Madrid–Hendaye railway

The Madrid–Hendaye railway,[1] also known as the Madrid-Irún railway,[2] General del Norte Line or Imperial Line,[3] is a 641.6 km railway line linking the Spanish capital of Madrid with the French border at Irún and Hendaye, serving important northern Spanish cities including San Sebastián, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Valladolid.

Madrid–Hendaye railway
A Renfe Class 252 train on the line near Vitoria-Gasteiz, in the Basque Country.
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerAdif
Termini
Service
Operator(s)Renfe Operadora
History
Opened1864
Technical
Line length641.6 km (398.7 mi)
Track gauge1,668 mm (5 ft 5+2132 in) Iberian gauge
Operating speed200 km/h (120 mph)
Route map

km
641.6
Hendaye
France
Spain
border
639.4
Irún
622.5
San Sebastián
535.5
Alsasua
492.4
Vitoria
459.0
Miranda de Ebro
373.4
Burgos-Rosa de Lima
285.3
Venta de Baños
248.5
Valladolid-Campo Grande
206.3
Medina del Campo
120.6
Ávila
0.0
Madrid-Chamartín

Madrid-Hendaye
0.0
Madrid Chamartín
2.5
Ramón y Cajal
Madrid-Ávila
Paco de Lucía
6.2
Pitis
Manzanares river
arroyo de Trofa
20.4
Pinar
24.0
Las Matas
Los Peñascales
30.1
Torrelodones
34.0
Galapagar-La Navata
Guadarrama river
37.8
Villalba
40.5
San Yago
41.6
Las Zorreras
50.2
El Escorial
56.6
Zarzalejo
65.9
Robledo de Chavela
71.8
Santa María de la Alameda
73.0
El Pimpollar
83.7
Las Navas del Marqués
88.5
Navalperal
97.8
Herradón-La Cañada
102.9
Navalgrande
114.3
Guimorcondo
120.5
Ávila
Ávila-Matapozuelos
Ávila-Medina del Campo
133.5
Mingorria
144.6
Velayos
151.0
Sanchidrián
156.4
Adanero
160.4
Adanero-Muñoz
164.4
Orbita-Espinosa
171.1
Arévalo
Adaja river
179.9
Palacios de Goda
187.5
Ataquines
206.3
Medina del Campo
215.0
Pozaldez
Matapozuelos-Valladolid
222.4
Matapozuelos
230.3
Valdestillas
234.8
Viana de Cega
Cega river
Douro river
248.5
Valladolid-Campo Grande
Valladolid-Burgos
251.6
Valladolid-Universidad
Pisuerga river
Valladolid-Venta de Baños
261.1
Cabezón de Pisuerga
265.1
Corcos-Aguilarejo
271.2
Cubillas de Santa Marta
278.8
Dueñas
278.8
Venta de Baños
293.9
Magaz
Pisuerga river
306.0
Torquemada
316.9
Quintana del Puente
Quintana del Puente-Burgos
Arlanza river
327.7
Villodrigo
333.3
Los Balbases
339.4
Villaquirán
350.2
Estepar
Urbel river
359.8
Quintanilleja
Arlanzón river
373.4
Burgos-Rosa de Lima
Burgos-Miranda de Ebro
Vena river
386.1
Quintanapalla
394.1
Barrios de Colina
401.8
Santa Olalla de Bureba
407.7
Castil de Peones
416.7
Briviesca
428.0
Calzada de Bureba
439.4
Pancorbo
448.9
Bujedo
459.0
Miranda de Ebro
Miranda de Ebro-Irun
Miranda de Ebro-Vitoria-Gasteiz

Services

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The line is used by the Cercanías San Sebastián commuter rail line between San Sebastián and Irún, and Cercanías Madrid lines C-3, C-8 and C-10. Direct Madrid to Irun services often use the Madrid–León high-speed rail line between Madrid and Valladolid-Campo Grande and switching to the Madrid-Hendaye line for the rest of the journey as Alvia services. Various Renfe Media Distancia services operate on different stretches of track, mostly in Castile and León, and an Intercity service operates between A Coruña and Hendaye.

The mostly single-track Casetas–Bilbao railway to Bilbao-Abando forms a junction with the Madrid–Hendaye route at Miranda de Ebro. At Venta de Baños, the line to Gijón begins.

References

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  1. ^ "Construida la pérgola sobre la línea convencional Madrid-Hendaya en Quintana del Puente (Palencia)". Diario 20 minutos. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  2. ^ "Un sabotaje en Anoeta interrumpe el tráfico ferroviario en la línea Madrid-Irún". Diario El Mundo. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  3. ^ "El AVE es rentable. A veces". Diario Eldiario.es. Retrieved 13 May 2013.