Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line
The high-speed line Madrid -Barcelona- French border is part of the high-speed network in Spain. With an authorized line speed of 350 km / h section between Madrid and Barcelona, it is one of the fastest busy railway lines in the world. With a top speed of 310 km / h AVE Madrid and Barcelona combines (about 621 km ) in a journey time of two hours and 30 minutes. The route is also part of the project priorities in question 3 ( high-speed railway axis of south, Paris -Madrid ) Trans-European Networks (TEN ).
Since 20 February 2008, the route between Madrid and Barcelona is traveled in full length schedule of passenger trains. Technical attempts to raise the top speed to 350 km / h run. 2013 was the last stretch, the extension to France taken in continuous operation.
With the commissioning of the rail track route between Madrid and Barcelona shortened by about 60 to about 621 km. The route length of highways is similarly high, the air line is about 150 km shorter.
- 2.1 Initial Situation
- 2.2 planning
- 2.3 construction
- 2.4 Commissioning
- 2.5 record runs
- 3.1 effects
Course
Madrid -Barcelona
The route begins in the Madrid Atocha (616 msnm ) station and initially runs in a southerly direction on the tracks of high-speed line Madrid- Seville. After about five miles down the new line, the direction is initially in a north-easterly through the suburbs of Madrid begins. At kilometer 64 of the station Guadalajara Yebes is achieved, which was built as a commuter train station seven kilometers southeast of the city center.
The track rises in the further course and reached a height of ( 1217.6 msnm ) in the Sierra Ministra ( kilometer 152.7 ), southeast of Torralba the highest point in the European high -speed network. From route 197 km stretch for 30 km runs largely parallel to the existing line. At kilometer 221 of the Calatayud station is reached. The connection Zaragoza at the high-speed line threaded at kilometer 294 from north, while the new line about 6 km south passes the city center.
While the existing line abschwenkt in the further course to the north ( direction Tardienta ), the new route is a direct route to Lleida. For around 50 km, the route runs in roads bundling with the Autopista AP -2. While the new line runs about three kilometers south of the city center of Lleida, binds a clasp to the train station of the city. At kilometer 452 is a former Umspuranlage, which was used until the completion of the final leg section.
In the further course to Barcelona route initially follows at a distance of up to 5 km of the existing line. Martorell is north bypassed before the track bends to the southeast tions Barcelona. In the valley of the Llobregat tracks run in a tight bundling with other roads and railways. The lying at sea level Barcelona Sants railway station is achieved in a 4,619 m long tunnel.
The total length of the route between Madrid and Barcelona is 621 km, including the extension to the French border at 744 km and 855 km, including compound curves and lines. The route between Madrid and Barcelona leads between Madrid and Barcelona by the provinces of Madrid, Guadalajara, Soria, Zaragoza, Huesca, Lleida, Tarragona and Barcelona. 29 percent of the Spanish population, 11.5 million people live in these provinces (as of 1998). The population centers are Madrid ( 5.8 million inhabitants) and Saragossa ( 0.7 million) on the track. In the metropolitan region of Barcelona around 3.2 million people.
The route alone in the section between Madrid and Lleida through 26 tunnels and over 94 bridges ( other source: 27 tunnels, 97 bridges on the entire 855- km route, another source: 24 tunnel between Madrid and Lleida).
The total length of the bridges in the 481 km long section between Madrid and Lleida is 26.6 km, the total length of the tunnel 24.4 km. In many places the track on embankments or in cuttings runs.
In Zaragoza stands on an area of 80,000 m² of Zaragoza - Delicias Station. The station complex also houses a bus station, a commercial complex with two hotels, a business center and 2,000 parking spaces next to the railway facilities. In Zaragoza, the short high-speed line branches off to Huesca.
The stations between Madrid and Barcelona are height- free, mostly linked usually via connecting curves. Among other things, it leads past a 21.2 km long section of Zaragoza, a 13.1 km long section of Lleida.
Between the intermediate stations of passing and Notbahnhöfe (Spanish Puesto de adelantamiento y estacionamiento de trenes, abbreviation PEAT ). They serve the overhaul of slow by fast trains and parking of maintenance vehicles. At many of these stations trains can be cleared even on simple platforms and evacuated in buses when needed.
Barcelona - French border
A 155 km long high-speed line between Barcelona and the French border, was opened on 9 January 2013. Do not get into Figueres accounted for but only with the timetable change on 15 December 2013. Since trains of RENFE to Paris, Lyon and Marseille and the SNCF to Madrid. Even Toulouse is connected since that day to change trains with Barcelona.
