The Transport Ministry has relaunched the high-speed rail project to Extremadura through a temporary connection that will cut travel times from Madrid. The plan also includes developing new route alternatives for the final line through Toledo.
The Transport Ministry, led by Óscar Puente, has announced the public consultation for a complementary informative study. This study will develop a temporary connection between the Madrid-Seville high-speed line and the conventional Madrid-Valencia de Alcántara line near Bargas in Toledo.
The new link, combined with future electrification of the conventional line, will enable rail services from Puerta de Atocha in Madrid to Pantoja on high-speed track before switching to conventional sections. According to the Ministry, this step advances improvements in travel times to Extremadura while final studies are completed.
In parallel, a new informative study contract will be awarded in the coming weeks to examine route options proposed by Castilla-La Mancha administrations. Both alternatives feature a double electrified track suitable for 350 km/h and standard gauge, with alternative 1 selected as the preferred option after a multicriteria analysis.
The shift follows objections raised during the provisional approval process at the end of 2024, which rejected the Toledo Central option in favor of alternative solutions. The Ministry cites the temporary connection as necessary to meet deadlines agreed with the European Union.
