20-21 May 2025 | Madrid, Spain – Technical Workshop on Reducing Construction Costs of High-Speed Rail Projects

Os compartimos una invitación recibida de la Comisión Europea, DG MOVE, en relación con un taller sobre la construcción de proyectos ferroviarios de alta velocidad que va a tener lugar en Madrid los dias 20 y 21 de mayo.

Está dirigido específicamente a las empresas que ya tienen conocimientos y experiencia en la ejecución de ferrocarriles de alta velocidad, siendo el objetivo principal de este taller proponer y debatir acciones prácticas destinadas a reducir y optimizar los costes de ejecución la Alta Velocidad en toda Europa. Los resultados contribuirán al próximo Plan de Acción para el Ferrocarril de Alta Velocidad del Comisario A. Tzitzikóstas.

Se entiende por «ferrocarril de alta velocidad» todas las líneas ferroviarias que tienen una velocidad operativa mínima de 200 km/h, que también se solapa con el límite superior de las especificaciones técnicas de las líneas RTE-T.

A continuación, encontrarás la invitación y en estos enlaces dispones el borrador del orden del día y un estudio realizado sobre el sector ferroviario de alta velocidad en España y otros países de la UE, que formarán parte de las discusiones.

Invitation

Technical Workshop on Reducing Construction Costs of High-Speed Rail Projects

20-21 May 2025 | Madrid, Spain

The European Coordinators of the European Transport Corridors (ETC), and in collaboration with the Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Sustainable Mobility and the Railway Infrastructure Manager (ADIF), we would like to invite you to a technical workshop dedicated to the reduction of construction costs of high-speed rail (HSR) projects.

This initiative goes back to a Spanish study conducted that highlighted significant cost disparities of high-speed rail projects among EU Member States. The study is enclosed to this invitation for your reference.

The workshop will take place at the Palacio de Zurbano, Calle de Zurbano 7, 28010 Madrid and be held on two days:

• 20 May (morning):

• 10:00 – 12:30: Technical visit (HSR tunnel of Guadarrama and HSR Chamartín station)

• 20 May (afternoon):

• 13:30 – 17:30:   Plenary debates and presentations aimed at fostering exchanges on best practices of HSR cost reduction and HSR financing.

• 21 May (morning):

• 8:30 – 10:00: Six breakout groups (each with ~15 experts from all EU countries) focussing on specific cost-reduction drivers
• 10:00 – 13:00: Reporting on breakout group discussions, confronting key ideas and conclusions in the plenary.

A more detailed agenda is attached.

Each breakout group will include representatives of ministries, infrastructure managers, construction and engineering companies with direct experience in high-speed rail projects or deployment plans in the next five years. To facilitate discussions, a short reflection paper will be shared ahead of the event.

Follow-up of the workshop

• The identified actions will be compiled in a report, shared with workshop participants. The European Coordinators may share this report with the ETC forums members and relevant authorities or stakeholders. The outcome of the workshop will contribute to the upcoming High-Speed Rail Action Plan, referred to in the mission letter of the Commissioner Apóstolos Tzitzikóstas.

Registration

If you are interested in this workshop, please register HERE

Registration will close on 18 April at noon (Brussels time).

Due to room capacity limitations and to guarantee the best geographical balance and appropriate representation of various stakeholders’ groups your participation will be confirmed by 25 April.

The exact composition of the breakout groups will be shared by the end of April, along with a reflection paper to stimulate thought for the upcoming discussions.

We are looking forward to your participation in this event.

 Sincerely yours,

The European Transport Corridor Coordinators

Annexes:

1. Study on Efficiency of the Spanish sector in the development of the high-speed railways

Agenda