There were a number of travel disruptions across Portugal and Spain back at the start of the pandemic back in 2020. One of the most missed has to be the popular overnight train-hotel service that transported travelers between Lisbon and Madrid.
Last year, the Spanish train company RENFE announced that it intended to bring the popular train service linking the two European capitals back, with a twist. It will now be a high-speed train and work started on the ambitious project this week.
Lisbon to Madrid Train Service
RENFE announced that it will start the project with a high-speed train connection between Madrid to Extremadura, with a stop in Toledo and Talavera scheduled for completion in the next few years.
“Recovering the night train that connects Lisbon with Madrid is vital to facilitate public transport mobility between the countries of the Iberian Peninsula,” tweeted Spanish Parliament Member Júlia Boada.
Meanwhile, the work has already been underway on the Portugal side, cutting the time for the trip from Lisbon to Badajoz in Spain to under two hours from what used to be a three-and-a-half-hour train ride.
The more than 62-mile route between Elvas and Evora is the last piece of the high-speed rail network which is scheduled for completion later this year and operational once testing is complete in early 2025.
According to the Spanish news agency El Español, the plan is then to connect the high-speed rail line from Badajoz to Madrid which will then reduce the train ride from Lisbon to Madrid initially to six hours and then around three a few years later.
Investing in Portugal’s Tourist Infrastructure
The rail line between Lisbon and Madrid is only one of many investments the Portuguese government is making in modernizing the tourism infrastructure to make it more convenient for the needs of travelers.
Another high-speed rail line is being built between Lisbon and Porto. This new rail line will cut the travel time between the two popular tourist destinations in half to about an hour and 15 minutes.
Along with the new rail line, the Lisbon area is also getting a brand-new airport. The new airport will be located near Alcochete, about 25 miles away from the capital city.
After years of debate, the investment will create a new state of the art airport with added capacity for visitors which will ultimately replace the aging Humberto Delgado Airport which opened in Lisbon in October of 1942.
As it is, Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport is already at capacity with no additional space for expansion.
Finally, the government also approved a new third bridge over the Tagus River which will also provide tourists with easy access to the Lisbon city center from the brand-new airport.
What Travelers Need to Know
The €15 million investment in the train service by RENFE is finally getting what was considered an ambitious project before the pandemic back on track.
However, interconnectivity issues between the rail infrastructure between the two countries will have the project moving a little slower than tourists would actually prefer.
According to news reports, it will take until next year to resolve many discrepancies in electrical voltages and signaling systems which need to be addressed first.
However, the approval and endorsement of the project by Spanish and Portugal governmental leaders was a start to the project and the start of the construction and issue resolution is moving it along.
Soon travelers visiting one of the two sister countries on the Iberian Peninsula will be able to enjoy easy train access with the other country that also contributes to the environmental goals of both countries.