LGV Perpignan-Figueras

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SNCF LGV Perpignan-Figueras

TGV TGV LGV Sud-Est TGV LGV Atlantique TGV LGV Rhône-Alpes TGV LGV Nord TGV LGV Méditerranée TGV LGV Est

TER   Alsace   Nord-Pas-de-Calais   Haute Normandie   Picardie   Champagne Ardenne   Lorraine   Basse Normandie   Bretagne   Centre   Bourgogne   Franche Comté   Pays de la Loire   Poitou-Charentes   Limousin   Auvergne   Rhône Alpes   Aquitaine   Midi Pyrénées   Languedoc Roussillon   Provence Alpes-Côte-d'Azur   Corse

SNCF Île-de-France/Transilien   Est   Nord   Saint-Lazare   Montparnasse   Lyon

RER   line A   line D   line B   line E   line C

The LGV Perpignan-Figueres is an international high speed rail line which is currently under construction. Work began on 15 November 2004, with service scheduled to begin in 2009.

Intended to improve the connection between the French and Spanish rail networks, the 44.4 km long line will cross the border through an 8.3 km tunnel bored under the col du Perthus. This section will be joined to two future high-speed lines: Barcelona-Figueres and Montpellier-Perpignan (this latter section currently still in early planning stages). The line will be open to both high-speed trains and freight, the maximum grade being limited to 1.2%.

The contract to build the line was awarded on 17 February 2004 to the TP Ferro consortium, a combination of Eiffage (France) and Actividades de construcción y servicios/Dragados (Spain). The group will construct the line for an estimated cost of approximately €1.1 billion, and operate the line for 50 years. It will receive a public subsidy of €540 million split between the European Union, France and Spain.

This is the first time since the SNCF came into being that a private group will build a rail line.

The beginning of service on this line should greatly improve passenger journey times: Paris-Barcelona in 5:35 and Perpignan-Madrid in 3:50.

[edit] See also

• High-speed rail
• TGV