retortillo 248 Palencia-La Coruña line 130 Paredes de Nava crossover Canal de Castilla Ramal de Campos 116 Canal de Castilla Ramal Sur 110 A-65 230.6 Palencia A-67 Gauge changer to Palencia to Venta de Baños- Burgos-Vitoria AVE Cerrato Tunnel 500 A-62 120 N-620 138 Madrid-Hendaya line 266 to Venta de Baños- Burgos-Vitoria AVE 217.5 Venta de Baños Río Pisuerga 610 Charcón bridge 130 Arroyo Cevico 250 208.4 Dueñas crossover Arroyo Madrazo 50 Peña Rayada Tunnel 2,000 Río Pisuerga 1,366 Acequia de Santovenia 74 Madrid-Hendaya line 181.9 ↑ Valladolid-León section 181.2 La Pilarica level crossing 180.2 to Burgos Gauge changer 179.6 Valladolid-Campo Grande to Madrid 173.1 Pinar de Antequera level crossing 1,000 168.0 Río Duero Gauge changer Madrid-Irun line 159.6 Valdestillas ↑ single track ↓ double track 144.0 Madrid-Irun line to Olmedo-Zamora-Galicia   Madrid–Galicia AVE N-601 133.0 Olmedo 106.6 Nava de la Asunción crossover 97.1 94.4 Tabladillo Tunnel 2,000 86.0 Garcillán 72.5 70.7 Puentecilla Tunnel 1,900 Villa line AP-61 68.3 Segovia-Guiomar 66.2 37.5 Guadarrama Tunnels 28,377 35.5 Miraflores de la Sierra Madrid-Burgos line 32.9 Arroyo Valley viaduct 1,796 32.1 23.2 Hill of San Pedro Tunnels 8,930 Madrid-Burgos line 18.9 crossover Tres Cantos Madrid–Hendaye line & Madrid-Burgos line Madrid-Alcobendas/San Sebastián de los Reyes line Fuencarral maintenance center Hortaleza-Pitis link Hortaleza-Chamartin link Gauge changer 0.50 Madrid Chamartín 0.0 Túnel de la risa to Madrid Atocha km length in m Key standard gauge Iberian gauge This diagram: view talk edit

History

The line was inaugurated in three stages.

Its first 179.6 km (111.6 mi) section Madrid - Segovia - Valladolid opened for commercial service on 23 December 2007 and is the first instalment of a high-speed rail corridor in the north and northwest of Spain. AVE services reduced journey times between Madrid and Valladolid from 2½ hours to 56 minutes at an average speed of 192 kilometres per hour (119 mph).

The second 162.7 km (101.1 mi) section Valladolid-Venta de Baños-León opened on 29 September 2015 and was built at a cost of €1,62bn for operation at up to 350 km/h. Since then the journey time between Madrid and León was cut by 44 min to 2 h 6 min on AVE trains.^[3]

In September 2021 the first test runs started through Pajares Base Tunnel (Variante de Pajares) in the railway between La Robla and Campomanes.^[4] The third section between León and Pola de Lena via the Pajares Base Tunnel was inaugurated on 29 November 2023 after 20 years of works and an investment of €4,00bn only for the 50 km (31 mi) section between La Robla and Pola de Lena. The entire line put in commercial service on 30 November 2023, initially by Alvia trains connecting Madrid and rest of Spanish High-speed network to Asturias up to the city of Gijón.^[2][5][6]

Features

This line is constructed for trains running at up to 350 kilometres per hour (220 mph). ERTMS type II signaling and ASFA digital diversion clearance of 220 kilometres per hour (140 mph) and a reduction of over 70 kilometres (43 mi) (28%) compared to the general layout of the Northern or Imperial Line, due to the tunnels of San Pedro and Guadarrama through Sierra de Guadarrama, 9 and 28.4 km (5.6 and 17.6 mi) respectively. The Guadarrama tunnel, is the longest railway tunnel in Spain and the fifth longest railway tunnel in the world and trains can travel through the tunnel at a maximum speed of 310 kilometres per hour (190 mph).^[7]

