Madrid–Levante high-speed rail network

The first 28 km (17 mi) of this 391 km (243 mi) line are shared with the existing Madrid–Seville high-speed rail line. The section onwards to Valencia was inaugurated on 15 December 2010 and entered service on 19 December 2010.

Thirty trains run every day, fifteen in each direction. 22 are non-stop services and the remaining eight call at intermediate stations.

Non-stop trains between Madrid and Valencia cover the 391 km (243 mi) in 1 hour and 40 minutes, saving two hours on the previous service of Alaris trains on the classic line.[4]

The line is built to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge, and electric powered at 25 kV AC, with signalling ERTMS levels 1 and 2.

This segment was inaugurated on 22 January 2018 and is a part of the Mediterranean Corridor. With this extension to Castellón a new AVE service Madrid-Castellón was introduced which cut the journey time between the two cities by further 30 minutes to total 2 hours and 25 minutes.

Four AVE trains per day are scheduled, two in each direction between Madrid and Castellón while this segment is also used by the Alvia service Gijón–Castellón.[5][6]

Segment under construction. Planned for mixed use (goods and passengers).[7]

This 41.2 km (25.6 mi) segment is in service with a maximum speed of 220 km/h (137 mph).

A 62.8 km (39.0 mi) segment between Cuenca and Albacete provinces. This section was inaugurated on 15 December and open to the public on 19 December 2010.

The 171.5 km (106.6 mi) section from Albacete to Alicante opened in June 2013.[8]

The segment between the municipality of Monforte del Cid in Alicante and Murcia has a length of 67.1 kilometres (41.7 mi), of which 46.2 km (28.7 mi) are located in the province of Alicante and the remaining 15.5 km (9.6 mi) in Murcia. It is a new segment of double track in standard gauge, suitable for speeds up to 350 km/h (217 mph). The 8.9 km (5.5 mi) long access section towards the new segment to Murcia had been in service since 2008, and was only used for Iberian gauge trains until the 1st February 2021, when the section linking Monforte del Cid, Elche and Orihuela - 48.4 km (30.1 mi) in total length - was inaugurated.[9] This section is fitted with three track rails, two of standard gauge and one of Iberian gauge.

The main purpose of this line is to connect the Transversal Rail Line to the Madrid-Levante and Mediterranean Corridor rail lines. This segment is 184.3 km (114.5 mi) (108.1 km (67.2 mi) in Almería Province and 76.2 km (47.3 mi) in Murcia Region).

Madrid Atocha (Spanish: Estación de Madrid Atocha, also named Madrid Puerta de Atocha) is the largest railway station in Madrid. Atocha also hosts commuter trains (Cercanías), intercity and regional trains from the south, and AVE high-speed trains to Barcelona (Catalonia) and Seville (Andalusia).

These services are run by the national rail company, Renfe. The station is in the Atocha neighbourhood of the Arganzuela district.

The Cuenca–Fernando Zóbel railway station is a new station, and is 5 km (3.1 mi) from the city centre. It is named after painter Fernando Zóbel to commemorate his links to the city. The station occupies 3.950 m² with 8.900 m² of parking space.

Albacete-Los Llanos railway station is 23,000 m² (250,000 sq ft) with a commercial area and parking space for 600 cars.[10]

A new 600 m² (6,500 sq ft) station called Requena-Utiel was built with parking space for at least 250 cars.[11] It brings the two small towns of Requena and Utiel on to the high-speed map./[4]

A new Valencia Central Station will be built that eventually replaces the existing Valencia North station. It will be 12 tracks wide in 2 subterranean levels.[12]

Located 6.5 km (4.0 mi) from Villena town centre.

Current terminus of the Alicante branch at the existing Alicante railway station.

A 5,500 m² (59,000 sq ft) station was planned for opening at the end of 2019,[13] with parking space for 500 cars and 50 motorcycles. This was subsequently delayed until 2021.[14]

The existing railway station at Orihuela is served by the AVE line.[14]

The new intermodal Murcia del Carmen railway station will be close to the present station. It will be 8 rail tracks wide and will serve buses and local trains.[16]

It is yet unclear whether the current Cartagena railway station, located next to the old town, will be the final station for high speed services or a new station will be built on the outskirts of the city. Construction of the high speed railway between Murcia and Cartagena is scheduled to begin in 2018, and be complete by 2022.[17]