On September 26th , the Spanish Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility initiated the public consultation process for the Information Study on reopening the Somport railway tunnel in Huesca, which received provisional approval on September 23.
The consultation period will run until November 8 - 30 working days from the day following the notice's publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE), No. 233. This period allows the public to review and comment on the overall design of the proposed route. [Click here to view the documentation.]
The Somport railway tunnel, spanning 7.8 km (60% in Spanish territory and 40% in French territory), was constructed between 1908 and 1915 and became operational in 1928 with the opening of the Zaragoza-Canfranc-Pau railway line, which connects France to Spain through the Pyrenees.
Currently, there are no international train services on the Zaragoza-Canfranc-Pau line. The line was interrupted in 1970 on the French side after a freight train derailment destroyed the Estanguet railway bridge, south of Bedous. The bridge was never rebuilt, leading to the disuse of the Somport tunnel. In Spain, passenger and freight trains still operate between Zaragoza and the international station of Canfranc, while on the French side, passenger services only run from Pau to Bedous. The section from Bedous to Canfranc, which includes the Somport tunnel, remains out of service. Today, the old Somport railway tunnel is used as an emergency tunnel for the nearby Somport road tunnel, running nearly parallel to it.
Technical studies for reopening the Somport railway tunnel are part of a broader plan to restore the Zaragoza-Canfranc-Pau line for international traffic. This project would establish a rail corridor complementary to the Atlantic (between Biarritz/Bayonne and San Sebastián) and the Mediterranean (between Perpignan and Figueres) corridors, enhancing connections with Europe and advancing freight transport by rail as well as supporting decarbonization efforts in transportation.
The Information Study analysis suggests that Alternative 1 is the most viable option, with an estimated investment of approximately €93 million. This option involves removing the current tunnel lining, widening the rock-cut section, and installing a new lining that ensures structural safety and can be adapted for a wider gauge if required in later design stages and prior to construction.
On June 7, 2024, the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge declared that the project does not need a standard environmental review, as no significant negative environmental impacts are expected.
The actions approved in the Information Study will be developed into a construction project for the tunnel’s reopening, managed by the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility through Adif. This project, related to the reopening of the Canfranc international line, is supported by European funds from the Connecting Europe Facility 2022.
Click es/99 and fr/52 for the tunnelbuilder archive. Visit https://www.transportes.gob.es/. 44/24.
