SPAIN: The journey times of four high speed services between Madrid and Barcelona are to be cut to 2 h 30 min from October 24, following the commissioning of ETCS Level 2 signalling between Madrid and Lleida.
Commissioning between Lleida and Barcelona is scheduled for December, when more services will be cleared to run at up to 310 km/h where the infrastructure allows this.
From October 24 the 07.00 departure from Madrid Atocha will arrive at Barcelona Sants at 09.30, 13 min earlier than at present. The 06.30 service from Barcelona will arrive in Madrid at 09.00. Evening depatures comprise a 17.00 service from Madrid arriving in Barcelona at 19.30, and a 17.30 Barcelona - Madrid service arriving at 20.00.
According to the Ministry of Development, at 1 491 km Spain has more routes equipped with ETCS than any other country in Europe.
