Madrid–Hendaye railway explained

Madrid–Hendaye railway
Status:Operational
Start:Madrid Chamartín
End:Hendaye
Open:1864
Owner:Adif
Operator:Renfe Operadora
Linelength Km:641.6
Speed Km/H:200
Map:
Map State:collapsed

The Madrid–Hendaye railway,[1] also known as the Madrid-Irún railway,[2] General del Norte Line or Imperial Line,[3] is a 641.6 km railway line linking the Spanish capital of Madrid with the French border at Irún and Hendaye, serving important northern Spanish cities including San Sebastián, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Valladolid.

Services

The line is used by the Cercanías San Sebastián commuter rail line between San Sebastián and Irún, and Cercanías Madrid lines C-3, C-8 and C-10. Direct Madrid to Irun services often use the Madrid–León high-speed rail line between Madrid and Valladolid-Campo Grande and switching to the Madrid-Hendaye line for the rest of the journey as Alvia services. Various Renfe Media Distancia services operate on different stretches of track, mostly in Castile and León, and an Intercity service operates between A Coruña and Hendaye.

The mostly single-track Casetas–Bilbao railway to Bilbao-Abando forms a junction with the Madrid–Hendaye route at Miranda de Ebro. At Venta de Baños, the line to Gijón begins.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Construida la pérgola sobre la línea convencional Madrid-Hendaya en Quintana del Puente (Palencia). 13 May 2013. Diario 20 minutos.
  2. Web site: Un sabotaje en Anoeta interrumpe el tráfico ferroviario en la línea Madrid-Irún. 13 May 2013. Diario El Mundo.
  3. Web site: El AVE es rentable. A veces. 13 May 2013. Diario Eldiario.es.