Pedro Sánchez inaugurates, together with King Felipe VI, the Madrid-Murcia High Speed Railway Line

Murcia del Carmen Station, Murcia

"Today, on a historic day for Murcia, I want to make a call for the value and meaning of useful politics; politics that sews territories together with the invisible thread of collective progress; politics that makes us look to the future with hope, that is built on respect, agreement and understanding", stated the President of the Government at Murcia del Carmen station, after completing the inaugural journey between Madrid and Murcia together with King Felipe VI and the Minister for Transport, Mobility and the Urban Agenda, Raquel Sánchez, among other authorities.

The commissioning of the Beniel-Murcia section, with an investment of more than €410 million and the most advanced signalling technology, reduces to 2 hours and 45 minutes the journey time of the AVE between Murcia and Madrid, which will make eight daily journeys. "Today we are putting an end to an unjustly prolonged railway isolation, and we are settling a historic debt with Murcia", said the Chief Executive.

Commitment to sustainable mobility and protection of the social majority

Pedro Sánchez has highlighted the unique opportunity represented by the arrival of the AVE to Murcia, as part of the country's commitment to sustainable mobility and territorial cohesion through high-speed rail. "Spain is moving forward with brand new infrastructures that generate new investments and opportunities; and all its territories are moving forward, guaranteeing equal opportunities for all our citizens, wherever they live", he underlined.

Moreover, the Chief Executive has valued the Government's firm commitment to the expansion of the high-speed railway to contribute to the ecological transition from technological innovation. In this regard, Sánchez has stressed the importance and success of measures such as the free travel card for commuter and medium-distance train users, which has already benefited nearly 2.5 million passengers and has reduced emissions into the atmosphere by one million tonnes of CO2.

"The free season ticket represents a paradigm shift in mobility and also protects the social majority in a context of uncertainty", stressed the President of the Government, who announced the extension of the free season ticket from 1 January 2023 to regular users of the new Media Distancia Avant train services between Murcia and Alicante.

Key boost for the Mediterranean Corridor

The inauguration of the Madrid-Murcia High Speed Line also represents a new boost for the Mediterranean Corridor, which is progressing in its deployment towards Cartagena and Almeria. "I want to link the Government's desire for territorial structuring and cohesion with the strategic priority of the Mediterranean Corridor, which is now moving forward with facts, funding and resources because there is a political commitment from all the administrations", said Chief Executive.

In this regard, Sánchez highlighted the record investment of just over €1.7 billion, included in the General State Budget 2023 for the development of the Mediterranean Corridor. "This is an infrastructure that says a lot about the country we want to be," said the president.

With the commissioning of the Beniel-Murcia section, Spain consolidates its position as a global benchmark in major railway projects and reaffirms its leadership as the European country with the most extensive high-speed network, with more than 4,000 kilometres, which in the last four and a half years has been extended by eight new railway connections and has 50 stations with a high-speed service.

European funding

But the opening of this connection represents much more, since it completes the Monforte del Cid-Murcia line of the Mediterranean Corridor, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)through the P.O. Pluri-regional Spain 2014-2020. Thematic Objective 7: Sustainable transport. A way of making Europe.

Non official translation