In the section between Valladolid and León the route comprises 78.7 km (48.9 mi) of double track and two single-track sections totalling 84 km (52 mi). Gauge changers are installed at Chamartin Valdestillas, Valladolid, León and Villamuriel south of Palencia and this has reduced travel times on all routes between Madrid and Spain's north-northwest.^[8]

The 20.2 kilometres (12.6 mi) section between León and La Robla remains in conventional Iberian gauge line for a maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour (99 mph), that is due to be modernized to high-speed standards along with an additional standard gauge track by end 2024.^[9][10]

The 49.7 kilometres (30.9 mi) section between La Robla and Pola de Lena is a double electrified track for maximum speeds of 275 kilometres per hour (171 mph). 80% of this section consists of tunnels of a total length of 40 kilometres (25 mi), including the 25 kilometres (16 mi) long Pajares Base Tunnel, the seventh longest railway tunnel in Europe that runs under a very mountainous area between the Province of León and the Principality of Asturias.^[2][11]

The line further connects the cities of Oviedo and Gijón in the Spanish region of Asturias via conventional line to the high-speed network.

The line is connected with the following other HSR (High-speed rail) lines:

• Madrid–Galicia high-speed rail line, and this in turn with the Atlantic Axis high-speed rail line.
• HSR Valladolid - Burgos and this in turn to the future HSR sections Burgos - Vitoria, Logroño-Miranda de Ebro and the Basque Y.
• Other high-speed lines departing from Madrid, via Chamartin and Atocha stations.

Route

Madrid–Asturias high-speed line in red

(The figures indicate kilometres from Madrid)

• Gauge changer
• 345.450 León AV (166,141 km from Valladolid Campo Grande)
• 344.277 Junction Estadio Municipal
• 343.879 Classification changer
• 339.527 Vilecha changer
• 338.245 Junction Vilecha
• 320.332 PCA Luengos
• 297.591 Junction Las Arenas
• 276.537 Villada AV maintenance center
• 259.999 Junction Las Barreras
• 244.212 PCA Becerril
• 231.315 Level crossing Los Tres Pasos
• 230.627 Palencia
• 224.754 Villamuriel changer
• 223.530 Junction Cerrato AV
• 222.699 Desvío 10 of the Junction Cerrato
• 217.578 Junction Venta de Baños AV
• 208.447 Crossover Dueñas AV
• 198.097 PCA Valoria
• 187.360 Junction Las Pajareras
• 186.283 Junction Canal del Duero
• 181.241 Level crossing La Pilarica
• 179.6 Valladolid-Campo Grande
• 173.1 Level crossing (Pinar de Antequera)
• 168.0 Rio Duero
• conventional line Madrid-Irun (Gauge changer)
• 159.6 Valdestillas / Transition double track to single track
• 144.0 Conventional Line Madrid-Irun
• Future link L.A.V. Olmedo-Zamora-Galicia (in draft)
• Link L.A.V. Olmedo-Zamora-Galicia
• Intersection with N-601
• 133.0 Olmedo
• 106.6 Nava de la Asunción
• 97.1 to 94.4 Tabladillo Tunnel
• 86.0 Garcillán
• 72.5 to 70.7 Puentecilla Tunnel
• Conventional Line Intersection with Villa
• 68.3 Segovia Guiomar
• 66.2 to 37.5 Guadarrama Tunnels
• 35.5 Soto del Real
• Junction with conventional line Madrid-Burgos
• 32.9 Arroyo Valley Viaduct
• 32.1 to 23.2 tunnels of Cerro de San Pedro
• Junction with conventional line Madrid-Burgos
• 18.9 Trivialization Post Tres Cantos
• Junction with conventional line Madrid-Burgos
• Line Conv. Madrid-Alcobendas/S.S. de los Reyes
• Fuencarral maintenance center
• Intersection with link-Hortaleza Pitis
• Intersection with link-Hortaleza Chamartin
• Link to Chamartin Iberian gauge (width changer)
• Madrid-Chamartin 0.50
• End of Line (AV tunnel Chamartin-Atocha)

