Adif has launched the second phase of the liberalisation of passenger rail transport. The three new corridors Madrid – Galicia, Madrid – Asturias/Cantabria, and Madrid – Cádiz/Huelva are supposed to enable up to 72 additional daily connections. The infrastructure manager plans to publish the timetable and rules of the process in the first quarter of 2025 (Q1/2025). As in the first phase of liberalisation, which ended in 2020, it is proposed that multi-year framework agreements be formalised between Adif and the passenger rail transport operators, to be signed by the end of 2026. Since the liberalisation of passenger rail transport, demand has increased on the various corridors. While the first bid benefited 15 provinces, this second phase will add 13 more provinces, reaching almost 70% of the Spanish population. The new corridors have a special feature. They require the use of trains with variable track gauges, as they have both standard gauge and broad gauge. These lines have been identified as high potential, as they can attract a large number of passengers thanks to their technical performance and high commercial speeds.
