The Council of Ministers approved, on Tuesday, the advancement of the high-speed rail connection (LAV) between Lisbon and Madrid, which will allow the two cities to be connected in a journey that will take three hours, according to the Executive.

The decision, explains the Government in a statement, "aims to offer a competitive rail transport alternative (namely with the plane)" and establishes the following travel times as its objective: 

• Porto-Lisbon – 1h15
• Lisbon-Madrid – 3h00
• Porto-Vigo – 0h50

In the Government's view, the "LAV provides a competitive rail alternative to the daily flights, of 40 flights between Lisbon and Madrid and about 20 between Porto and Lisbon".

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Lisbon-Madrid: From six to three hours

With this alternative, on the connection between Lisbon and Madrid, the LAV will reduce the travel time to 6h00 in 2027 and to 3h00 in 2034, when the entire route is operational, according to the Government's calculations.

"Of this line, the Badajoz-Placencia and Toledo-Madrid connections are built, under construction and Évora-Elvas (Caia) connection and the Placencia-Talayuela connection (which will enter service in 2027), and under construction the TTT, the Poceirão-Évora connection and the Talayuela-Toledo connection", it can be read.

It is important to underline that the "schedule of investments will be compatible with Spain, to ensure a coordinated and timely execution of the project, fully optimising the availability of European funding".

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