The European Commission just approved a plan to finally finish the long-awaited high-speed rail line between Madrid and Lisbon — a project that’s been on Europe’s wish list for decades. The new decision sets clear milestones to get trains running between the two capitals by 2034, cutting travel times to just three hours.
Right now, it takes about nine hours to cover the 600-kilometer stretch by train. By 2030, the EU expects the trip to drop to around five hours, and four years later, travelers should be able to make it in roughly the time it takes to fly — minus the airport hassle.
“This is the kind of connection we want to see all across Europe,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism. “Traveling from Lisbon to Madrid in just three hours will make trains a real alternative for city-to-city travel.”
The project could have a big impact on how people move around the Iberian Peninsula. According to François Bausch, European Coordinator for the Atlantic Corridor, nearly forty flights currently connect the two cities every day. “This line isn’t just about speed,” he said. “It’s about cutting emissions and proving that sustainable mobility can work across borders.”
The EU has already poured hundreds of millions into the project. Portugal’s “Évora–Elvas” section received €235 million through the Connecting Europe Facility, while Spain has drawn about €750 million in EU funds since 2014 to develop its stretch between Extremadura and Madrid.
The Commission says today’s decision fits into a wider push to accelerate cross-border transport projects under the revamped Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). A full strategy for a continent-wide high-speed rail network is set to be unveiled in early November.
If everything goes to plan, hopping on a train from Lisbon to Madrid could soon be faster, greener, and a lot less stressful than catching a flight.
