Extremadura already has roads Electric trains on the section between Plasencia and Badajozbut they currently only represent a four-minute savings on the way. Although the track is prepared for the locomotives to reach a speed of 300 kilometers per hour, it is not possible to exceed a speed of more than 200 kilometers per hour for now. The first disadvantage is that the region It does not have the appropriate safety and control system, known as ERTMS, which allows speeding to be exceeded. This is according to Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility Óscar Puente. In the second half of 2025but testing will begin this spring.
But that’s not the only problem Although this new system is available, you can only travel at a maximum speed of 220 km/h on Extremaduran roads; This is the limit that allows you to ride the Alvia.The only type of electric train traveling in Extremadura. Therefore, unless superior trains are provided to the region, travel times will not change much. Transport yes will add new alvia As the saying goes, it will come to the region “at the latest” Bridgenext summer. It will replace Intercity, so it won’t mean adding another trip to Madrid; However, from now on, it will allow two services where it is possible to travel at a speed of 200 km/h, and when the new security system is installed, this speed will reach 220 km/h.
since summer
The commitment was also to introduce an Avant capable of reaching speeds of 250 km/h. In fact, it was promised when the catenaries (electrification) were put into service in the Plasencia-Badajoz section. but it won’t come for now. “We are on this topic. Train fleet needs renewal but not among priorities Estremadura“The Minister drew attention. He didn’t even comment on the arrival of an AVE.
High speed was the subject of the meeting held yesterday in Mérida between the Minister and María Guardiola, president of the Regional Government of Extremadura; Both for the first time since taking office. “High speeds between Madrid and Extremadura need to be reached as soon as possible. Progress will continue on the Plasencia-Badajoz section, and we are working on the renewal of the line at Mérida, Aljucén and Cáceres stations,” the tender and electrification works on the Monfragüe-Talayuela route, where all sections are “under construction or completed.”
Puente also touched on the problem of Castilla-La Mancha, where the informative work of the project has ended and which is delaying the high-speed connection between Extremadura and Madrid. ““A new study is being carried out to process it,” he said. And regarding the train passing through Toledo and Talavera de la Reina he asserted: “We work with both municipalities and the Board to reach the best solution; We hope it will happen very soon.” When the entire connection with the capital of Spain is completed, the State will have invested more than 3.8 billion Euros.
The traditional train was also taken Liberation of the leading Vía de la Plata. “This is a priority,” Guardiola said. For now, the European Union maintains this corridor, which will connect Extremadura to Castilla y León in the global network, with a horizon of 2050. It will be there before 2040, because its opening will mean that the connection between Plasencia and Salamanca will be restored by train. The minister confirms he shares this priority but underlines the challenge. As he explained, he had already requested this from Europe, which refused to include the corridor in the expanded network due to the fact that it does not comply with the requirements for now. ““This is an infrastructure that we passionately want to protect, but the Silver Route has been eradicated and we must proceed from a place of realism.”he stated.
Lisbon-Madrid Connection
On rail issues, he also reported on the work being carried out to make the connection between Madrid and Lisbon via the AVE through Extremadura a reality in 2030. Puente has already met with the Transport Commissioner and the Director General of Transport. The European Union, which he assured was of the same opinion”“The Madrid-Lisbon connection needs to be implemented in terms of both rail and road”. However, it is waiting for the formation of a new Portuguese government, which will hold elections in March.
But they talked not only about the train, but also about the roads. According to the Minister, the Government will invest a total of over 600 million euros in the region in 2024. So, as he noted, work is currently ongoing on the Zafra ring road, the Malpartida de Cáceres ring road, the new Cabezuela del Valle bridge, the southern entrance to Badajoz and the first section of the Cáceres-Badajoz highway. It started in the capital of Cáceres. “Extremadura rose from last place to leadership in road investments”aforementioned.
It also ranks “third” in highway investment per capita: ““It’s well above average, 365 euros per person compared to an average of 200 euros.” concrete. “There is a lot we are doing in Extremadura. We want to continue to move forward because corporate loyalty to Extremadura is guaranteed”, added. As an example, he cited the investments made by the Spanish government together with Pedro Sánchez in recent years: “In 2016, the ministry’s investment reached 100 million euros and we are reversing this situation. We exceeded 400 million euros on average in tenders. We have quadrupled our investments in the last three years,” he is right. The Minister of Transport issued it.