Key facts

• Inauguration: 22 December 2007 for the section Madrid–Valladolid (entry into service on the next day). 29 September 2015 for the section Valladolid–León. 29 November 2023 for the section León–Pola de Lena (entry into service on the next day).^[2]
• Approximate cost: 4,205 million euro for the section Madrid–Valladolid (about 700 M € are for the reform of the RAF of Valladolid). 1,620 million euro for the section Valladolid–León. 4,205 million euro for the section Robla–Pola de Lena.^[2]
• Tender: commissioned by the Government to GIF (today ADIF) in 1998.
• Intermediate stations: Segovia Guiomar (kilometre post 68.3), Valladolid, Venta de Baños, Palencia and León.
• At kilometre post 133.8 there is a junction for the 2021-completed Madrid–Galicia high-speed rail line, negotiable at up to 220 km/h.

Technical details

• Length 179.6 km Madrid–Valladolid + 162.7 km Valladolid–León + 20.2 km León–Robla^[9] + 50 km Robla–Pola de Lena.^[2]
• Total length in tunnels 42,1 km + 40 km in the section Robla–Pola de Lena.^[2]
• Total length on viaducts 2 km + 1,8 km in the section Robla–Pola de Lena.^[2]
• UIC gauge (1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in))
• Electrification 25 kV 50 Hz AC
• Maximum speed 350 km/h
• Digital Signage ASFA and ERTMS II
• Platform width 16 m
• PAET 3 (Soto del Real, Garcillán, Olmedo, Campomanes and La Robla)
• PB 3 (Tres Cantos, Nava, Valdestillas)
• Gauge Changers 5 (Madrid Chamartin, Valdestillas, Valladolid, León and Campomanes)

PB = Puesto de Banalización (transition from double to single track?)
PAET = Puesto de Adelantamiento y Estacionamiento de Trenes (passing loop?)

Special projects

The entrance to the San Pedro tunnels

• Guadarrama Tunnel (28,377 m)
• Pajares Base Tunnel (25,000 m)
• Tunnels of San Pedro (8,930 m)
• Arroyo Valley Viaduct (1,796 m, maximum height 77.8 m)
• Tabladillo tunnel (2 km)
• Puentecilla Tunnel (1900 m)
• Tunel del Pinar de Antequera (1 km) (opening 8 November 2009)

Reduced travel times

Talgo trains were replaced by Alvia trains (RENFE Class 130) and these operate on both the high-speed line and the older lines.

These trains pass through the gauge changers at Valladolid and Valdestillas or to join the General Line North from this high speed line and back by reducing their travel time by reducing the distance and increasing the commercial speed in the stretch Madrid–Valladolid.

The Talgo Madrid-Galicia was diverted later by LAV circulating until Valdestillas changer, which reverses the direction of travel and change of locomotive. In this case the time reduction has been lower, only 15-20 min, while in the Galicia-Madrid train has been an advantage to using the best line to be able to recover the backlog.

Madrid to	Previous train	Time	Distance (km)	Average speed (km/h)	Current train	Time	Distance (km)	Average speed (km/h)	Reduction
Burgos	Talgo	3:22	282	83.76	Alvia	2:20	301	129	1:02
Gijón	Talgo	6:15	591	94.56	Alvia	5:05	521	102.49	1:10
Irun	Intercity	6:50	640	93.66	Alvia	5:44	570	99.42	1:06
León	Talgo	3:50	420	109.57	Alvia	2:46	350	126.51	1:04
Miranda de Ebro	Talgo	4:26	371	83.68	Alvia	3:19	390	117.59	1:07
Oviedo	Talgo	5:43	559	97.78	Alvia	4:36	489	106.30	1:07
Palencia	Talgo	2:50	298	105.18	Alvia	1:44	228	131.54	1:06
San Sebastian	Intercity	6:25	623	97.09	Alvia	5:20	553	103.69	1:05
Santander	Talgo	5:35	515	92.24	Alvia	4:27	445	100	1:08
Segovia	Regional	2:03	101	49.27	AVE	0:35	68	136	1:33
Valladolid	Talgo	2:23	249	104.48	AVE	0:56	179	191.79	1:27
Vitoria	Intercity	4:39	493	106.02	Alvia	3:41	423	114.84	0:58

