HighSpeedRail

The plan is in line with the Spanish government’s recent efforts to encourage travellers to take the high-speed rail link between Madrid and Barcelona, rather than relying on plane flights, in a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

There will, however, be something of a wait until the service is available. The plan envisages a journey time of six hours between the two capitals by 2027, but the entire project won’t be finished until 2034.

The reason for the long construction time is the need to construct a new bridge over the River Tajo, a project that is expected to take as long as nine years and has yet to be planned.