Enthusiast's Guide to Travelling the Railways of Europe

Border Crossings: Spain

For general information and definition of terms, refer to the main Border Crossings document.

For a full alphabetical list of countries go to here.

Go direct to border crossing information between Spain and France - Portugal.

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France - Spain

Last update: 3 April 2005.

Note: although lines of both gauges (1435mm and 1668mm) cross the borders at Cerbčre/Port-Bou and Hendaye/Irun, passenger carrying trains normally run only from France to Irun and Port-Bou, while those from Spain normally run only to Hendaye and Cerbčre, i.e. trains run empty in the contrary directions. There are some through trains on each route which undergo change of carriage bogies (or have their wheel spacing adjusted) at the frontier. RENFE 3000V dc trains operate at reduced power under 1500V dc catenary in the border areas.

Cerbčre SNCF - Port-Bou RENFE: [E*] {see note above}

La Tour de Carol-Enveitg SNCF - Puigcerda RENFE: [E*] lines of both RENFE and SNCF gauges cross the border but only the RENFE line carries passenger trains.

(Oloron -) Forges-d'Abel SNCF - Canfranc RENFE: [E*] Line closed.

Hendaia ET/FV- Irun Paseo de Colon ET/FV: [E] Metre-gauge railway operated by Eusko Trenbideak/Ferrocarriles Vascos.

Hendaye SNCF - Irun RENFE: [E*] {see note above}

Portugal - Spain

Last update: 23 January 2010.

All rail routes between this pair of countries are 1668mm gauge.

(Porto -) Valença do Minho CP - Tui RENFE (- Vigo): [D] Two passenger train pairs operate between Porto and Vigo. These are the only passenger trains that serve Tui.

(Porto - Pocinho -) Barca de Alva CP - Fregeneda RENFE (- Salamanca): Line closed. In August 2009 the Portuguese Secretary of State for Transport announced that Pocinho to Barca de Alva is to be reopened for tourist traffic, especially to the Coa Valley Archaeological Park, a World Heritage Site. RENFE announced plans some years ago to reopen their section for cross border freight but nothing has happened since.

(Pampilhosa -) Vilar Formoso CP - Fuentes de Ońoro RENFE (- Salamanca): [ED] RENFE operates to Vilar Formoso.

(Entroncamento -) Marvāo CP - Valencia do Alcántara RENFE: [D] On the only passenger train of the day, the Madrid - Lisboa overnight service, the CP diesel locomotive works through to Valencia do Alcántara.

(Entroncamento -) Elvas CP - Badajoz RENFE: [D] CP works to Badajoz. The daily passenger service was withdrawn on 5 June 2004, but reinstated on 13 December 2009.

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