The manager of Spain’s rail infrastructure is inviting bids for its largest ongoing project. In total, three proposals were required to secure the construction of Puerta de Atocha through station. The project represents an investment of 514.3 million euros and received approval from the Council of Ministers last June. The new transit hub will be built underground and will anchor Madrid with a major station spanning two terminals, linking Puerta de Atocha and Chamartín and connecting to the broader Spanish high‑speed network.
Three proposals were submitted through temporary joint ventures (UTE) led by the country’s leading construction and infrastructure firms. The first UTE includes Ferrovial, FCC, and COMSA; the second comprises ACS, Tecsa, San Jose Group, and Bridges Group; the third involves Sacyr and OHLA, as confirmed in documents published by EL PERIÓDICO DE ESPAÑA and ACTIVOS on the Government Contracting Portal.
At this stage, while the economic offers from each candidate are awaited, the evaluation report for non‑formula based criteria, part of each UTE’s bid envelope, indicates that Dragados, Tecsa, Grupo San José, and Grupo Puentes hold the strongest positions to win the mega contract. This temporary collaboration achieved 48.83 points, ahead of 44.43 and 44.14 scored by the other two teams. Other major players in the running include Sacyr, Acciona, OHLA, Ferrovial, FCC, and COMSA.
Although competition was competitive, the field remained limited with only three bids. Given the high estimated value of the contract, a smaller number of bidders is not unusual, and even the nation’s largest construction firms have joined forces to bid. Interested parties can submit proposals and required documents until September 28 and may tour the Adif worksites on September 6. Adif reserves the right to provide comments once the tender is closed.
Puerta de Atocha station project
The new Atocha transit station stands as one of the most significant railway projects under way in Spain. It begins with substantial technical complexity, yet the goal is to enhance movement and flow. If realized, Adif intends to partly finance the project through the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
Images depict a modernized vision of Atocha’s new lobbies, reflecting the ongoing design process managed by Adif. The project is slated to be carried out underground, adding four tracks and two platforms beneath the existing high‑speed station and Méndez Álvaro street. This new infrastructure will link the high‑speed tunnel between Puerta de Atocha and Chamartín to a redeveloped southern access, with service expected to begin prior to the next phase of the network’s expansion. Once completed, high‑speed trains will stop at both stations, accommodating the full north–south connection of Spain’s high‑speed network in the capital region.
According to Adif, the transit station will reuse the existing layout while connecting the new southern entrance at Méndez Álvaro with Puerta de Atocha in the north. The design emphasizes integrated operations with the surrounding high‑speed facilities, sharing entrances and control points to maximize efficiency and minimize duplicate space and equipment. Notable architectural features include a broad central opening to admit daylight and a substantial curtain wall on the facade at Méndez Álvaro.
The railway administration, led by María Luisa Domínguez and affiliated with the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, reported public works tenders worth 3,565 million euros from January through September, up 25% year over year. Data from SEOPAN indicates that Adif alone accounted for 16.6 percent of the total tendered amount in Spain during the period.