I want to be the minister who brings this proposal to life in Extremadura, said Óscar Puente, head of Transport and Sustainable Mobility in the Government of Pedro Sánchez, during his first visit to the region on December 22 after taking office. He did not come to Extremadura for infrastructure projects alone, but to support José Luis Quintana’s presentation as Government Delegate in Extremadura. He understood that the region would listen closely to his words. He emphasized that this community does not complain about an excess of infrastructure, but about the absence of essential needs, making Extremaduran communications a priority for the government rather than a mere afterthought.
Extremadura president urges Puente to devote more time to trains than Twitter
Puente’s return to the region this Monday centers on what matters most: infrastructure. He is scheduled to meet with the regional president, Maria Guardiola, in Mérida at 10:00. This will be their first official encounter since taking office. Guardiola has long sought a meeting with the Transport Department of the Pedro Sánchez government, first with former minister Raquel Sánchez and then with Puente. She has consistently stated that infrastructure must be a priority.
Train: main theme
The discussions will cover the delays in infrastructure and connectivity faced by Extremadura, according to reports from the Junta de Extremadura. The focal point will be rail connections prioritized with high speed, a plan that is nearly thirty years late. This has sparked clashes between Guardiola and Puente. Guardiola once reproached the minister, arguing that if the region had spent as much time on trains as on social media, the AVE would already reach Extremadura.
The meeting will take place in Mérida at 10:00. Later, the minister will visit the Mérida ring road
Puente has promised to bring tangible progress, although only one section of electrified road exists in the area between Badajoz and Plasencia, a reduction of just four minutes on the journey. The remainder of the route to Talayuela, including the Merida connection, is under construction. Puente plans to visit this latest work after meeting Guardiola. The key objective is the implementation of the ERTMS safety system, enabling speeds of 220 km/h on the line, with the current limit at 200 km/h. This improvement could shorten the Badajoz-Madrid journey to around four hours, down from about four hours and fifteen minutes. The project is expected to be ready in the first half of 2025, with a strict timetable promised for all train commitments. The introduction of new Alvia and Avant services is also on the agenda, with Avant allowing speeds up to 250 km/h on Extremadura’s rails, while Alvia trains currently reach up to 220 km/h in the region.
They will also discuss burying the Navalmoral de la Mata traces or the Badajoz-Córdoba highway
Another priority concerns the high‑speed link to Madrid, including the burial of Navalmoral de la Mata traces. The plan proposed by the state would route trains through urban areas, with the regional administration urged to support an underground solution. The government has warned that altering the project could delay or further postpone AVE arrival in Extremadura.
Guardiola will also demand that the Ruta de la Plata western corridor be included in the expanded European network. This connection between Plasencia and Astorga, closed in 1984, would become a reality no later than 2040, with Europe retaining it in the global network and a long-term horizon of 2050. Extremadura views this corridor as critical for its northwest linkage without routing through Madrid. Currently, there is no rail service enabling direct travel to Salamanca from the region.
Airport and fog
The airport is linked by rail and sits in Talavera la Real (Badajoz), near Las Vegas del Guadiana. Fog issues often force flight delays or cancellations, a recurring problem in the autumn and winter. Extremadura has repeatedly asked the Spanish Government to implement an anti-fog system at Badajoz airport to reduce disruptions. Guardiola will raise this request again during the visit.
Highways
Road connections are also a priority. The A-58 road linking Cáceres and Badajoz is a major demand. The initial 13.5-kilometer stretch between the A-66 and the Ayuela River is under construction, but the remaining segments require tendering and building. This project should integrate with the Levante corridor via Ciudad Real and include the conversion of the N-432 linking Badajoz to Córdoba. The Zafra-Huelva segment of the A-83 motorway is also on the table. Observers will wait to see whether the plan to connect Extremadura with the AVE leads to broader improvements in land and air transportation across the region.
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