Spain - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

@@ THIS IS WORK IN PROGRESS!! GWB 4/12/2010 @@

Introduction

This list is based on the timetable in effect in December 2010. Because RENFE does not publish a printed national railway timetable, table numbers refer to those in the "European Timetable" published by Thomas Cook unless marked with the name of a RENFE Cercanias network, in which case it is the route number shown on the relevant Cercanias network map. Standard abbreviations used are explained in the General Information document. @ LINK REQD

Coverage is currently limited to lines known to the compilers, who would welcome information on other services that may warrant inclusion.

Obscure services

La Pereda Riosa – Soto de Rey

[685, Asturias C1] (3A3, partly shown) ES11/1

South of Soto de Rey (El Portazgo) triangle, there are two separate reversibly signalled single tracks following different routes: the longer via the river valley, serving Olloniego station; the shorter via the 2.6 km "new tunnel" (number 83 bis) with no intermediate station. The longer route must be used by those Regionales and Cercanías C-1 trains booked to call at Olloniego; other trains tend to use the "new tunnel" route - although either route can be used if required for train regulation purposes.

Note: Table 685 does not list Cercanias services

Villallana – Ujo

[685, Asturias C1] (3B3, partly shown) ES11/2

There are two separate reversibly signalled single tracks (without intermediate stations) following different routes: the original (and longer) via the river valley and the shorter via the 2.5 km "new tunnel" (number 81 bis) further west. Normally all northbound trains run via the tunnel, and southbound Cercanías trains via the old route.

Note: Table 685 does not list Cercanias services

El Berrón curves

(FEVE) [Asturias F5, F6] (3A3, not shown) ES11/3

The Oviedo - Santander and Gijón - Laviana lines cross here on the level. Two of the three connecting curves are used by passenger trains:

• @ check north <=> curve for new Gijon -> ?? services
• the west <=> north curve is used by (i) a daily Oviedo - Noreña "shuttle" service; for times see FEVE website (www.feve.es/horarios_tmp/1031-1032.pdf ) and (ii) non-stop Oviedo - Gijón services (www.feve.es/horarios_tmp/5001-5002.pdf). .
• the west <=> south curve is used Mondays to Fridays only by four Laviana - Oviedo round trips; for times see FEVE website (www.feve.es/horarios_tmp/1033-1034.pdf and look for services highlighted in yellow, denoting “Laborables de lunes a viernes, directo”.

Llovio – Ribadesella Puerto

(FEVE) (4A2, not shown) ES11/4

This branch is used usually on the first Saturday in August each year (@?? August 2011) for an excursion (Tren Fluvial) from Oviedo in connection with the annual river raft race - La Fiesta de las Piraguas - from Arriondas (starting at noon) to Ribadesella. See @CHECK URL www.spain.info/vive/fiestas/asturias/fiesta_de_las_piraguas_descenso_internacional_del_sella.html?l=en.

Note: these trains are very popular and prior reservation is essential. The 2003 timings were: 08:15 Oviedo - Arriondas and 10:00 Ribadesella Puerto - Arriondas forming approx. 12:15 Arriondas - Ribadesella Puerto; 14:30 Ribadesella Puerto - Llovio [- Arriondas - Oviedo].

Amorebieta Echano – Amorebieta Geralekua

(EuskoTren) (5B1) ES11/5

Most trains to or from the Bermeo branch run direct to Bilbao and use the west <=> north curve avoiding Amorebieta Echano (the main line station). On Sunday mornings (between midnight and 06:00) a two-hourly shuttle operates instead between Amorebieta Echano and Bermeo using the east-facing curve; for times see EuskoTren website www.euskotren.es/castellano/horarios/pdf/Urdaibai.pdf (4.5MB file). @CHECK URL

Altsasu – Altsasu-Pueblo

[655, 689] (6A1) ES11/6

This north <=> east connection is used by trains between Pamplona and Irún.

		533	Irún - 09:02 Altsasu - Barcelona Sants
		537	Irún - 16:18 San Sebastian/Donostia - Barcelona Sants
		534	Barcelona Sants - 11:19 Pamplona - Irún
		530	Barcelona Sants - 19:23 Pamplona - Irún

Altsasu avoiding line: Altsasu-Pueblo – Olazti

[655, 689] (6A1, not shown) ES11/7

This east <=> west connection avoiding Altsasu on the south side is used by trains between Pamplona and Vitoria/Gasteiz.

P.B. Valdestillas – Valdestillas (via Valdestillas cambiador de ancho)

[682] (10A1, not shown) ES11/8

This 2 km connection between the high speed line and the broad gauge line south of Valladolid is used by some Alvia high speed trains between Madrid and Valladolid. These trains can be identified from the platform departure sheets at Valladolid Campo Grande by their use of the broad gauge platforms 3, 4 or 5. In general, northbound high speed trains booked to arrive in Valladolid less than 20 minutes after the departure of a southbound standard gauge train will probably use the Valdestillas cambiador de ancho.

