photo: Adif AV/Adif AV Connects Murcia to HSR Making It the Main Southern Gateway to the Mediterranean Corridor
Adif AV has completed the connection of Murcia to the high-speed network. The city is located as the southern gateway to the Mediterranean Corridor, a strategic infrastructure that brings Spain closer to the rest of Europe. With the commissioning of the Beniel-Murcia section, with an investment of EUR 410.8 million, the capital of Murcia becomes part of one of the most reliable, sustainable and technologically advanced railway networks in the international area.
The opening of this connection has overcome a new unprecedented technical challenge and its commissioning completes the Monforte del Cid-Murcia line, as well as the Corredor a Levante, that is, the Madrid-Castilla La Mancha-Comunidad Valenciana-Región de Murcia High-Speed Line.
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With these new 16 km, the Spanish high-speed network exceeds 4,000 km, consolidating its position as the largest in Europe and the second largest in the world, after China. In 2022, Adif and Adif AV have put into service four new connections, with a total of 287 km.
It also reaffirms its leading position in the world in terms of kilometres of lines in service equipped with ERTMS, the most advanced train control and command system in the world.
The inaugural journey was presided over by His Majesty the King, accompanied by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez; the Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, Raquel Sánchez; the regional presidents of the Valencia Region and the Region of Murcia, Ximo Puig and Fernando López Miras, respectively; the CEO of Adif and Adif AV, María Luisa Domínguez; and the CEO of Renfe, Isaías Táboas, among other authorities.
New route at the forefront of technology and integrated
The new standard gauge line between Beniel and Murcia runs parallel to the conventional line in service, as they share the same platform. Moreover, it has sections of mixed or 'three-wire' tracks (allowing both high-speed and conventional trains to run) at the Reguerón junction, as well as at the entrance to Murcia.
Among the singular elements of the new section are the viaducts of La Basca (181 m) and Tierra Roya (137 m), in addition to a 323 m pergola over the Reguerón junction. The project completes the Monforte del Cid-Murcia line (65 km), in which 1,492 million euros have been invested.
Its execution has posed a technical, engineering and planning challenge since it has been undertaken by making the works progress compatible with the maintenance of train traffic on the conventional line. The new section is equipped with the ERTMS level 2 train command and control system, currently the most advanced railway signalling system in the world.
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New urban spaces for passengers and citizens
The arrival of the high-speed train to Murcia has been developed by burying the railway infrastructures, promoting the full integration of the railway in the city and, with it, more urban spaces for citizens and the socio-economic dynamisation of the surrounding area.
Travellers will have at their disposal a provisional station, built next to the historic building of Murcia del Carmen. Equipped with two tracks and a central platform, it includes accessibility with escalators, fixed stairs and a lift.
Outside, intermodality is reinforced, with a kiss & ride area (a stop for vehicles coming to pick up or drop off passengers) and connection with first and last-mile transport.
Essential connection for the progress of the Mediterranean Corridor
The arrival of the high-speed train in Murcia is a boost for the continuity of the line that will link this city with Almería, with the first direct railway connection between the two capitals. The investment in this project amounts to 3.3 billion euros.
At present, all the sections of this line are under construction, except for those corresponding to the integration in the cities of Lorca and Almería (second phase). Recently, a new milestone has been reached with the start of the track assembly process.
At the same time, Adif AV is promoting the high-speed connection to Cartagena: the construction of the route between Riquelme and Torre Pacheco is currently under contract, while the project for the Torre Pacheco-Cartagena section is being finalised and the contract for the drafting of the Reguerón-Riquelme section has been awarded. In addition, the works for the Beniel bypass have been contracted and work is underway to define the access to Cartagena.
Construction backlog of more than EUR 11.7 billion
Adif AV is making progress in the development of a works portfolio of more than 11.7 billion euros, taking advantage of the opportunity of the backing of the EU's Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM) funds.
Among the main actions underway, in addition to those that will boost the Mediterranean Corridor in Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia and Andalusia, are the high-speed connections with Asturias, Santander and Pamplona, the Extremadura corridor and the 'Basque Y', which will link the three Basque capitals.
Likewise, it is working to reinforce multimodal transport, with the high-speed connection to Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez airport from Madrid-Chamartín Clara Campoamor station, as well as the development of freight rail motorways along different corridors of the Spanish railway system.
European funding
The Monforte del Cid-Murcia section of the Mediterranean Corridor is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Spanish Multi-regional Operational Programme 2014-2020. Thematic Objective 7: Sustainable Transport. A way of doing Europe.
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Source: Adif Alta Velocidad Press Releases