Perthus Tunnel

Last updated
Perthus Tunnel
Overview
Line LGV Perpignan–Figueres
LocationBorder between France and Spain
Coordinates 42°28′N2°52′E / 42.467°N 2.867°E / 42.467; 2.867
StatusActive
Start La Jonquera: 42°26′49″N2°51′43″E / 42.44694°N 2.86194°E / 42.44694; 2.86194 (La Jonquera Portal)
End Montesquieu-des-Albères: 42°31′14″N2°51′34″E / 42.52056°N 2.85944°E / 42.52056; 2.85944 (Montesquieu-des-Albères Portal)
Operation
Constructed2005-2009
Opened19 December 2010 [1]
OperatorTP Ferro [2]
Technical
Line length8.3-kilometre (5.2 mi)

The Perthus Tunnel is a twin-bore railway tunnel between France and Spain under the Eastern Pyrenees, built as part of the high-speed railway line Perpignan-Figueres. It has made possible the implementation of direct high-speed trains connecting the two countries' railway systems since December 2013, linking the Spanish AVE network with the French TGV. [3] [4] [5] The tunnel is named after the nearby border town of Le Perthus. [6]

Contents

The Perthus Tunnel was built between July 2005 and February 2009, and it first opened to traffic on December 19, 2010. It was designed, built, and operated under a 50-year concession by the TP Ferro consortium. The tunnel has been designed to allow the movement of freight train as well as high speed passenger traffic. It also facilities the full interoperability of qualifying trains from either Spanish or French network without distinction. [2] It is 8.3 kilometres (5.2 mi) long. [7] [8] During late 2016, TP Ferro went into liquidation, leading to a new company jointly held by Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF) and SNCF Réseau becoming responsible for the tunnel's operation.

Construction

Dragados, a Spanish Company, in Madrid Sede de Dragados (Madrid) 05.jpg
Dragados, a Spanish Company, in Madrid

As early as the 1980s, studies were underway into examining the potential of constructing a high speed railway between the countries of Spain and France. [9] By the 21st century, various projects to improve the connecting infrastructure between European nations were underway. To do so facilitate such any such link between Spain and France, the challenging terrain of the Pyrenees would have to be traversed, necessitating the construction of a tunnel. During the early 2000s, arrangements to undertake its design and construction were explored. This resulted in the formation of a public–private partnership venture by the TP Ferro consortium, a joint venture of the French civil engineering firm Eiffage and the Spanish company Dragados, who undertook the design, construction, and operation of the Perthus Tunnel under a fifty-year concession awarded in December 2003. [10] [2]

The Perthus Tunnel, which comprises two parallel bores with a length of 8.3 kilometres (5.2 mi), was considered to be the most challenging undertaking of the project. [11] Of the various bridges, tunnels, and miscellaneous civil engineering works needed to produce the connection, the tunnel was both the largest and comprised the greatest expense by a considerable margin; the estimated cost of its construction was $375M. [2] In the years prior to the project's launch, extensive surveying efforts had been conducted to support the future construction effort. [9] On 17 February 2004, the final contract between TP Ferro, France, and Spain was agreed. On 19 July 2005, construction of the tunnel was officially launched at a ceremony attended by both French and Spanish dignitaries. [2]

TP Ferro determined that a pair of tunnel boring machines (TBMs) would be compatible with the geological features present, which mainly comprised hard granite, granodiorite, gneiss, scists, mylorite, and diorite, along the tunnel's route. [2] [12] The early excavation work involved the preparation of the tunnel's southern portal, which included the construction of a platform as well as reinforcement of the opening, after which both TBMs commenced boring from the Spanish side. [11] As the TBMS progressed, they installed a precast concrete lining, consisting of six segments plus a key per ring. Spoil was removed via a conveyor system running back to the tunnel portals. [2] Concrete was produced on an on-site batch plant setup outside the southern tunnel portals and conveyed by a specialised fleet of ten mixer trucks. [6] A total of four equipment galleries are present along the tunnel. The usable cross-section of each bore is 50m2. [2]

Perthus Tunnel was constructed to conform with relatively rigorous safety standards. As such, various safety systems are present, such equipment includes a backup power supply, smoke detectors, fire suppression apparatus, high pressure water lines, sewage and ventilation systems, active monitoring of clearances and falling objects, as well as numerous connections between the twin bores at regular intervals of 350m. Emergency provisions near the entrances of the tunnel include a designated access points and a purpose-built helicopter landing area. [11] [2]

