Spain moves at two speeds in its transport network
Spain is unfolding along two different rhythms in transportation. The eastern half of the country, especially along the Mediterranean Corridor, seems to be sprinting forward with the AVE rail network. It gives the impression of rapid progress and strong momentum. In contrast, the western half, notably the Northwest, appears to be advancing more slowly, clinging to a continuity that feels dated. The Northwest faces ongoing challenges and has seen the regional business lobby for logistics in that area shrink and drift into a quieter phase due to the pandemic. Business leaders from Asturias and León are now trying to revitalize the effort.
The European Union has included the Northwest within the Atlantic Corridor running from Lisbon to Strasbourg and recognizes the extension of the Atlantic rail corridor from Palencia to Pola de Lena as a core element of the basic network. Yet the plan omits what the Asturian business community views as essential: a rail link to the ports of Avilés and El Musel, along with the highways that cross Zalia and Asturias from north to south and east to west. This limits multimodal ambitions. Being outside the Trans-European Transport Network priority axis also reduces access to major European subsidies for the sector.
The push to overcome transportation isolation in the Northwest became a turning point in June 2017 when thirteen Galician, Asturian, Cantabrian and Leonese organizations formed the Platform for the Development of Logistics in the Northwest. The goal was to spur economic development and create jobs by promoting transport infrastructure and logistics services. They urged the Spanish Government and the European Commission to acknowledge the maritime dimension of the Atlantic Corridor so that, alongside road and rail infrastructure, ports and intermodal platforms would strengthen efficient, sustainable supply chains.
Not much has progressed since then. The Platform lost participants as Cantabria left to join forces with the Basque Country. Today, Cantabria remains aligned with the Atlantic Corridor but concentrates its efforts on the Cantabrian-Mediterranean Corridor linking Santander (formerly Bilbao) to Sagunto. Galicia also wrestles with questions about prioritizing connections to Castilla y León or deepening ties with Portugal. In Castilla y León, Valladolid is a political hub where the Atlantic Corridor crosses, with the risk that Asturias and León could be left to carry the burden if investment promises for the Mediterranean region are kept vague for the Northwest. The sentiment among business leaders is that the central government has promised funds for the Mediterranean region that sometimes appear to overshadow Northwest needs. The Northwest faces a perception of relegation.
Political backing is another weak point for the Northwest. The Mediterranean bloc — Catalonia, the Community of Valencia, Murcia and Andalusia — publicly supports the corridor that benefits them. The Cantabrian-Mediterranean Corridor also enjoys strong support from Cantabria, the Basque Country, Navarra, La Rioja, Aragón and the Valencian Community. Recently, leaders from Aragon and the Valencian Community urged the central government to safeguard the interests of their regions and back the Cantabrian-Mediterranean Corridor. If that support translates into action, it would be clear and convincing.
Meanwhile, political backing in the Northwest has been tepid. Galicia, Asturias and Castilla y León have offered statements of intent but have stopped short of concrete demands. This makes it hard to respond to the business grievances. The perception persists that the Unifying Europe mechanism prioritizes cohesion by channeling resources toward the most favored regions while leaving the Northwest out. Business voices describe the Northwest as isolated, disadvantaged, and underserved relative to other parts of Europe. They accuse the national government of neglecting Northwest interests.
Asturias stands out as a hub for rail transport in Spain. Yet the government has excluded it from future rail corridors, claiming that only priority axes with the most potential will be funded. In terms of rail port activity, Asturias ranks high in Spain, with El Musel among the top ports while Avilés remains an important node. Asturias handles around 10 percent of goods arriving at Spanish ports by rail. The Avilés-Sagunto corridor remains a leading route for rail freight, with major movements by ArcelorMittal last year. Still, the regional government has not publicly reversed the decision to limit rail and sea route development, even as the Federation of Asturian Entrepreneurs presses to defend regional interests before the Ministry and the State Ports. That pressure seeks to reverse a decision viewed as harming the regional economy.
There is also concern about a Ministry of Transport program that excludes El Musel from a 20 million euro scheme to support road freight transport by shifting more cargo onto ships. The plan prioritizes ports like Barcelona, Valencia, Sagunto, Bilbao, Santander and Vigo, leaving El Musel out of the equation. Experts suggest the preference for the Mediterranean ports echoes political weight in the central government. The Northwest is home to seven provinces that collectively contribute far fewer MPs than the heavily populated southern regions, raising questions about equitable regional consideration in national transport policy.