Today’s inauguration of the Spanish rail connection, ‘Variante de Pajares’, running from La Robla in Castilla y León to Lena in Asturias, marks the end of an important project which saw the construction of a high-speed railway line stretching across 49.7km.
- 29 November 2023
The new railway infrastructure includes the Pajares tunnel, now officially one of the longest tunnels in the world spanning a total distance of 24.6km.
Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira said: “The inauguration of ‘Variante de Pajares’ is a milestone for Spanish rail and the Spanish people. Thanks to Cohesion Policy funds, this new high-speed railway infrastructure will shorten the average journey time for its passengers, significantly improving the lives of citizens in Asturias and Castilla y León. Cohesion Policy is created by the people, for the people. Improving citizens’ lives across Europe is at the core of our Policy, and there’s plenty more in store!”
The project received significant support from the Cohesion Policy funds: in the funding periods 2000-2006 and 2007-2013, more than €518 million from the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund was mobilised for the construction works of the Pajares tunnel, including also some different subsections. The project also received €121.6 million from the Recovery and Resilience Facility for other measures such as acoustic apparatus and safety installations, and an additional contribution of €3.2 million under Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) funding.
Due to difficult geological conditions in the area, the construction of the railway infrastructure lasted close to 20 years.
The inauguration ceremony today will take place in the presence of the Spanish King Felipe VI, the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and Minister for Transport Óscar Puente.
For general information on EU funded projects in Spain, visit Kohesio and the Cohesion Open Data Platform.