The following trains were booked by this route in 2010:

		4167	Madrid Chamartín - 16:45 Segovia AV - Hendaye
	SX	4181	18:30 Madrid Chamartín - Gijon

Confirmation of this usage would be welcomed by the compilers.

Other Alvia services to destinations north of Valladolid use the cambiador de ancho north of Valladolid Campo Grande station.

Venta de Baños avoiding line: Palencia – Magaz

[682, 689] (10B2, not shown) ES11/9

This east <=> west line avoiding Venta de Baños on the north side is used by trains between Burgos and Palencia.

Venta de Baños – Magaz

[689] (10B2) ES11/10

This line is used by direct trains between Valladolid Campo Grande and Burgos which do not call (and reverse) at Palencia.

Miranda de Ebro avoiding line: Pancorbo – Haro

[655, 682] (11B3, not shown) ES11/11

This west <=> south curve is used by trains between Logroño and Burgos which do not call at Miranda de Ebro:

@ CHECK CURRENT TRAIN TIMES @

	SX	931	Gijón - 01:20 Burgos Rosa de Lima (next day) - Barcelona Sants
		921	A Coruña/Vigo - 02:15 Burgos Rosa de Lima (next day) - Barcelona Sants
		630	Salamanca - 08:58 Burgos Rosa de Lima - Zaragoza Delicias
		922	Barcelona Sants - 01:05 Logroño (next day) - A Coruña/Vigo
	SX	932	Barcelona Sants - 01:59 Logroño (next day) - Gijón
		633	Zaragoza Delicias - 16:45 Haro - Salamanca

Miranda de Ebro – Pobes

[655, 689] (11B3, not shown) ES11/12

The branch from Miranda de Ebro to Bilbao forms what appears to be a conventional burrowing junction with the line to Irún but is in fact two separate single lines. Most trains are booked to use the south side platforms (and hence the "long" curve behind the depot and works and under the Irún line) but some are booked to use the north side platforms (and hence the "short" inside curve). The platform usage can be identified from the platform departure sheets.

However, it is not unusual for trains to use a platform (and possibly also the route) other than that booked.

Cambiador Plasencia – Grisén (via Plasencia de Jalón cambiador de ancho)

[650, 655] (12B1, not shown) ES11/13

This connection links the high speed line west of Zaragoza with the ‘classic’ main line. It is used by through trains between Madrid Atocha and either Logroño or Pamplona (and beyond) not calling at Zaragoza.

Zaragoza avoiding line: Grisén – Cabañas de Ebro

[650, 655] (12B1-2) ES11/14

This line links the Calatayud and Tudela de Navarra lines west of Zaragoza. It is used by through trains between Madrid Atocha and either Logroño or Pamplona (and beyond) not calling at Zaragoza.

Zaragoza – Tardienta

[656] (13A1-2) ES11/15

There is both a broad gauge and a standard gauge (not shown on the Ball atlas) line between Zaragoza and Tardienta. The standard gauge dives under the broad gauge line at Miraflores and then parallels it all the way as a single line on the west side. However, it takes a slightly different alignment at San Juan de Mozarrifar where a 2km long embankment and flyover carries it over the freight-only branch to the military installation at San Gregorio which heads westwards here.

The standard gauge line is used by the daily through train (2 trains on Sundays) between Madrid and Huesca. All other trains use the broad gauge line.

Note: The Tardienta - Huesca line consists of a dual gauge single track.

Zaragoza avoiding line ‘Ronda Sur’ (standard gauge) @ ADD JUNCTION NAMES @

[650] (13A1, not shown) ES11/16

This 21km long line forms part of the Madrid - Barcelona high speed line, bypassing Zaragoza to the south. It is used by high speed trains between Madrid and Barcelona not calling at Zaragoza.

Lleida avoiding line: (Bif. Torres Sanui – Bif. Artesa)

[650] (14A1 not shown) ES11/17

This 14 km long standard gauge line carries the Madrid - Barcelona high speed line to the south of Lleida Pirineus station. It is used by high speed trains between Madrid/Zaragoza and Barcelona not calling at Lleida.

Barcelona Estació de França (Bif. Clot) – Barcelona Clot Arago (Bif. Glóries)

[655] (16B2, not shown) ES11/18

Some trains between Barcelona and France via Port Bou were diverted to Estació de França via this connection with effect from 17 October 2005 to reduce the usage of Sants station during engineering works there for the high speed line. These trains are still using this route.

