The Portuguese and Spanish governments have agreed to open the first direct Lisbon-Madrid train line with a high-speed service to start by 2034, officials said Thursday.
The rail link would be ready by 2030 and would start with a five-hour service, according to Portugal's infrastructure ministry.
The travel time would be cut to three hours when the high-speed trains are put into service four years later.
There are currently no train services between the Spanish and Portuguese capitals, though there are about 40 flights each day taking about one hour to cover the 600 kilometers (375 miles).
The accord for the line was made by the two governments with the European Commission.
"This project is more than just a railway connection -- it represents a step towards the future of sustainable mobility and European cohesion," said Portugal's Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz.
The two countries have also agreed to finish a study by 2027 on whether to bring their rail gauge in line with the European standard of 143.5 centimetres (56.5 inches). Most track in the Iberian peninsula has a gauge of 166.8 cm.
If a change is agreed, a "coordinated" plan would be proposed by the governments, said an infrastructure ministry statement.
The rail link would be ready by 2030 and would start with a five-hour service, according to Portugal's infrastructure ministry.
The travel time would be cut to three hours when the high-speed trains are put into service four years later.
There are currently no train services between the Spanish and Portuguese capitals, though there are about 40 flights each day taking about one hour to cover the 600 kilometers (375 miles).
The accord for the line was made by the two governments with the European Commission.
"This project is more than just a railway connection -- it represents a step towards the future of sustainable mobility and European cohesion," said Portugal's Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz.
The two countries have also agreed to finish a study by 2027 on whether to bring their rail gauge in line with the European standard of 143.5 centimetres (56.5 inches). Most track in the Iberian peninsula has a gauge of 166.8 cm.
If a change is agreed, a "coordinated" plan would be proposed by the governments, said an infrastructure ministry statement.
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