FIRST RAIL MOTORWAY SERVICES FROM SPAIN
The ADIF freight terminal in Can Tunis, located near the port of Barcelona, was the starting point of the first train of the rail motorway that opened on
February 19th, 2019, and joins with up to six trains per direction and week Barcelona with Bettembourg, in Luxembourg, through the El Pertús tunnel.
The rail motorway runs through the new high-speed international Figueras-Perpignan section, built and managed by ADIF, with rail mixed traffic of travelers and goods in European standard track gauge. It means a very important connection milestone from Barcelona without having to change axles gauge at the border, as part of the Mediterranean Corridor, and as result of it, rail traffic will increase due to this cross-border connection between Spain and France.
This system, which allows the transfer by rail of road trailers or semi-trailers using special platforms, is operated by RENFE Mercancías and VIIA, the rail motorway operator of the SNCF group.
This initiative comes to complete the one offered by HUPAC on February 18th, 2019, between Barcelona Morrot terminal and Antwerp, in Belgium.