Services that use these lines

A northbound AVE-S 102 train crosses the Arroyo del Valle Viaduct soon after the line opened

• AVE Madrid-Chamartin–León via Segovia, Valladolid and Palencia on S-102.
• AVE Madrid-Chamartin–Gijón via Valladolid, Palencia, León and Oviedo on S-106.
• AVE Madrid-Chamartin–A Coruña, via Zamora, Ourense and Santiago de Compostela on S-106.
• AVE Madrid-Chamartin–Vigo, via Zamora, Sanabria, A Gudiña, Ourense, Santiago de Compostela, Vilagarcia De Arousa and Pontevedra on S-106.
• AVE Alicante–León via Albacete, Cuenca, Madrid-Chamartín, Valladolid and Palencia.
• AVE Alicante–Ourense via Albacete, Cuenca, Madrid Chamartín and Zamora.
• AVE Valencia–León via Madrid-Chamartín, Valladolid and Palencia.
• AVE Valencia–Burgos via Requena Utiel, Cuenca Fernando Zóbel, Madrid-Chamartin and Valladolid on S-112.
• AVE Gijón–Castellón via Oviedo, Mieres Del Camín, La Pola, León, Palencia, Valladolid, Segovia, Madrid-Chamartín, Cuenca, Valencia and Sagunto on S-106.
• AVE Gijón–Vinaros, via Oviedo, Mieres Del Camín, La Pola, León, Palencia, Valladolid, Segovia, Madrid-Chamartín, Cuenca, Valencia, Sagunto, Castellón, Benicàssim, Oropesa del Mar and Benicarló on S-106 (only in summertime).
• Avlo Madrid Chamartín–Gijón via Valladolid, Palencia, León, La Pola, Mieres Del Camín and Oviedo on S-106.
• Avlo Madrid-Chamartin–A Coruña, via Segovia, Medina del Campo, Zamora, Sanabria, A Gudiña, Ourense and Santiago de Compostela on S-106.
• Avlo Madrid-Chamartin–Vigo, via Segovia, Medina del Campo, Zamora, Sanabria, A Gudiña, Ourense, Santiago de Compostela and Pontevedra on S-106.
• Avlo Murcia–Valladolid via Orihuela, Elche, Alicante, Villena, Albacete, Cuenca and Madrid Chamartín on S-106.
• Avant Madrid-Chamartin–Segovia Guiomar nonstop on S121.
• Avant Madrid-Chamartin–Valladolid via Segovia Guiomar on S121.
• Alvia Madrid-Chamartin–Avilés, via Palencia, León, Mieres Del Camín and Oviedo.
• Alvia Madrid-Chamartin–Irun/Hendaye via Segovia Guiomar, Valladolid, Burgos Rosa Manzano, Miranda De Ebro, Vitoria/Gasteiz, Zumarraga and San Sebastián/Donostia on S-130
• Alvia Alicante–Gijón via Madrid-Chamartin, Valladolid, Palencia, Léon, Pola de Lena, Mieres and Oviedo on S-130.
• IC Madrid-Chamartin–Gijón via Léon and Oviedo on S-121^[6]
• Alvia Madrid-Chamartin–Bilbao, via Segovia Guiomar, Valladolid, Burgos and Miranda de Ebro.
• Alvia Madrid-Chamartin–Santander, via Valladolid, Palencia, Aguilar De Campoo, Reinosa and Torrelavega on S-130.
• Alvia Alicante–Santander, via Villena, Albacete, Cuenca, Madrid, Segovia, Valladolid, Palencia and Torrelavega.
• Alvia Madrid-Chamartin–Vigo, via Segovia, Medina del Campo, Zamora, Sanabria, A Gudiña, Ourense and Pontevedra.
• Alvia Madrid-Chamartin–Lugo, via Segovia, Medina del Campo, Zamora, Sanabria, A Gudiña, Ourense, Monforte De Lemos and Sarria.
• Alvia Madrid-Chamartin–Pontevedra, via Zamora, Sanabria, A Gudiña, Ourense, Santiago de Compostela and Vilagarcia De Arousa.
  • Some schedules continue to Ferrol with additional stops in Segovia and Medina del Campo.
• Alvia Madrid-Chamartin–Santiago de Compostela, via Zamora, Sanabria, A Gudiña and Ourense.
• Alvia Madrid-Chamartin–Salamanca, via Segovia and Medina del Campo.

