Unlike what happens in the majority of Spanish territories, where the train allows to improve the estimated times by road, all Extremadura municipalities are affected in this regard, according to a report by the business platform “Extremadura en Red”, with data January this year.
According to the study, and by way of example, the Zafra railway connection with Madrid worsens the estimated time taken by road by 140 percent, a similar percentage offered by Don Benito (136%), Badajoz and Mérida (127%), Cáceres (112%), and Plasencia and Navalmoral (104%).
The report shows, in turn, the “very poor” rail connection from Madrid to Lisbon, since the two metropolises, 628 kilometers away, only have a night train that takes 10 hours and 37 minutes.
With these data, the only conventional train linking the Spanish capital with the Portuguese capital (compared to the 40 daily between Madrid and Barcelona) worsens road time by 165%.
The platform includes in the study that the autonomous community is the worst connected territory in Spain by rail, which increases the differences with the rest of the regions.
In the report it is stated that the rolling stock in the community is more typical of local than national services, the infrastructures are in poor condition, and there are no rail connections in service with Portugal.
This situation “endured for a long time” has caused Extremadura to be the worst communicated region by rail in Spain, especially if it is considered as a system that improves the road, in terms of reliability, time, safety, the environment, capacity, costs and comfort, it is explained.
The platform also states that from Lisbon to Elvas (Portugal) there is only one daily train, which connects to Entroncamento, a distance by road in two hours and 22 minutes, while by train it is four hours and 12 minutes (178%) .
“Given these highly relevant events, investments in infrastructure and improvements to the railway service of the Iberian Southwest Corridor should be prioritized, both for what its current state means for the population residing in Extremadura, clearly treated by Spain in an unfair and discriminatory manner, and by what this corridor supposes for the development of the relations of the two states, and especially of their capitals “, has an impact.
SOURCE: FINANZAS.COM
