The Ministry of Transport, through Adif Alta Velocidad, has awarded the works to double 46 kilometres of track on the AVE Antequera-Granada for €22.6 million. This action will improve the capacity and operability of the high-speed connection with the neighbouring province.
Adif Alta Velocidad has awarded the works for €22.6 million (including VAT) to double 46 kilometres of track on the High-Speed Line (LAV) Antequera-Granada, an action that will increase capacity and improve the operability of the high-speed rail connection with the neighbouring province. The works, promoted by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, are part of the plan to duplicate this strategic line for the Mediterranean Corridor as it passes through Andalusia.
The doubling will be executed in two sections: between the Archidona junction and the Riofrío junction, and between the Íllora neutralisation point and the La Chana junction. In both cases, the new standard-gauge track will be installed on a railway platform already prepared to accommodate two tracks, which will expedite the work.
This award adds to other recent investments in the same line, such as the electrification of the route, valued at €14.8 million, and the procurement of materials: track devices for €3.4 million and over 80,000 sleepers for €9.6 million. Additionally, Adif is still tendering for the supply of 220,000 tonnes of ballast for €8.5 million.
Currently, the AVE Antequera-Granada only has double track on the 9.5-kilometre stretch between Antequera station and the Archidona viaduct. The complete duplication plan also includes the Loja Variant, which is 19.1 kilometres long, with platform works already underway or contracted, and the adaptation for a second track in the stretch between the end of the variant and Íllora, which is 7.7 kilometres long.
The project may be co-financed with funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and will contribute, according to the Ministry, to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals related to infrastructure, sustainability, and economic growth. The total investment in railway actions in the Mediterranean Corridor from January 2024 to March 2026 amounts to over €2.9 billion.
For the residents of the province of Málaga, this improvement in the AVE line means greater frequency and reliability in connections with Granada, especially for those using Antequera station as a railway hub. The doubling of the track will reduce waiting times and allow for better management of traffic, both for passengers and goods, on a key axis for Andalusian mobility.
The works add to other actions by the Ministry in Granada, such as the integration of the railway in the capital and the expansion of Granada station, whose projects have already been awarded. The department led by the Government has highlighted that these investments reinforce the commitment to the Mediterranean Corridor as a strategic axis for sustainable transport.
It is expected that the doubling works will begin in the coming months, once the award is formalised and preliminary procedures are initiated. The execution period has not been specified, but Adif sources indicate that the work could be completed within a two-year horizon, depending on coordination with the other planned actions on the line.
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