Spain’s Adif AV Tenders €431.6M For 23.7km HSR Sections

Spain’s high-speed rail infrastructure manager, Adif AV, has initiated a tender process for the construction of two new sections on the Burgos–Vitoria high-speed line. The combined length of these sections is 23.7 kilometers, with a total allocated budget of EUR 431.6 million. This procurement advances a strategic rail corridor intended to connect the Basque Country with the national high-speed network and the French border.

The larger of the two tendered sections by length connects the Burgos railway bypass with Valle de las Navas. This segment covers 16.7 kilometers, is located entirely within the province of Burgos, and carries a contract value of EUR 159.2 million. The project scope includes the construction of six viaducts. Notable structures specified in the tender documents are the viaduct crossing the Vena River, with a planned length of 643 meters, and another spanning the Valle stream at 444 meters. The alignment begins at the Burgos bypass and runs parallel to the existing conventional railway for its initial three kilometers before turning northeast toward Valle de las Navas.

The second tendered section runs between Manzanos and La Puebla de Arganzón. Despite its shorter length of 7 kilometers, it has a significantly higher estimated contract value of EUR 272.4 million, reflecting its complex engineering requirements. This section features seven major viaducts that will constitute over 2.5 kilometers of its total route. The primary structure is the viaduct over the Zardorra River, a multi-span bridge exceeding one kilometer in length and reaching a height of 50 meters. Its design incorporates a 222-meter concrete arch to clear the Zardorra River, the Madrid–Hendaye conventional railway line, and the A-1 motorway simultaneously.

The scope of work for both contracts encompasses the construction of the railway platform and all related civil engineering structures, such as tunnels and the 13 total viaducts across both sections. Subsequent project phases, not included in this tender, will cover the installation of double-track standard gauge rails, overhead line electrification, and the deployment of signaling and telecommunications systems required to manage rail traffic.

With this tender, Adif AV now has three of the seven sections of the Burgos–Vitoria high-speed line in an active construction or procurement phase, totaling 32.1 kilometers of the route. Another section, Pancorbo–Ameyugo, is already under construction and has reached 77% completion. This 8.4-kilometer segment, characterized by a succession of three tunnels and three viaducts, was contracted in 2025 with an investment of EUR 391 million. Adif AV has confirmed that the project plans and tender processes for the remaining four sections of the line are currently being finalized.

The Burgos–Vitoria high-speed line functions as a critical link in the Atlantic Corridor. It provides essential continuity for the existing Madrid–Valladolid–Burgos high-speed line. Upon completion, the new infrastructure will connect the three Basque capitals of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Bilbao, and San Sebastián to the national network and establish a standard-gauge connection to the French border at Irún.

Adif AV’s continued investment and phased tendering process demonstrate a systematic approach to developing this corridor. The finalization of the remaining section plans will determine the timeline for the full completion of the line.