Guardiola expressed the importance of the meeting as follows: “We are risking our future. Communication has become a burden on the development and potential we have. Not only in train, but also in land and air transportation.” . Puente responded to this by reiterating his commitment to Extremadura: “My commitment is to end the injustice in terms of infrastructure that deprives Extremadura of the opportunities that other regions have. My ideology is to contribute more to those who benefit most from the needs and in this case this “These lands come first in the eyes of the government. Be assured, because you will be bored of seeing this minister in Extremadura,” he said.
Mérida bypass will be completed in the middle of the year
The Mérida bypass, which is currently under construction, will be completed in the middle of this year.As confirmed yesterday by María Guardiola, President of the Regional Government of Extremadura, and Óscar Puente, Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility. This is a 30-kilometer double-track line that will complete the electric route between Plasencia and Badajoz and will eliminate having to travel approximately 15 kilometers on the traditional road, meaning the need to slow down. The Ministry invested a total of 50 million euros in this action.
The work that Puente and Guardiola visited after their meeting in Mérida yesterday has already made progress. When these are completed and the new railway security and control system called ERTMS is implemented, travel times will be even shorter and the journey between Badajoz and Madrid will be possible in four hours. it currently takes about four hours and 15 minutes.
Burying Navy rails means delaying high speed by 5 years
One of the conflict points in the high-speed connection between Extremadura and Madrid is the Navalmoral de la Mata. The project, designed by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, involves the passage of the train through the urban area of the city; This decision was rejected by the local council and the Government of Extremadura, who demanded that the rails be buried. If they don’t do this, the train will split the city in two; In other words, it will create a “wall” in the municipality.
The government rules this out because it could mean delaying the arrival of high speed by another five years, as Transport Ministry head Óscar Puente suggested yesterday. In fact, this was another of the issues he discussed in his meeting with María Guardiola yesterday, conveying that the Ministry is “willing to examine the current project and see how we can improve it, being aware of the decision.” “Receiving it may cause delays,” he warned.
According to a study by the Railway Infrastructure Manager (Adif) published by this newspaper, burying the tracks in this town could also cause flooding as the land has a “very high” water table and water flows are perpendicular to the railway crossing.
Examine the effectiveness of the anti-fog system at the airport
This autumn winter, more than 40 flights departing from Talavera la Real airport (Badajoz) had to be suspended due to fog, a recurring problem precisely due to its location in Las Vegas Altas. One of the Regional Executive Chairman’s requests to the Minister of Transport was to implement a more sensitive anti-fog system that would help prevent these situations. “There are many possibilities of going four months without flying and what we want is to make sure we can fly, bearing in mind that we have no other competitive transport alternatives,” Guardiola said.
The ministry is currently working on this alternative, which will actually be discussed at the airport coordination committee this Tuesday.. “There is no problem relying on ILS (anti-fog system) if that is the solution, but we need not only a superior system but also adaptation of the fleet and crew,” Puente warned. In fact, with this new system, there will be periods of fog that cannot be resolved due to its density. There is a period until October when the Public Service Obligation (OSP) declaration will be fulfilled.
There will be no highway between Santa Amalia and Ciudad Real
Another of the state’s pending plans regarding Extremadura is the construction of the A-43 highway, which will connect Torrefresneda to Ciudad Real. In fact, it is one of the historical demands, but it will not come true for now.. As the Minister of Transport stated yesterday, for now it is planned to double the most developed road in the section between Torrefresneda and Santa Amalia, for which 62 million euros will be invested.
In the second section, located between Santa Amalia and Ciudad Real, three lanes will be provided to improve the route, which is one of the busiest routes, since no project or tender has been launched. “What can be done are actions that do not require an Environmental Impact Declaration (DIA), such as reducing black spots, third lanes or acceleration lanes so that heavy vehicles do not block circulation,” said Óscar Puente. “We will try to be as realistic as possible so that the words do not become illusions,” he added.
However, the Government of Extremadura will include this highway in the expert panel it will form to develop an infrastructure plan: “We do not want to give up on this,” Guardiola warned.