This is a project that has been in the works for over two decades, but at this point, it is still very uncertain when it will be completed. connection between vigo and Porto by high-speed train. Yesterday, senior officials in the Spanish and Portuguese governments added further uncertainty by accusing each other of not meeting deadlines. He was at a day of transport and logistics networks in Porriño, organized by Eixo Atlántico del Noroeste and the Spanish Transport Association, and attended by the commissioner of the Atlantic Rail Corridor. José Antonio Sebastian Ruizand vice president for Infrastructure, Portugal, Carlos Fernandes. Although the two did not hold a roundtable meeting, they spoke to the press and questioned the progress of the neighboring country.
At the same time, the neighboring country also suffered. political earthquake Who brought in your prime minister? Antonio CostaResigning as one of the main proponents of the AVE connection with Vigo and giving it priority over the Lisbon-Madrid corridor.
deadlines
Sebastián Ruiz assured that the southern rail exit will be completed before 2030, which will prevent trains from having to return to Redondela to continue their journey to Portugal, but I wonder when the infrastructure on the Portuguese side will be ready To provide continuity to the Spanish line. This is how he announced it to the media. Also there, the Portuguese Vice-President for Infrastructure drew attention to the work carried out by the Portuguese Government for the construction of the AVE to Galicia and stated that the Spanish side hopes that the works will be completed at the same time as in Spain. Portuguese side.
The Commissioner estimated that the investments to be made in the Atlantic Corridor in the coming years will be more than 16 billion euros, and claimed that this figure is approximately 5 billion more than the investments to be spent in the Mediterranean Corridor. However, he reminded that for now the southern exit and the AVE with Portugal are not included in the agreement. “basic network” The European transport network has an effective date of 2030. “extended core network”Its horizon extends to 2040.
The main difference between one network and another lies, in addition to the timetable, in the amount of European funds they can access to finance themselves, although States have autonomy in shortening deadlines.
Go to base network
In any case, Sebastián Ruiz assured that the central executive will ask Brussels to include this infrastructure in the “core network” for it to be operational in 2030 and will try to get it approved before December 31, taking advantage of Spain’s Council presidency. of the European Union.
He wondered what would happen to the Portuguese side after insisting on Spain’s work to have Vigo’s southern exit ready by 2030: “Spain is doing its homework. What about the Portuguese side? that’s a big question. On the Portuguese side, when will the high speed come? he insisted, noting that Galicia has a high speed for passengers from A Coruña to Vigo, while Portugal has no kilometers yet built.
Portuguese version
Portugal’s Vice President for Infrastructure announced that the freight corridor on the Portuguese side has already been completed, while the passenger corridor has not yet been completed. He outlined the steps he would take Government will ensure high speed reaches the limit with Galicia “In the early 2030s”Currently passenger services are “uncompetitive” because the journey between Vigo and Porto takes almost two and a half hours.
According to Fernandes, the Portuguese Government foresees that the works will start in 2027 or 2028 and will be finished within the next decade but before 2040. However, also pointed to the Spanish sideHe insists that this link will only be completed when both countries’ respective departments are completed.
Railway at RO-RO terminal
At the next roundtable, where representatives from the ports of A Coruña, Vigo and Marín were present, among other issues, Sebastián Ruiz stated that the railway was open to the arrival of the port of Olívic at the ro-ro terminal, which the Vigo Port Authority and Stellantis itself have been complaining about for years.
He valued the work carried out by the Port of Vigo and “I completely agree” with the approach of the Spanish Association The Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers (Anfac) regrets that Vigo is one of the few peninsula ports that does not have a rail connection at its automobile terminal.