After the initial test run of the high‑speed train on the Extremadura line, a clear schedule emerged for when it will operate on Extremaduran rails. Beginning tomorrow, July 19, and continuing through July 8, 20,000 standard tickets and 10,000 comfort tickets will go on sale at 18 and 22 euros, respectively. The refreshed Alvia S-730 model, the new Madrid to Badajoz service, will offer daily trips in every direction and will shave 51 minutes off the total journey time. A Talgo Intercity will also be circulating on the platform.
At 9:40 am this Thursday, the train departed Plasencia heading toward Badajoz, carrying Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda Minister Raquel Sánchez and the Extremadura Regional President Guillermo Fernández Vara, alongside other officials. The convoy stopped in Cáceres and Mérida before reaching the capital of Badajoz at 11:54. During the journey, the Alvia S-730 reached a top speed of 180 kilometers per hour, the maximum possible on current lines, as full 250 km/h operation awaits electrification.
It is noted that the new high‑speed train will be completed only on the Badajoz–Plasencia segment. From Jerte’s capital to Madrid’s Atocha station, several works and projects remain to be finished. Once these elements are clarified, the first phase of service will commence, even without an overhead catenary, delivering travel time savings of 51 minutes between Badajoz and Madrid; 44 minutes between Monfragüe and Badajoz; 25 minutes between Badajoz and Cáceres; and 20 minutes between Cáceres and Mérida.
Arriving at Badajoz’s station, the minister commented on the electrification of the Plasencia–Badajoz section, expected to be completed in the first half of next year. She also highlighted progress on the new information work for the link between Talayuela and Plasencia, and the link between Oropesa and Madrid, regarding the commissioning of remaining stages up to Madrid, with submissions for environmental assessment anticipated this summer.
“This Government has committed to reaching Extremadura at high speed from day one. It was an injustice that the people of Extremadura endured since 1890,” Sánchez explained. She reminded that the Ministry has invested 70 million euros in upgrading the traditional Extremaduran rail network in the last three years, a sharp increase from the six million euros invested before the current administration took office.
Transforming the reality of Extremadura
Vara stressed that new rail connections will accelerate the industrialization process. Extremadura is entering a phase where freight trains will run on the same corridors, linking to the region’s major ports across the Iberian Peninsula. “What will change our reality is that freight trains can travel along the same lines. Those goods movements will be a core part of our future,” he stated.
The decision to introduce a train adaptable for both passenger and freight services does not imply service speeds of 350 kilometers per hour. Instead, the emphasis is on smooth, reliable operation along the route. “To achieve a fast journey, one must work along the route, and today we witnessed a Mérida–Badajoz connection in about 20 minutes on a top‑quality train,” he noted.
In this context, the regional president acknowledged the national government, Adif, and Renfe for this pivotal first step, backed by an investment exceeding 1.2 billion euros. He affirmed that efforts will not cease until the entire line is realized and shared that taxes play a role in funding such infrastructure projects as well.
The Extremadura Regional Executive Chairman also praised the work of the Extremadura Railway Pact, stating that delivering a train that is beyond political debate is a shared achievement. He closed with a tribute to everyone who contributed to advancing the Madrid–Cáceres corridor and affirmed that there is no single merit—progress was a collective effort.
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