{"id":228891,"date":"2025-06-03T14:10:45","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T04:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=62925"},"modified":"2025-06-03T14:10:45","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T04:10:45","slug":"spanish-port-gets-first-ever-dual-iberian-and-narrow-gauge-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=228891","title":{"rendered":"Spanish port gets first-ever dual Iberian and narrow-gauge connection"},"content":{"rendered":"

The port of Ferrol, just north of A Coru\u00f1a, is getting a rail access upgrade. Infrastructure manager Adif has selected a winner for the tender of the project, which aims to boost multimodality and to allow for more freight on trains. It includes a dual Iberian and narrow-gauge connection, a first in Spain.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Construction company Ferrovial became the winner of the 23 million euro tender. The company will work on the replacement of ballast, sleepers, and rails along the nearly two kilometres of rail between the Ferrol station and the town\u2019s port.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition, a third track will be installed, making the line the first on the railway network to be equipped with a third wire, enabling the circulation of both standard and narrow gauge trains\u201d, writes Adif. Standard gauge here refers to Spain\u2019s most common rail width – the Iberian gauge. The narrow gauge rail is 1,000 millimetres wide.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this way, the railway branch to the port increases its capacity and versatility, allowing trains traveling both on the narrow-gauge Ferrol-Ortiguera line and on the conventional line connecting Ferrol with Betanzos to enter and leave the port\u201d, explains Adif. The Iberian gauge line runs southward towards A Coru\u00f1a and links up with the rest of Spain’s network. By contrast, the narrow gauge infrastructure runs along the northern coast, all the way up to Bilbao.<\/p>\n

Agreement with the ports<\/h2>\n

The upgrade of the Ferrol port railway is part of an agreement between Adif, the state-owned port management company Puertos del Estado and the Port Authority of Ferrol-San Cibrao , the entity that finances the deployment of the third rail with 2,7 million euros. In parallel with the agreement, the Port Authority will also renew the 720-metre branch line that runs through the port.<\/p>\n