Plans for a high-speed rail connection between Lisbon and Madrid have been given a boost by an “implementing decision” between Spanish, Portuguese, and European Commission authorities that defines the infrastructure project as an “essential” part of decarbonising transport in Europe and lays down key actions, timeframes, and funding availability for its completion by 2030.
Nearly a billion euros in funding has already been committed over the last decade. Portugal’s new high-speed “Évora-Elvas” line has benefited from almost 25% of that sum from the Connecting Europe Facility, while Spain has had around 75% for its high-speed Extremadura – Madrid line from various EU investment funds, including the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Having gained the unanimous backing of European Union member states, the project will now see Portugal and Spain become part of the bloc’s high-speed rail network. The text of the latest decision “emphasises the importance of accelerating the finalisation of this high-speed, cross-border rail connection, to provide a viable alternative to the forty or so daily flights in both directions between Lisbon and Madrid.” By 2030, the over-600-km trip between the two capital cities will be doable in just five hours by rail, with journey times falling to three hours by 2034.
Commenting on the new agreement, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, said: “Covering slightly more than 600 kilometres from Lisbon to Madrid in just three hours is a remarkable example of the high-speed rail connections we aim to achieve across Europe. Such links make train travel a genuinely attractive and sustainable alternative for city-to-city journeys.”
| How to commute in 2025? | Duration |
|---|---|
| Plane | 1.25 hrs |
| Car | 6 hrs |
| Bus | 8 hrs |
| Train | 10 hrs |
Meanwhile, François Bausch, European Coordinator for the Atlantic corridor, said: “This project isn’t just about saving time; it’s about cutting emissions and making sustainable mobility a reality in Europe. Further, this new high-speed rail line between Madrid and Lisbon is a perfect example of good cross-border collaboration and underlines the European Commission’s ambition to strengthen connectivity across Europe.”
Portugal’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing hailed the “decisive step to bring the Iberian capitals even closer together,” celebrating the move to strengthen “territorial and economic cohesion.”
Key phases of the work in the offing include the new high-speed line between Évora and Caia, slated for completion by the end of 2025 and launching in 2026, as well as the Plasencia-Talayuela section set to come online in 2028. A second track between Poceirão and Bombel is due to break ground in 2026, forecast for completion in 2029.