Extension Barcelona Sants- Figueres
In June 2007, the Ministry of Infrastructure Funding announced that the opening of the total distance between the Barcelona Sants railway station and Figueres in 2012, is to take place (instead of 2009). In the meantime (as of October 2012) is a targeted opening of the line in April 2013, the trial operation is now running. A major reason for the delay is in the city of Girona, which have extensive work on the establishment of a four- kilometer downtown tunnel with lowering of the station began in April 2010. In Barcelona the end of September 2009 began the excavation for the tunnel between Sants train station and the new station Sagrera. The 5.6 km long tunnel is largely (4.8 miles) built with a tunnel boring machine. Controversial was the under-crossing of about 800 buildings in the city of Barcelona. Also, the tunnel passes just a few meters at the foundations of the Sagrada Familia passing away. This section was completed in October 2010 under construction. Since December 2010 goods trains standard gauge from the port of Barcelona to France. You keeping within the already completed section of the high-speed line between Montmelo and the goods station of Girona on a length of 66 kilometers and three-rail tracks on the other track parts. In July 2011, were also made to last tunnel punctures in the metropolitan area of Girona. and Barcelona. This stretch was finally inaugurated as the last section of the overall connection to the French border on January 9, 2013.
Extension Figueres - French border
The border with France is achieved at La Junquera, from there the route to Perpignan / Perpinyà. This northernmost section of the high-speed line is the Spanish part of the French-Spanish high-speed line (LGV Perpignan - Figueres), he includes among other things, a 8.1 km long tunnel under the Col de Perthus in the Pyrenees. The estimated cost of the building, up to 900 million euros, were - for the first time in Spain - financed privately as part of a public-private partnership and are repaid over 50 years. In contrast to the southern conventionally commissioned for construction phase of this subpart completed on time and went operational in late 2010.
History
Initial situation
The Altstrecke Madrid -Barcelona had undergone no significant changes since its construction in the 19th century. It has, with a few brief exceptions, no more than 120 km / h suitable route. Between Madrid and Barcelona, it is the section Zaragoza - Manresa ( north-west of Barcelona) and only one lane was heavily affected in the 1990s, the section between Calatayud and Ricla considered a particularly curvy. The fastest long-distance trains reached an average travel speed of around 105 km / h
The travel time for rail traffic between Madrid and Zaragoza was three hours between Madrid and Lleida in four hours and 36 minutes and between Madrid and Barcelona in six hours and 30 minutes. These travel times matched approximately to the travel times on the road.
Initial considerations for a high-speed line between Madrid, Barcelona and the French border at Port Bou go back to the year 1975. The 728 km long standard gauge track should be driven up to 270 km / hr. After the death of Francisco Franco in the same year, the project was initially not pursued further. The 540 km long section between Madrid and Barcelona should - after the planning level at the end of the 1970s - make a journey time of two and a half hours between the two cities. The course should lead past Zaragoza and connect the city via a tunnel.
On 9 December 1988, the Spanish Council of Ministers decided to implement the routes between Madrid and Barcelona or Seville. On December 16, the decision to implement the first route to Seville fell. Since the early 1990s, there is a highway (Spanish autovía ) between Madrid and Zaragoza. As a result, the market share of rail on this relation was within ten years by about 40 percent. A toll highway linking Zaragoza to Barcelona since the 1980s.
In the modal split between Madrid and Zaragoza in car mid-1990s stood at 66 percent at the top. The share of rail was 18, which of the bus at 15 and the air traffic at one percent. On the relation between Madrid and Barcelona, the proportion of passenger cars with 24 percent of the bus at five and the aircraft 63 and the train was eight percent. The price of a train ticket (1st class: 8200, 2nd class: 6200 pesetas ) was significantly higher than the lower of an airline ticket (preference class: around 20,000 pesetas, tourist class: about 12-15000 pesetas ).
1997 took about three million passengers offered by three airlines between Madrid and Barcelona 65 flights per day. Ten years earlier, had used air transport 1.4 million travelers.
Planning
The Spanish government decided in late 1988 to establish a standard-gauge high-speed line between Seville, Madrid, Barcelona and the French border, with extension to Perpignan. The first part of this axis, the high-speed line Madrid- Seville, was opened in the spring of 1992.