On 1 October 2007, it was announced that the first TBM had achieved breakthrough; this was several months later than planned due to a fault being discovered. [13] Following less than four years of construction work, the Perthus Tunnel was declared to have been completed on 17 February 2009. [1]

Operations

The Barcelyon Express 252 017 - 252 028 - Barcelyon - Cornella - Luis Zamora.jpg
The Barcelyon Express

On 19 December 2010, Perthus Tunnel was opened to traffic. [1] The newly opened route was promptly used by the Barcelyon Express, a Franco-Spanish combined transport service operated by Naviland Cargo (SNCF Geodis group) and Renfe Operadora. [14] The joint Franco-Spanish high speed passenger service operator Elipsos also commenced use of the tunnel. [15] At the time of the opening, the high-speed standard gauge railway ended at Figueres-Vilafant station; an Iberian gauge spur line had been purpose-built from the conventional Barcelona-Figueres line to serve this station. As a means of compensation for the delay in the tunnel's opening, the concession held by TP Ferro was extended by three years. [16]

During November 2009, formal design studies for a high-speed Perpignan-Montpellier line were launched by Réseau Ferré de France. [17] The completed Perthus Tunnel forms one part of the 44.4-kilometre (27.6 mi) Perpignan-Figueres high-speed railway. The high-speed line between Barcelona and Figueres was opened to traffic on 8 January 2013; however, prior to December of that year, passengers had to change trains at Figueres Vilafant station, from a French TGV to a Spanish AVE, as neither trainset was approved for use on the other country's network. Finally, direct trains were launched on 15 December 2013. [18] [19] As a consequence of these additional developments, the new high speed route enables high speed TGV service to travel between Barcelona and Perpignan in only 50 minutes, one third of the travel time of the historic line. [6]

Figueres-Vilafant Train station, connected to the Perthus Tunnel Figueres-vilafant.jpg
Figueres-Vilafant Train station, connected to the Perthus Tunnel

During late 2016, TP Ferro, the consortium operating Perthus Tunnel, went into liquidation. Consequently, all staff and activities previously undertaken by TP Ferro were taken over by a new company jointly formed by Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias (ADIF) and SNCF Réseau; operations of the tunnel have continued without disruption. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TGV</span> State-owned intercity high-speed rail service of France

The TGV is France's intercity high-speed rail service, operated mainly by SNCF. SNCF worked on a high-speed rail network from 1966 to 1974 and presented the project to President Georges Pompidou who approved it. Originally designed as turbotrains to be powered by gas turbines, TGV prototypes evolved into electric trains with the 1973 oil crisis. In 1976 the SNCF ordered 87 high-speed trains from Alstom. Following the inaugural service between Paris and Lyon in 1981 on the LGV Sud-Est, the network, centred on Paris, has expanded to connect major cities across France and in neighbouring countries on a combination of high-speed and conventional lines. The TGV network in France carries about 110 million passengers a year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SNCF</span> National state-owned railway company of France

The Société nationale des chemins de fer français is France's national state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the country's national rail traffic along with that of Monaco, including the TGV, on France's high-speed rail network. Its functions include operation of railway services for passengers and freight, as well as maintenance and signalling of rail infrastructure. The railway network consists of about 35,000 km (22,000 mi) of route, of which 2,600 km (1,600 mi) are high-speed lines and 14,500 km (9,000 mi) electrified. About 14,000 trains are operated daily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGV Est</span> French high-speed railway

The Ligne à Grande Vitesse Est européenne, typically shortened to LGV Est, is a French high-speed rail line that connects Vaires-sur-Marne and Vendenheim. The line halved the travel time between Paris and Strasbourg and provides fast services between Paris and the principal cities of Eastern France as well as Luxembourg and Germany. The LGV Est is a segment of the Main Line for Europe project to connect Paris with Budapest with high-speed rail service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGV Sud Europe Atlantique</span> French high-speed railway

