Spain is preparing a significant upgrade to its flagship high-speed Madrid–Barcelona rail corridor, aiming to allow trains to reach 350 km/h — a speed currently achieved only in China. Today the line is capped at 300 km/h, making the project one of the most ambitious enhancements in Europe’s rail network.

Transport minister Óscar Puente said that if the modernisation goes ahead, the journey time between the two cities could drop from almost three hours to less than two. For a country that relies heavily on its rail system for domestic travel, that shift would redefine long-distance mobility.

To move the project forward, Spain will launch a €2.3 million tender for a full technical and economic feasibility study. This will determine how the infrastructure can be adapted to support higher speeds on one of the nation’s busiest routes.

The investment aligns with Spain’s broader push to expand and accelerate its high speed network. In December, the ministry approved the construction of a new 350 km/h line between Seville and Huelva in Andalusia, another step toward a faster, more connected national rail system.

Spain currently has the second-largest high speed rail network in the world after China. As of 2025, the country’s total high speed network stretches 4,091 kilometres. Passenger numbers continue to climb as well, rising from 32.4 million in 2019 to 46.7 million in 2024 — one of the strongest growth trends in Europe.

If approved, the upgrade of the Madrid–Barcelona line would mark a major milestone, reinforcing Spain’s position as a global leader in high speed rail travel.