The Spanish Council of Ministers issued the end of 1995 the approval for the first two sections of the high-speed line to Barcelona. For the equivalent of 375 million euros of the 35 km section between Calatayud and Ricla and the 80 -km section of Zaragoza - Lleida should be built. Construction should take place in the summer of 1996, the total cost of the rail link between Madrid and Barcelona had been estimated at the equivalent of EUR 5 billion. The section between Madrid and Lleida was divided into 26 phases of construction. The planning of 1998 went from a start-up of the section between Madrid and Barcelona, 2002; the remaining route to the French border should be completed in 2004.
1996, work began in the sections Zaragoza - Lleida and Calatayud - Ricla. On 23 May 1997, the Spanish government decided to contract for the construction and management of the range of Gestor de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (GIF) to be transmitted. This order also took over the responsibility for the under construction since 1996 Zaragoza - Lleida sections and Calatayud - Ricla the track.
In the planning phase you went from 12.4 million passengers between Madrid and Barcelona in 2005. Short-term plans of the RENFE from early 2008 to go out of 6 to 6.5 million passengers a year.
The routing of the line was, essentially determined in addition to the geography and technical parameters through nature reserves. These account for eight percent of the country and could not be passed through.
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure estimated the cost of construction of the 635 km long link between Madrid and Barcelona in mid -1990s to 890 million pesetas. The section between Barcelona and the French border was estimated at about 200 billion pesetas. The total planned investment for the 855 km long distance will be 8.775 billion euros and were partly financed through loans from the European Investment Bank. A loan of 2.5 billion euros, which was awarded in September 2002 for the route, it was then the highest loan from the EIB. For the construction of the 124.4 km long section between Chiloeches and Calatayud GIF 77.5 billion pesetas were released in July 1998.
In the planning presupposes you that half of the cost would be borne by the European Union. Approximately 30 percent of the total cost should help investors. A freight was considered in order to increase profitability. Ultimately, the route was financed entirely from public funds.
Construction
The line was started by the GIF, which passed on 1 January 2005 in the Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias ( ADIF ) and the construction and operation took over.
On 22 December 1995, the Spanish government awarded first two building contracts over two sections to shorten the existing railway line: In addition to a 35 km long section between Ricla and Calatayud, a 80 km long section has been assigned by the Monegros Plateau to the track to shorten time between Zaragoza and Lleida.
The construction work began in 1996. On 28 January 2000, a consortium was awarded the contract for the electrification of the line between Madrid and Lleida.
The course should according to the planning of 1999 2004 are finished. ), Then in 2005 go as planned from 2002 in operation and later be extended to the French border. Also in the section between Madrid and Lleida, delays were as follows: The section should, according to the planning of 2001, to open in 2002. Due to problems of construction and the new control and safety equipment ( ERTMS / ETCS) there were numerous delays. Thus, the rapid planning, coupled with inadequate geological Vorerkundungen led to massive problems. On a total of 166 km section came to local subsidence and cavities beneath the pavement, some cuts and embankments were considered unstable. In addition, proved to be the concrete that was used in the construction of several tunnels and the Ebro bridge, as brittle. Moreover, occurred in experimental runs with more than 300 km / h flying ballast. In spring 2003, the first scheduled for June 2003 Start of ETCS Level 2 has been postponed for a year.
The 82.5 km long section between Puigverd de Lleida and Roda de Berà ( at Camp de Tarragona ), including a Umspuranlage in Roda de Berà ( for Talgo and CAF trains) was completed in September 2006 to 97 percent and was shortly thereafter in operation. The last, 86 km long section between Roda de Berà and Barcelona Sants should be opened in late 2007 originally. In particular, in the area of 4.1 km long introduction to Barcelona Sants railway station along the existing tracks, between Sant Joan Despi and Sant Boi, construction work was in September 2006 still in progress. In this section, a 870 m long bridge over the Llobregat and a railroad track in the FGC to Martorell was born. On 18 February 2008, the inaugural run between Barcelona and Camp de Tarragona was. A train Renfe class 103 went the distance in 34 minutes and changed it in several places the track.
The construction works have led to repeated problems. So it was only in the last section, between Camp de Tarragona and Barcelona, to more than 20 collapses during construction work. In Barcelona, a tunnel of the busiest Spanish railway line in 2007 pressed, so that in addition to the RENFE line had to be closed for weeks on a line of the Barcelona Metro and several stretches of Ferrocarrils also.
A citizens' initiative feared problems in the underpass of the Sagrada Família in, by its own account, only about 75 cm away from the building.