Speed

The maximum permissible speed in line with ERTMS II in service are shown below. Note that trains are permitted to move at a maximum of 300 kilometres per hour (190 mph) over 147 kilometres (91 mi) of the line.

end km	home km	km/h
0.800	1.402	110
1.402	1.440	35
1.440	1.884	65
1.884	6.071	110
6.071	6.513	105
6.513	8.300	110
8.300	12.400	165
12.400	14.600	200
14.600	21.000	270
21.000	168.700	300
168.700	170.358	200
170.358	171.807	180
171.807	172.600	200
172.600	173.081	160
173.081	173.091	100
173.091	177.752	160
177.752	177.827	150
177.827	178.100	160
178.100	179.300	50
179.309	179.840	40
179.840	181.241	60
181.241	182.752	120
182.752	186.621	160
186.621	217.578	200
217.578	222.651	190
222.651	223.537	150
223.537	224.605	110
224.605	230.200	80
230.200	231.398	50
231.398	232.615	80
232.615	234.349	85
234.349	235.230	125
235.230	237.946	160
237.946	338.900	200
338.900	340.673	160
340.673	343.123	130
343.123	344.086	100
344.086	344.904	60
344.904	345.450	35

See also

• List of highest railways in Europe

References

1. "El AVE Madrid-Valladolid-León suma cuatro millones de viajeros en un año". Diario de Valladolid (in Spanish). 15 October 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
2. "La alta velocidad llega a Asturias - Óscar Puente defiende que la Variante de Pajares supone un avance trascendental para la igualdad de oportunidades y la transformación económica de Asturias" (in Spanish). www.mitma.gob.es. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
3. "Spain to open first single-track high-speed line". www.railjournal.com. 25 September 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
4. "La Variante de Pajares estrena trenes AVE en pruebas tras casi dos décadas de obras y 2.300 millones de sobrecoste". www.eldiario.es. 2 September 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
5. "High Speed Lines León — Asturias high speed line". ADIF. Archived from the original on 23 September 2010. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
6. "Renfe pondrá a la venta el 2 de noviembre los nuevos billetes Asturias-Madrid, con una oferta de lanzamiento a partir de 18 euros". Renfe. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
7. "Guadarrama Rail Tunnel". railway-technology.com. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
8. "New AVE high speed train service to Palencia and León opens". Railway Gazette. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
9. Muñiz, Ramón (9 January 2023). "Las obras para culminar la alta velocidad entre León y Asturias necesitarán al menos otros dos años" (in Spanish). www.leonoticias.com. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
10. Muñiz, Ramón (6 September 2022). "León-La Robla: Transportes calcula que los trenes llegarán a los 250 kilómetros por hora dentro de la variante" (in Spanish). www.elcomercio.es. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
11. "High Speed Lines Leon — Asturias high speed line". ADIF. Archived from the original on 23 September 2010. Retrieved 24 September 2010.

• Article in Ferropedia ^{[unreliable source?]}
• Construction of the LAV dossier SkyscraperCity ^{[full citation needed]}
• Construction of the LAV-2 dossier SkyscraperCity ^{[full citation needed]}
• Construction of the LAV, thread 1 tranvia.org ^{[full citation needed]}
• Construction of the LAV, thread 2 tranvia.org^{[full citation needed]}

40.9981°N 4.2891°W / 40.9981; -4.2891