@ CHECK CURRENT TRAIN TIMES @

		70	Montpellier - 18:38 Girona - Barcelona Estació de França
		73	08:45 Barcelona Estació de França - Montpellier
	TThSuO	273	19:38 Barcelona Estació de França - Zürich Hbf/Milano C
	MWFO	274	Zürich Hbf/Milano C - 08s18 Girona - Barcelona Estació de França
		475	21:05 Barcelona Estació de França - Paris Austerlitz
		477	Paris Austerlitz - 06s54 Girona - Barcelona Estació de França

[Martorell] – Castellbisbal – Bif. Papiol or Aguja Km 4,104 – Rubi

[Barcelona C7] (16B2, not shown correctly) ES11/19

The north <=> east and south <=> east curves of the triangle shown in the Ball atlas south of Castellbisbal are in fact unidirectional running lines each of which forms a triangular junction (not shown) with the Barcelona - Castellbisbal - Martorell line, at least 2km from each other. There is no actual junction at the eastern apex of the triangle, merely a separation of the running lines in each direction.

Trains towards Martorell use the east <=> north curve of the more northerly line (Rubi - Bif. Papiol - Castellbisbal); trains from Martorell head south towards El Papiol and then take the north <=> east curve (Castellbisbal - Aguja Km 4,104 - Rubi, not shown) of the more southerly triangle

Monfragüe – Mirabel

[677] (19A1, partly shown) ES11/20

Most trains reverse at Plasencia, using the east <=> north and north <=> south (not shown in Ball) curves west of Monfragüe, but these trains use the third (east <=> south) side of the triangle.

@ CHECK CURRENT TRAIN TIMES @

	FO	17824	Madrid Atocha Cercanías - 18:25 Monfragüe - Caceres
		194	Madrid Chamartín - 19:04 Monfrague - Badajoz
		332	Madrid Chamartín - 00:38 Navalmoral de la Mata - Lisboa S A
		197	Badajoz - 10:13 Mirabel - Madrid Chamartín
	SuO	17817	Caceres - 19:50 Mirabel - Madrid Atocha Cercanías
		335	Lisboa S A - 05:08 Caceres - Madrid Chamartín

Madrid Chamartín – Bif. Hortaleza – Vicálvaro and Vallecas – Bif. Rebolledo – Villaverde Bajo

[671, 677] (22B3, 22A3 - 22A2) ES11/21

These links provide access between Madrid Chamartín and the south via the line avoiding the city on the east side.

@ CHECK CURRENT TRAIN TIMES @

		332	22:25 Madrid Chamartín - Lisboa S A
		335	Lisboa S A - 07:14 Talavera de la Reina - Madrid Chamartín

Madrid Chamartín – Bif. Hortaleza – San Fernando de Henares

[653] (22A3-22B3) ES11/22

This line is used by trains between Madrid Chamartín and Guadalajara not calling at Madrid Atocha Cercanías, plus the following:

@ CHECK CURRENT TRAIN TIMES @

		996	Barcelona Sants - 23:48 Zaragoza - Málaga {1}
		946	Barcelona Sants - 00:05 Zaragoza - Cádiz {1}
		995	Málaga - 22:20 Ciudad Real - Barcelona Sants {1}
		945	Cádiz - 21:24 Córdoba - Barcelona Sants {1}

{1} Although these trains are shown as calling at Madrid Puerta de Atocha, this is in fact not a public stop. The strict security enforced by the Spanish authorities makes it almost certain that access will be impossible there.

Local (Cercanías) trains normally run via Madrid Atocha and Vallecas. However, a limited number of additional rush hour trains run via Hortaleza. The "Consorcio de Transportes de Madrid" website gives the RENFE Cercanias timetables:

• Go to @www.ctm-madrid.es and click “English”;
• In the "Transport Information" block, click "Suburban Rail" and select route C2 from the list;
• Click "Departure Timetables" or "Return Timetables " for the two directions;
• Select trains in the block headed “Trenes CIVIS”.

Madrid Chamartín – Sol – Madrid Atocha Cercanías

(22A3) ES11/23

This line via the tunnel opened on 9 July 2008 is connected to platforms 5 - 7 at Atocha Cercanías and to platforms 1 - 6 at Chamartín. Platform 5 at Atocha Cercanías and Platform 6 at Chamartín are connected also to ES11/24 @LINK. It is used by all Cercanías services on routes C3 (Chamartín - Atocha - Aranjuez) and C4 (Colmenar Viejo/Alcobendas - Parla).

The routing of Regionales and Grandes Lineas services between Chamartín and Atocha Cercanías via either ES11/23 or ES11/24 is dependent on platform usage at both stations.