Commissioning
The opening of the total distance was initially scheduled for 12 October 2002. By December 2002 the section of line between Madrid and Zaragoza was put into operation. The maximum permissible speed initially was 200 km / h For the command ASFA was used.
On February 24, 2003, there was a first test and demonstration ride ( with the media ), a multiple unit RENFE Series 100 between Zaragoza and Lleida briefly reached a speed of 300 km / hr. The originally to March 7, provided test drives were canceled due to numerous problems. The opening date has been postponed from 31th of March, a total of six times, on the 11th of October. With the resignation of the GIF chairman Juan Carlos Barrón on 27 February, the responsibility for the construction of the line was transferred to a group of RENFE and GIF. On 10 October 2003, the distance between Zaragoza and Lleida was inaugurated; the paved path length increased to 409 km. The through trains were run under the name Altaria with locomotive-hauled Talgo 6 units.
As of February 26, 2005 traveling between Madrid and Lleida four daily ( Saturdays three) pairs of trains with Talgo trainsets Series 102 On 17 May 2006 twelve umspurbare trainsets of Class 120 units were put into operation, with the brand name Alvia the Altaria ablösten trains on the entire route. The travel time between Madrid and Barcelona was shortened in the trains running non-stop service trains to four hours and 15 minutes. On the same day, the sections were used to circumvent Zaragoza and Lleida in operation.
May 19, 2006, the maximum speed limit was raised to 250 km / hr. With the commissioning of the train control system ETCS Level 1 on 16 October the same year, an increase was followed at 280 km / h
On 18 December 2006, the 82.5 km long extension was to Camp de Tarragona completed and published lane change from Lleida to Segur de Calafell. On 7 May 2007 the speed limit was raised to 300 km / hr. In the summer of 2007 put umspurbare Alvia trains the 602.8 km long route between Madrid- Atocha and Barcelona Sants, with Umspuren in Camp de Tarragona, in a journey time of three hours and 55 minutes back ( cruising speed: 153.9 km / h ).
As of May 9, 2007 wrong test to Sant Joan Despi trains, on the outskirts of Barcelona, in preparation for the start of this section to the Catalan capital, which finally took place on 20 February 2008.
To 20 February 2008, the high-speed line ended east of the station Camp de Tarragona. Trains that were not umspurbar, ended at the station, others left the track, passed a Umspuranlage and reached via a single track link the Altstrecke to Barcelona in St. Vicenç de Calders. The broad gauge connection is 67.1 km long.
The 78 km long section between Camp de Tarragona and Barcelona should last to go into operation on 21 December 2007, but could not be completed on time. With two months late, she has now gone into operation on 20 February 2008. The journey time between Madrid and Barcelona is, without intermediate stops, two hours and 38 minutes.
It was originally planned, with the commissioning of the second stage of the train control system (ETCS Level 2) in 2008, the speed limit to 350 km / h increase. According to the authorities responsible for Infrastructure and Transport Minister Magdalena Alvarez May 2007, the rate on all AVE lines should be limited to 300 km / h until further notice. According to the infrastructure company ADIF from mid-February 2008 testing of safety systems for 350 km / h had at that time already begun. In addition to the lack of approval for operation of ETCS Level 2 is concerned, the network operator ADIF, the route could be exposed at 350 km / h to high wear. Furthermore, the prepared supplied by different manufacturers ETCS track and vehicle equipment problems.
In 2000, the tender was for the supply of high speed trains for the high-speed line, the extent of the equivalent of 1.3 billion D- Mark (approx. € 665 million). To advertised the job itself Talgo and Adtranz had with the Talgo 350, Siemens Transportation Systems of the Velaro E and a consortium of Alstom and CAF with TGV variants. The Alstom / CAF consortium offered here on a modernized variant of the ( on the TGV -based ) 100 series, the TGV Duplex and the AGV. An essential condition of the tender was that the production of trains largely takes place in Spain and the maintenance in the country can be taken over by the manufacturer. Bombardier had already left with his tender before. In March 2001, went a contract for the construction of 16 Velaro -E and 16 Talgo 350 high-speed trains with a total volume of 740.4 million euros from the tender.
Since the full commissioning between Madrid and Barcelona, the Velaro E- multiple units of class 103 are primarily used on this route.
Record runs
On 12 June 2002, the tilting body Talgo XXI on a ride on the under construction section Lleida - Zaragoza at 254 km / h world record for rail vehicles with diesel power on.
