Spain has long viewed the Zamora region as a strategic hinge for future high‑speed rail links between Portugal and Spain. The goal is to connect major urban centers with a seamless, fast corridor that shortens travel times and strengthens regional ties across the Iberian Peninsula.
The Iberian rail network remains one of the most critical links in Western Europe. For travelers between Lisbon and Madrid, the journey can be lengthy. A direct, high‑speed option that bypasses circuitous routes could transform cross‑border travel, with Galicia offering a shorter, more efficient path when integrated into a broader plan.
Key discussions were presented to Infrastructure Minister Pedro Nuno Santos by the Vale d’Ouro Association, alongside contributions from the National Railroad Plan coordinator, Federico Francisco. Their proposals center on a high‑speed link from Porto to Madrid that would connect with the Spanish line and would weave through Zamora and Bragança, traversing the Trás-os-Mos region from north to south with several strategic stops en route, including a notable node near Miranda do Douro before entering the Zamora region.
Two main routes from the Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro area emerged as leading options. Each starts from Lisbon and Porto and moves toward the northern Portuguese capital of Bragança, with two distinct trajectories representing different priorities. One option emphasizes a shorter alignment that would connect with the Spanish high‑speed network at a point near the height of a local ridge. This route envisions a new high‑speed corridor of about 59 to 65 kilometers linking the Zaragoza zone with Zamora and the surrounding northern Spanish counties.
A second avenue proposes a Bragança to Miranda do Douro to Zamora Capital corridor, spanning roughly 90.5 kilometers. This longer alignment exceeds another proposal by about 26 kilometers but promises faster completion in exchange for extending the route along the border towns, potentially linking Porto directly to Madrid via the Zamora axis.
Construction details also highlight the Olmedo bypass, already under development by ADIF, which supports an evolving Portuguese AVE framework. This bypass would maintain a high‑speed connection toward France through Zamora, eliminating the need to detour through Madrid. When completed, the corridor is projected to shrink the travel time between Madrid and Lisbon to about four hours and 15 minutes, a meaningful improvement for cross‑border mobility.
The allure of the Miranda do Douro and Zamora corridor lies in its potential to unlock additional regional access. Stops at Vimioso, for instance, would place a rail node within a short drive of a substantial population center, broadening the reach of high‑speed services across northern Portugal and western Spain.
Estimated costs for the line hover around 3.77 billion euros, with a contribution of approximately 400 million euros coming from the Spanish portion of the project. While the price tag is formidable, proponents argue that the benefits extend well beyond immediate travel times, including regional development, economic integration, and more efficient freight movements across the Iberian peninsula.
counter flow
Even with clear advantages, advancing this cross‑border rail plan will not be simple. In the near term, progress on the Trás-os-Montes and Zamora high‑speed corridor depends on sustained collaboration between the Spanish and Portuguese infrastructure bodies, notably ADIF and ROPE. They have already agreed to focus on improving cross‑border rail links such as Tui‑Valença in Galicia, the Oñoro‑Vilar Formoso corridor near Salamanca, and the Badajoz‑Elvas connection in the Estremadura region to strengthen overall reliability and capacity.
There is a European Economic Interest Grouping that unites Spain and Portugal around railway development. Its mandate includes promoting cross‑border train services as a core objective, supporting broader integration between both nations’ rail networks.
One of ADIF’s priority objectives is advancing the southern railway exit toward Vigo, a key element of extending high‑speed services toward Portugal. This is seen as essential for maintaining the continuity of the Atlantic Axis, linking the Iberian Peninsula with broader European corridors while maintaining a focus on a high‑speed Lisbon–Porto path. Vale d’Ouro’s proposal envisions routes that offer quicker, more versatile connections to Madrid and other European hubs, aligning with broader Portuguese interests and regional development goals.