Madrid Chamartín – Recoletos – Madrid Atocha Cercanías

(22A3) ES11/24

This line via the original tunnel is is connected to platforms 1 - 5 at Atocha Cercanías and to platforms 6 - 15 at Chamartín. Platform 5 at Atocha Cercanías and Platform 6 at Chamartín are connected also to ES11/23 @LINK. It used by all Cercanías services on routes C2 (Guadalajara - Chamartín), C7 (Alcalá de Henares - Atocha - Chamartín - Principe Pio - Chamartín) and C8 (Atocha - El Escorial/Cercedilla).

The routing of Regionales and Grandes Lineas services between Chamartín and Atocha Cercanías via either ES11/23 or ES11/24 is dependent on platform usage at both stations. Alvia services that pass through the Chamartín cambiador de ancho must use Platform 15 at Chamartín and hence this route ES11/24.

Madrid Atocha Cercanías – Atocha cambiador de ancho – Madrid Puerta de Atocha

(22A3, not shown) ES11/25

This line connects Atocha Cercanías to the Atocha gauge changer and thence to Puerta de Atocha main line terminus. It is used by overnight services between Barcelona and Andalucia, which take the ‘classic’ main line between Zaragoza and Madrid Chamartín but the standard gauge high speed line to and from Córdoba. The trains propel in both directions between Puerta de Atocha and Atocha cambiador de ancho, where they reverse. Although these trains are shown as calling at Madrid Puerta de Atocha, this is in fact not a public stop. The strict security enforced by the Spanish authorities makes it almost certain that access will be impossible there.

@ CHECK CURRENT TRAIN TIMES @

		996	Barcelona Sants - 23:48 Zaragoza - Málaga {1}
		946	Barcelona Sants - 00:05 Zaragoza - Cádiz {1}
		995	Málaga - 22:20 Ciudad Real - Barcelona Sants {1}
		945	Cádiz - 21:24 Córdoba - Barcelona Sants {1}

Madrid Delicias – Madrid Santa Catalina – Villaverde Bajo – San Cristóbal Industrial

[671, 677, 689] (22A3) ES11/26

This line provides a link between Madrid Principe Pio and the south, avoiding the Chamartín - Atocha tunnel. The section between Bif. Museo and San Cristóbal Industrial is common with ES11/27 @LINK.

D		940	Bilbao - 02:11 Avila - Malaga
D		941	Malaga - 03:33 Manzanares - Bilbao

Museo del Ferrocarril (Paseo de las Delicias) – Bif. Museo – Madrid Santa Catalina – Villaverde Bajo – San Cristóbal Industrial

(22A3) ES11/27

This line provides a link to the railway museum, the former Madrid Delicias terminus. The section between Bif. Museo and San Cristóbal Industrial is common with ES11/26 @LINK. It is used by the „Tren de la Fresa“ (Strawberry Train).

@ TIMINGS

 D   10:00 Museo del Ferrocarril - Aranjuez 
 D   18:25 Aranjuez - Museo del Ferrocarril 

@@ Timings for the „Tren de la Navidad“ (Christmas Train), which in 2009 ran to Pinto, are not yet available.

Other sparse services

The following sections have services which are sparse, even by Spanish standards (fewer than three trains per day):

@ CHECK SERVICES

• 686 Ribadeo – Navia
• 686 Llanes – Cabezón de la Sal
• 683 Cistierna – Guardo – Balmaseda
• 656 Jaca – Canfranc
• Valencia C-1 Xeraco – Platja i Grau de Gandia (three trains per day on weekdays and two at weekends)
• 677 Huelva – Zafra (at present only two trains each way per week run to Zafra owing to engineering work). The service is totally suspended from 10 June to 27 July 2010.
• 677 Cazalla-Constantina – Zafra
• 677, 691 Cáceres – Valencia de Alcantara – Marvão Beirã
• 690 Salamanca La Alamedilla – Ciudad Rodrigo – Fuentes de Oñoro – Vilar Formoso
• 695 O Porrino – Tui – Valença do Minho

Deletions since previous edition

• ES10/7A León avoiding line ‘Enlace Sur’: Palanquinos - Qintana-Raneros: diversions ceased 26 November 2010.
• ES10/7B León avoiding line ‘Enlace Sur’: Palanquinos - León: diversions ceased 26 November 2010.
• ES10/13 Burgos Rosa de Lima (Bif. Madrid-Burgos) - Aranda de Duero Montecillo - Colmenar Viejo: the service appears not to have run again after a derailment on 13 February 2010 @ CHECK DATE.
• ES10/19 Barcelona Sant Andreu Comtal (Bif. Aigües) – Montcada Bifurcació: the planned diversions seem not to have taken place
• ES10/23 Madrid Chamartín – Fuencarral (via Chamartín cambiador de ancho): being only a short connection between two adjacent lines of different gauge this does not warrant being classed as a line

See also

• Spain
• Spain - General Information