On 16 July 2006, a Velaro E reached on the track, between Guadalajara and Calatayud, a speed of 403.7 km / h He was the fastest series-production of the world ( the records of the TGV were driven with specially converted vehicles ).
Already on 24 February 2001 had 350 situated on the route 359 km / h new Spanish rail speed record a pre-series train Talgo.
See also: world speed records for rail vehicles
Operation
The trunk is used by different types of trains, including the AVE, the ( umspurbaren ) Alvia and the Altaria.
The operating program provides only part of the trains on or to have keep all intermediate stations. Other trains between Madrid and Barcelona, however, without stopping. In addition, use the time (2010) two pairs of trains daily route for the direct connection of Barcelona and Zaragoza with Andalusia ( Seville or Malaga) without a stop in Madrid. These trains use south of the station Madrid- Atocha one opened in January 2009, connecting curve between the high-speed Madrid- Barcelona and Madrid -Seville line, which runs between the place Getafe and Madrid Vallecas district and has a length of 5.25 km.
With the commissioning of ETCS Level 2 the speed limit was increased on the route from October 24, 2011 at 310 km / h. The travel time of through trains between Madrid and Barcelona has been so reduced by eight minutes to two hours and 30 minutes.
Effects
With the commissioning of the first section, on 11 October 2003, the journey time between Madrid and Lleida shortened by four hours and 49 minutes to two hours and 40 minutes; the rail service was extended from four to ten pairs of trains per day. The journey time between Madrid and Barcelona went there about seven back on four hours and 40 minutes.
Between October and December 2003 the number of rail passengers between Madrid and Barcelona increased by 19 percent year over year. 2004 lost the air traffic between Madrid and Zaragoza 85 percent of its travelers to the rail. After the opening of the section to Tarragona in October 2006 the number of tickets sold increased within two months of the year compared to 157 percent. On 1 April 2007, the Iberia subsidiary Air Nostrum adjusted the air traffic between Madrid and Reus. End of 2007, the vehicles of the 120 series achieved a running time of four hours and 20 minutes (seven pairs of trains per day).
In the first half of 2007 the number of passengers between Madrid and Barcelona increased by 13 percent over the previous year, to 598 300 travelers, too. The utilization of through trains between Madrid and Barcelona is an average of 70.1 percent (as of June 2008). In mid-2009 the occupancy rate was more than 75 percent. In the first year ( 20 February 2008 until the end of 2008) took advantage of six million passengers the route. This represents an increase over the same period last year by 82 percent.
In 2007, the market share of rail in relation to the aircraft, between Madrid and Barcelona, at 11.8 percent. End of 2008 the share of rail transport users was on this relation in more than 48 percent. The average punctuality of trains is indicated with 99.18 percent. In addition to passengers, the fare will be refunded when the delay is more than six minutes.
Technology
This line is one, in addition to the high-speed line Madrid- Seville, Spain's first routes ( 1435 mm) instead of the usual in the Spanish broad gauge network (1668 mm) was performed in the usual in Central Europe standard gauge.
You also one of the first routes on which trains with ETCS on schedule. Based on ERTMS ETCS comes on this track for the first time in Spain for use. In a first phase 2006 ETCS Level 1 was put into operation, the speed limit increases so to 250 km / hr. For communication between drivers and dispatchers GSM -R will be used.
The tunnels were largely built in NATM.
The superstructure consists of concrete sleepers and UIC -60 rails. Compared to the high-speed line Madrid- Seville, which is traversed at 300 km / h, and the depth of the threshold was increased by two centimeters. One slab track was not given preference due to short planning time and lack of experience.
The width of the subgrade is 14 m, with a track pitch of 4.70 m.
For the static load test of bridge trucks were parked on static awkward places, for testing the dynamic loading were carried out with full stops trains on the bridges.
On the route, a total of 296 points, for feeder speeds of 100, 160 and 220 km / h ( 136 pieces ) installed. In a distance of 25 -30km crossovers were set up at the branching journey - as well as track changes in stations - with 220 km / h can be cycled. The conceived as Klothoidenweichen platform changes are, for 220 km / h, designed with a length of 180 m and a decreasing from 17,000 to 7,300 m radius; the tongues of measuring up to 63 meters in length, the frogs up to 28.8 m. The maximum lateral acceleration at the beginning of the switch is 1.0 m / s ².
The bridge structures 196 rail extensions are installed, depending on the length of the structure with an extended length of between about 150 and 600 mm.