Madrid–Galicia high-speed rail line


The Madrid–Galicia high-speed rail line is a high-speed railway line partially open in Spain that will link the city of Madrid with the region of Galicia via the cities of Olmedo, Zamora and Santiago de Compostela when completed. The line will also connect the Atlantic Axis high-speed rail line to the rest of the Spanish AVE high-speed network. The Madrid–Galicia high-speed rail line is being constructed as double electrified line and is designed for trains running at speeds up to.

History

The line shares the same railway for the section between Madrid and Olmedo with the Madrid–León high-speed rail line. This part was inaugurated on 23 December 2007 along with the entire section Madrid–Segovia–Valladolid. Construction on the section between Ourense and Santiago de Compostela started in 2004 and the 87.1 km part was completed and connected with the Atlantic Axis high-speed rail line in Santiago de Compostela on 10 December 2011. This part of the line has a track gauge of, which is due to be converted to later. As of November 2015, trains in Alvia commercial service use this part on routes between Galicia and other Spanish regions.
In July 2015 it was announced that the traction power supply for the Olmedo-Pedralba de la Pradería section would be switched on on 7 August 2015. The 99 km southern section, between Olmedo and Zamora entered revenue service on 17 December 2015 and initially served by Alvia trains. In January 2017 it was announced that the boring of the Bolaños tunnels along the Verín - Ourense section of the line was completed. The central part, which crosses some of Spain's most remote and fragile natural areas, was expected to open in 2019, but has again been delayed to 2022.

Incidents

In July 2013, an S730 train derailed in a non-LAV stretch near the Santiago de Compostela station.