Valencia AVE before the spring

THE Alicante-Valencia high speed AVE train is no longer shunted into a siding.

Although work stalled more than a year ago it will be operational by next Spring, the central government’s ministry of Public Works announced.

“Budget adjustments” were necessary after track operator Adif faced the expense and technological challenges of constructing a three-kilometre branch line from Villena’s La Encina junction to Fuente La Higuera.  Here the high speed train will use the existing Jativa track, whose Spanish gauge will have to switch to international gauge for the AVE to continue to Valencia city.

Central government funds were unable to stretch far enough in 2013 but the 2015 budget will allocate €20 million for the project.

Work has continued slowly in the meantime and is 80 per cent complete, Adif claims, with every possibility of being completed on schedule.