Perthus Tunnel
The Perthus Tunnel is a twin-bore railway tunnel between France and Spain under the Eastern Pyrenees, built as part of the high-speed railway line Perpignan-Figueres. It has made possible the implementation of direct high-speed trains connecting the two countries' railway systems since December 2013, linking the Spanish AVE network with the French TGV. The tunnel is named after the nearby border town of Le Perthus.
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Line | LGV Perpignan–Figueres |
| Location | Border between France and Spain |
| Coordinates | 42°28′N 2°52′E |
| Status | Active |
| Start | La Jonquera: 42°26′49″N 2°51′43″E |
| End | Montesquieu-des-Albères: 42°31′14″N 2°51′34″E |
| Operation | |
| Constructed | 2005-2009 |
| Opened | 19 December 2010 |
| Operator | TP Ferro |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 8.3-kilometre (5.2 mi) |
The Perthus Tunnel was built between July 2005 and February 2009, and it first opened to traffic on December 19, 2010. It was designed, built, and operated under a 50-year concession by the TP Ferro consortium. The tunnel has been designed to allow the movement of freight train as well as high speed passenger traffic. It also facilities the full interoperability of qualifying trains from either Spanish or French network without distinction. It is 8.3 kilometres (5.2 mi) long. During late 2016, TP Ferro went into liquidation, leading to a new company jointly held by Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF) and SNCF Réseau becoming responsible for the tunnel's operation.