The LGV Sud Europe Atlantique, also known as the LGV Sud-Ouest or LGV L'Océane, is a high-speed railway line between Tours and Bordeaux, in France. It is used by TGV trains operated by SNCF. It is an extension of the southern arm of the LGV Atlantique, with the western extension being LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire. Both extensions to the high-speed line were inaugurated on 28 February 2017, with services beginning on 2 July 2017. The line, which was at the time the biggest European railway construction project, was built by the LISEA consortium, which owns and maintains the line until 2061 and charges tolls to train companies. Trains on this line depart Paris from Gare Montparnasse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marseille-Saint-Charles station</span> Main railway and bus station of Marseille, France

Marseille-Saint-Charles is the main railway station and intercity bus station of Marseille, France. It is the southern terminus of the Paris–Marseille railway and the western terminus of the Marseille–Ventimiglia railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montpellier-Saint-Roch station</span> Main railway station of Montpellier, France

Montpellier-Saint-Roch station is the main railway station in Montpellier, France. The station was formerly known as Gare de Montpellier, but since March 2005 it has been named after Saint Roch, a native of the city who was born in the 14th century. Saint-Roch is one of the principal transport hubs of Languedoc-Roussillon, situated between the stations of Nîmes and Sète.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perpignan–Barcelona high-speed rail line</span> International high-speed rail line

The Perpignan–Barcelona high-speed line is an international high-speed rail line between Perpignan in Roussillon, France and Barcelona, Spain. The line consists of a 175.5-kilometre (109.1 mi) railway, of which 24.6 km (15.3 mi) are in France and 150.8 km (93.7 mi) are in Spain. The line is sometimes referenced as an extension of the Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line. The Perpignan–Barcelona line is a part of the Mediterranean Corridor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport in France</span>

Rail transport in France is marked by a clear predominance of passenger traffic, driven in particular by high-speed rail. The SNCF, the national state-owned railway company, operates most of the passenger and freight services on the national network managed by its subsidiary SNCF Réseau. France currently operates the second-largest European railway network, with a total of 29,901 kilometres of railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line</span> Railway line connecting Madrid and Barcelona, in Spain

The Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line is a 621-kilometre (385.9 mi) standard gauge railway line inaugurated on 20 February 2008. Designed for speeds of 350 km/h (217.5 mph) and compatibility with neighbouring countries' rail systems, it connects the cities of Madrid and Barcelona in 2 hours 30 minutes. In Barcelona the line is connected with the Perpignan–Barcelona high-speed rail line leading into France which connects it to the European high speed network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of rail transport in Spain</span>

The history of rail transport in Spain begins in the 19th century. In 1848, a railway line between Barcelona and Mataró was inaugurated, although a line in Cuba connecting Havana and Bejucal had already opened in 1837. In 1852 the first narrow gauge line was built, in 1863 a line reached the Portuguese border. By 1864 the Madrid-Irun line had been opened, and the French border reached.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avignon TGV station</span> High-speed rail station in Avignon, France

Avignon TGV is a railway station located in Avignon, France. It was opened on 10 June 2001 and is located on the LGV Méditerranée high-speed line and Avignon-Centre–Avignon TGV railway. The train services are operated by the SNCF. The station is located 6 km south of the city centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High-speed rail in France</span>

France has a large network of high-speed rail lines. As of June 2021, the French high-speed rail network comprises 2,800 km (1,740 mi) of tracks, making it one of the largest in Europe and the world. As of early 2023, new lines are being constructed or planned. The first French high-speed railway, the LGV Sud-Est, linking the suburbs of Paris and Lyon, opened in 1981 and was at that time the only high-speed rail line in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nîmes station</span> Railway station in Nîmes, France

Nîmes station is a railway station in Nîmes, Gard département, France. It is located at 1 Boulevard Sergent Triaire, 30000 Nîmes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Els Límits</span> Village in Catalonia, Spain

Els Límits is a Spanish village, a civil parish of the municipality of La Jonquera, situated in the province of Girona, Catalonia, in Spain. As of 2005 its population was of 115. Its Spanish name is Los Límites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perpignan station</span> Railway station in Occitania, France

Perpignan station is the railway station serving the city of Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales department, Occitanie, southern France. Part of the station was decorated in the style of Salvador Dalí, for whom the place held special significance, having proclaimed it to be the "Centre of the Universe" after experiencing a vision of cosmogonic ecstasy there in 1963 and made a painting called La Gare de Perpignan in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narbonne station</span> Railway station in Narbonne, France

