Vitoria - Bilbao - San Sebastián - French Border Line

Main benefits of the line

When in service, rail journey times between the three Basque capitals will be reduced drastically. Most notably, the Vitoria-Bilbao and Vitoria-San Sebastián journey times will be reduced by around 60 per cent, and the Bilbao-San Sebastian journey time by 80 per cent.

European Funding

Adif AV has received aid and financing for this line from the various European Union (EU) funds and programmes.

"A way to make Europe"

European Investment Bank (EIB)

The European Investment Bank (EIB) collaborates in the funding of this project

Characteristics of the route and unique works

This includes the section that integrates the railway in the city of San Sebastián. The section corresponding to Irun, which is not included in the informative study of the Basque 'Y' and which forms part of the international connection, will be developed by the Ministry of Development

. Adif is also responsible for the track assembly, electrification, signalling, communications and other installations along the entire line.
It has been designed with the technical parameters of a high-speed line, on double track of UIC gauge, with curves of a minimum radius of 3,100 m and maximum gradients of 15 thousandths of a metre, and for mixed traffic, which will allow the circulation of passenger and freight trains.

Trains will be able to reach a maximum speed of 250 km/h.

In order to overcome major difficulties in crossing mountainous terrain, a great number of special structures have to be built. Viaducts and tunnels represent 60% of the Vitoria-Bilbao section, while in the case of the Gipuzkoa branch (including the Mondragón-Elorrio-Bergara rail junction to be undertaken by Adif) this proportion rises to around 80%.

The average number of unique structures along the entire line, be they tunnels or viaducts, is 70% of the route.

Some of the most important tunnels are:

Albertia Tunnel: 4,786 m (2,680 metres of double bore),
Udalaitz Tunnel: 3,185 m
Zarátamo Tunnel: 2,728 m
Induspe Tunnel: 2,224 m
Galdakao Tunnel: 1,827 m
Ganzelai Tunnel (1,365 m)
Luko Tunnels (970 m)

Some of the most important viaducts are: