Overview map of the high-speed connections from Barcelona towards France, both under construction and recently finished.

Muga Viaducto in the Pont de Molins village, without noise protection screens

The LGV Perpignan-Figueres is an international high speed rail line between France and Spain. The line will connect two cities on opposite sides of the border, Perpignan in Roussillon, France, and Figueres in Catalonia, Spain. It consists of a 44.4-kilometre (27.6 mi) line which crosses the French–Spanish border via the Perthus Tunnel, an 8.3-kilometre (5.2 mi) tunnel bored under the Perthus Pass.^[1] Construction of the line by the TP Ferro consortium began on 15 November 2004 and was completed on 17 February 2009, but no services run yet, as the station at Figueres in Spain is still under construction.

[edit] Spanish-French rail connections

The track on the new line will be standard gauge electrified to 25 kV 50 Hz, consistent with the French LGV and Spanish AVE high-speed rail networks.^[2] Traditional Spanish rail lines are broad gauge, so rail connections between France and Spain have involved a break-of-gauge. Passengers and cargo must either change trains, or the trains must pass through gauge-changing installations at the border. This line will be the first connection without a break-of-gauge^[3] and the first international connection to the AVE network. Another connection to France near the Atlantic coast in the Basque country is planned, and a link via Huesca is under study.

[edit] Construction

Unlike other LGV and AVE lines built to date, the Perpignan-Figueres line will be open to both high-speed trains and freight, the maximum grade being limited to 1.2%.^[2] The contract to build the line was awarded on 17 February 2004 to the TP Ferro consortium, a joint venture of Eiffage (France) and Dragados (Spain).^[1] The group constructed the line for an estimated cost of approximately €1.1 billion, and will operate the line for 50 years.^[4] It will receive a public subsidy of €540 million, split between the European Union, France and Spain.

[edit] Figueres railway station

The line passes to the west of the town, and a new station is being built at Vilafant.^[5] It is planned to divert the existing line, so that local trains can call at this station, and close the existing railway station in the centre of the town,^[6] although at first a temporary station will be built on the high speed line.^[7]

[edit] Services

Test running started in November 2008, and the international section officially opened on 17 February 2009, although no services currently run as the station at Figueres is still under construction.^[5][8][9] Services from Perpignan to Barcelona via a temporary station on the high speed line at Figueres^[7] and then the classic line are planned from summer 2010.^[10] This will give a one and half hour journey which is two hours quicker than currently via Portbou and Cerbère.^[11] A new company jointly owned by Renfe and SNCF is to be formed to run services between Paris and Madrid. Ten new trains are to be purchased at a cost of €300 million.^[12]

When the Barcelona to Figueres high-speed line is completed trains will be able to travel at high speed from Madrid to Perpignan and services from Lyon to Barcelona in under four hours are planned,^[13] using the classic line in France from Perpignan to Montpelier. Opening of this line is planned for 2012, but it is thought this could be delayed to 2013 or 2014 due to delays in tunnelling at Girona.^[14]

[edit] Effects on travel

When the line between Perpignan and Barcelona is complete, it will greatly improve passenger journey times. Travel times between Paris and Barcelona are forecast at 5 hours 35 minutes, and Madrid to Perpignan at 3 hours 50 minutes. Rail journeys of less than 4 hours are generally considered to be competitive with airlines.^{[citation needed]} From Barcelona, several destinations in southern France are likely to be within this range, such as Marseilles, Lyon and Toulouse.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• LGV Map on Google Maps
• A photo of the end of the line
• Perpignan - Barcelona in 50 mins
• Entry on Ferrocarriles wiki (Spanish)
• SNCF FAQ on the line (French)

[edit] See also

• High-speed rail
• TGV

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