The Spanish Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has awarded a study to analyse the feasibility of creating a France-Canfranc-Mediterranean Corridor rail link.
This connection would be done once the international section has been reopened and would provide an alternative route for freight trains.
For €513,900 (VAT included), the joint venture formed by the companies Ayesa, Ingeniería y Arquitectura S.A. and Teirlog Ingeniería S.L. must analyse three alternatives proposed by the Ministry.
Specifically, the companies will have to study impacts such as the increase in kilometres to be covered, the reversal of the route or load break, including a possible direct route.
Alternatives for connecting Canfranc with the Mediterranean Corridor
The three alternatives proposed by Transports propose several scenarios, starting with a minimum and ending with the most ambitious one.
- Identify or implement a freight loading/unloading and/or transhipment facility in the area around Zaragoza to enable the continuity of international traffic coming down from Canfranc via the existing Iberian gauge network to Catalonia.
- Alternative 2. Implementation of a freight loading, unloading and transhipment area around Tardienta. From this point, traffic would continue to Barcelona on the Iberian gauge on the Zaragoza-Lleida-Sant Vicenç de Calders line.
- Alternative 3. To equip the Zaragoza-Lleida-Sant Vicenç de Calders line with an international gauge so that freight can arrive from France to Barcelona via Canfranc without having to change the gauge.
At present, freight between Zaragoza and Barcelona runs on the two Iberian gauge single-track lines linking the two cities. In the eastern direction, according to Transports, they usually go via Lleida, while in the opposite direction, they usually go via Caspe.
Based on the studies carried out by the awarded joint venture, decisions will be taken on how to link Canfranc with the Mediterranean Corridor.
This study is included in the “Mercancías 30” initiative of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility and the project financed by CEF funds for the reopening of international traffic through Canfranc.
