Madrid-Lisbon high-speed train to cut journey time from 10 hours to three

The objective is to establish a new high-speed train route between Madrid and Lisbon by 2030, coinciding with the FIFA World Cup that the two nations will be co-hosting.

Renfe, Spain’s state-owned rail corporation, discontinued its overnight train-hotel service in 2020, resulting in the absence of a direct train connection between the two capitals.

The European Commission has officially approved the new route, which will reduce the journey duration from over 10 hours to just three.

“We are currently developing a strategy to enhance the high-speed connections between the major European capitals, with Madrid–Lisbon being one of our top priorities,” stated Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the EU Commissioner for Transport.