Adif - Abrimos caminos

EUROPEAN UNION

During the period 2007-2013 co-financing will be provided as follows.

This line is part of the ‘New Rail Access to the North and North West of Spain, within one of the European Community’s 14 priority projects, specifically priority project no. 3 of the European Atlantic Rail Corridor.

This represents the prolongation of the Madrid-Segovia-Valladolid high-speed network to connect with the future Vitoria-Bilbao-San Sebastián/French Border high-speed line.

The advantages of that it will bring when it goes into service include reducing the distance of the route between Valladolid and Vitoria by 21.4 km (from the current 244.8 km to 223.4 km). This, together with the increased speed, will bring an estimated reduction in the journey time of 50%, from the current 2 hours and 10 minutes to a little over an hour.

The line will have a double electrified track in international UIC gauge (1,435 mm) . It has been designed exclusively for passenger traffic with a maximum speed of 350 km/h.

6% of the length of the new Valladolid to Vitoria route is to be constructed using special structures, and 9% with tunnels.

The actions to be undertaken include the especially complex Venta de Baños Junction, the new station and the Burgos branch section – already in service -, the complicated route through the Pancorbo Gorge and urban integration in Miranda de Ebro and Vitoria. 

Venta de Baños Station

The actions to be undertaken in Venta de Baños will be carried out adhering to the collaboration protocol signed in December 2010 by the Ministry of Public Works, Adif and Venta de Baños Council. The current building has high architectural and historical value for this city, which has always had such strong ties with the railway, and it will retain this value after refurbishment is completed.

The internal structure of the current building is to be remodelled, improving accessibility and adapting it for new high-speed services. The interior spaces are to be reorganised generally, with the current main hall and the ticket window area being enlarged and access to the underpass integrated in the passenger hall.

The project also includes improved urban integration of the station in its surroundings. By making the north façade more visible, the station will have more prominence, while creation of a new square connecting with planned new access ways will improve integration in the urban layout, providing a new open space that is interconnected with the city and its modes of transport.

Venta de Baños Junction

Venta de Baños will be the location of the triangular rail junction that will connect the Valladolid – Palencia – León – Asturias line with the Venta de Baños – Burgos – Vitoria – French Border line, facilitating all possible direct movements between the cities of Valladolid, Palencia and Burgos. 

This junction includes two of the longest viaducts on the line - 1,300 and 1,120 metres –, which cross the Pisuerga River and other already existing infrastructures.

Burgos Branch Line

This is a new route in the north of the city, 30.1 km in length. Its construction frees up the previous urban transit route.

It went into service on 19 February 2009, although for the moment two multi-service Iberian gauge tracks have been installed on a three-track track-bed. In the future, when the high-speed service arrives, they will be converted to two European gauge (UIC) tracks and one Iberian gauge track.

The new Burgos station has been built on this line. It is called Burgos-Rosa de Lima, in memory of the ex director-general of traffic, Rosa de Lima Manzano, who died in a tragic helicopter accident.

A group of five tracks and 3 platforms has been constructed in the new station. In future, 2 of the tracks will be left in Iberian gauge, 3 will be adapted to UIC gauge, and the addition another in this gauge will give a total of 6 tracks.

Passage through Pancorbo Gorge

Included in the Pancorbo – Ameyugo sub-section, close to 80 percent of the total length of this section (8.2 km) is in tunnels. The longest to be built will be 4,360 metres long.

Adif and the Ministry of Public Works support sustainable and environmentally respectful development, respecting protected natural spaces during the design, construction and operation of the rail infrastructure.

Adif complies with the requirements of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), ensuring that all construction and infrastructure work is successfully integrated into the surrounding area and that all applicable environmental measures are implemented as effectively as possible.

All the measures are aimed at limiting the effects of constructing the new line, with scrupulous respect for the ecosystem of the areas through which the line passes, limiting its visual, noise and landscape impacts.