Adif has announced a new project aimed at improving Railway Highway (Autopista Ferroviaria) services on the Zaragoza-Tarragona route. This initiative will involve modifications to six tunnels, 16 overpasses, and the catenary system to accommodate P-400 type semi-trailers, with an investment exceeding 60 million euros. The drafting of the project has been tendered at 2.8 million euros.
The Zaragoza-Tarragona section is a key segment in the national and international freight network, handling over 100 trips per week in each direction. It connects major production and consumption hubs in Spain, including Madrid and Barcelona, and forms a crucial link in the flow of goods from the Iberian Peninsula to the rest of Europe. This section will also connect with the Algeciras-Zaragoza route, enhancing synergies between maritime and rail transport.
In addition to this, Adif is extending sidings to 750 meters in five stations along the line, with an investment of more than 25 million euros. This move is part of a series of actions to boost the competitiveness of the line, ensuring it can handle increased freight traffic, including international goods arriving through the ports of Tarragona, Barcelona, and Algeciras.
The Autopista Ferroviaria (AF) service, which loads road trailers onto specialized train wagons, is positioned as a competitive logistics solution. This mode of transport offers significant reductions in external costs and CO2 emissions compared to road transport. Adif's ongoing work on 16 routes is in response to interest from logistics operators, port authorities, and railway companies.
The most advanced Iberian gauge routes include Valencia – Madrid, where Medway, Tramesa and TransItalia started operation in early summer 2024, and Algeciras - Zaragoza, with the latter already in the process of adapting tunnel and overpass gauges. Other routes in progress include:
- Huelva – Madrid - Zaragoza
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Seville – Madrid - Zaragoza
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Valencia – Badajoz – Entroncamento (PT)
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Madrid – Badajoz – Entroncamento – Porto (PT)
Standard gauge services are currently operational from Barcelona to various points in northern Europe, with additional work underway on routes such as
- Vitoria – Gasteiz - Irún
- Murcia - Le Pertús
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Tarragona - Le Pertús
Adif's deployment of the Railway Highway services aligns with its 2030 Strategic Plan and the Ministry of Transport's Mercancías 30 initiative. These efforts, co-funded by the EU, aim to increase rail freight transport in Spain, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals of promoting sustainable economic growth and developing reliable infrastructure.