Narbonne is a railway station in Narbonne, Occitanie, France. The station opened on 22 April 1857 and is on the Bordeaux–Sète railway and Narbonne–Portbou railway lines. The station is served by TGV, Intercités and TER (local) services operated by the SNCF. The line was electrified through Narbonne in 1935.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Figueres–Vilafant railway station</span> Building in Girona Province, Spain

Figueres–Vilafant is a railway station serving the city of Figueres in Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the municipality of Vilafant, at about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) west from its urban center and 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) from Figueres city centre. The station is on the Perpignan–Barcelona high-speed rail line and is served by Renfe Operadora's AVE and SNCF's TGV high-speed trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Contournement Nîmes – Montpellier</span> French high-speed railway

The Contournement Nîmes – Montpellier, also known as the LGV Nîmes–Montpellier, is a French high-speed railway line, bypassing the cities of Nîmes and Montpellier in Southern France. It has the distinction of being the first ligne à grande vitesse to be intentionally built for mixed passenger and freight traffic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saverne Tunnel</span> Rail tunnel in France

The Saverne Tunnel, also known as the Ernolsheim-lès-Saverne Tunnel, is a twin-bore 4-kilometre-long (2.5 mi), high-speed rail tunnel in western Bas-Rhin, France. It carries the LGV Est line of France's TGV high-speed rail network through the narrowest part of the Vosges mountain range, beneath Mont Saint-Michel and adjacent to the Saverne Pass. The tunnel consists of two bores, containing one rail track each, that are connected by passageways every 500 metres (1,600 ft). The LGV Est crosses the 270 m (890 ft) Haspelbaechel viaduct near the western end of the tunnel. The tunnel was excavated by a tunnel boring machine between November 2011 and February 2013. Civil engineering work on the tunnel ended in April 2014 and it opened with the rest of the second phase of the LGV Est on 3 July 2016. The total cost of the tunnel was approximately €200 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ouigo España</span>

Ouigo España is an open-access operator of high-speed railway services in Spain. It is a subsidiary of SNCF Voyageurs, the French national railway company, and uses its trademark Ouigo.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Historique. Le TGV a franchi les Pyrénées pour la première fois" (in French). La Dépêche. 20 December 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Perthus launched across Pyrenees". tunnelsonline.info. 12 September 2005.
  3. ↑ "Spain completes Iberia's high-speed link to Europe". International Railway Journal . 8 January 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  4. ↑ "High speed services between France and Spain launched". Railway Gazette International . 17 December 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  5. ↑ "Paris-Barcelona TGVs set for December 15 launch". International Railway Journal. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 "A High-Speed Connection between France and Spain" (PDF). britpave.org.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  7. ↑ "Tunnel with no trains". Railway Gazette International. 15 April 2009.
  8. ↑ "Le percement du tunnel du Perthus est terminé" (in French). La Dépêche. 23 November 2007.
  9. 1 2 A. Bocabarteille; A. González; B. Celada; J.M. Galera (19 November 2000). "Geotechnical Site Characterisation Of The Perthus Tunnel". ISRM International Symposium.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ "Perpignan – Figueres link inaugurated". Railway Gazette International. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 "Spanish French Border". dragados.co.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  12. ↑ Celada B. and Galera J. M. (1997). "Rock Mass characterisation of the weak zones at the Perthus Tunnel". geotechpedia.com.
  13. ↑ "First Breakthrough on Perthus High Speed Rail Tunnel". tunnelbuilder.com. 22 October 2007.
  14. ↑ "Perthus tunnel boost for combi transport". worldcargonews.com. 1 January 2011.
  15. ↑ "Who we are". renfe-sncf.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  16. ↑ "Perpignan - Figueres concession extended". Railway Gazette International. 24 November 2009.
  17. ↑ "RFF to launch Perpignan – Montpellier study". Railway Gazette International. 26 November 2009.
  18. ↑ "High speed services between France and Spain launched". Railway Gazette International. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  19. ↑ "Paris-Barcelona TGVs set for December 15 launch". International Railway Journal. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  20. ↑ "Subject: Possible illegal state aid to ACS and Eiffage, contractors for the Perthus high-speed rail tunnel". europarl.europa.eu. 19 September 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.