THE SPANISH Ministry of Development has begun public consultation on a €804·5m package of works in Valencia that would enable high speed trains to serve the city centre without reversing at the Estació del Nord terminus, as is currently the case for inter-city services on the conventional network. The programme includes a new 1435mm gauge double-track route 8·7 km long, running mainly in tunnel under the city centre.
Calling at a new underground station also incorporating a terminus for 1668mm gauge suburban services, high speed trains would head north for Castelló and Barcelona and westwards to Madrid and Albacete. Rolling stock maintenance and freight facilities would be concentrated at Fuente San Luís, enabling railway land to be released for redevelopment.
