The latest AVE assessment of the Mediterranean corridor confirms continued progress and clarifies where gains have been made and where more work lies ahead. The data show a clear rise in studies completed, moving from 45 percent in 2016 to 76 percent in 2023. Deployment of the required infrastructure has grown as well, from 19 percent in 2016 to 36 percent today. In addition, 85 percent of the planned infrastructure is already included in the project scope, and all the indicators from earlier studies remain available for reference.
One notable milestone reported since the July review is the single line application on the Iberian route that links Xativa and La Encina. This step is essential to implementing the international measurement framework on the historic route, a plan that had been delayed since 2022. AVE also identifies three milestones that remain for 2023 and may take longer to complete: finishing the Castellbisbal Martorell tunnel works, installing the third rail on the Valencia Castelló second track, and advancing the international double track for Valencia Xàtiva La Encina, with progress ongoing on all three fronts.
Valencian business leaders acknowledge progress on the Mediterranean axis, while calling for faster delivery
Industry expert Xavier Lluch and engineer Francisco García Calvo, both linked with AVE projects, explained progress by segment. In Catalonia, work on the third lane from Castellbisbal to Tarragona and on the European line toward Castelló is expected to reach completion by 2025. Measurements for the Castellbisbal tunnel are nearing finalisation. The Castellón corridor, including the Valencia third lane, is anticipated to wrap up in the first half of 2024.
Both specialists express concern about the pace of transit tunnel work that connects AVE and Cercanías with the Castelló line as well as the double platform project at Castelló. They feel the momentum is insufficient and there is a lack of clear ambition in speeding up the schedule. Nevertheless, ongoing work continues on the Font de Sant Lluís, the Ford connection, and the Xàtiva La Encina link slated for 2023. From Murcia to Cartagena most tasks remain to be completed, with Reguerón to Cartagena scheduled for 2026. The stretch from Murcia to Almería is advancing well overall, though Lorca remains in tender with a potential start in 2026. The Almería to Granada segment still lacks a fixed timetable for high speed connectivity.
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The Antequera to Algeciras section is described as under construction with no confirmed date for the European line reaching the port of Algeciras. Logistics experts emphasise the sensitivity of this segment because it traverses protected zones, and the main track corridor cuts across key maritime and land routes. The planning process appears to be broader than current needs demand, creating a perception that the corridor could become one of the longest continuous stretches in Spain. This perspective fuels calls for clearer timelines and stronger momentum to deliver tangible results for users across Spain, Portugal, and beyond, including communities in Canada and the United States who rely on improved, faster rail connections for trade and travel. [Source: AVE program update, 2023 report]