Madrid–Barcelona railway

Madrid–Barcelona railway
Madrid–Barcelona railway
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerAdif
Termini
Service
Operator(s)Renfe Operadora
History
Opened2 June 1859
Technical
Line length699.7 km (434.8 mi)
Track gauge1,668 mm (5 ft 5+2132 in) Iberian gauge
Operating speed160 km/h (99 mph)

The Madrid–Barcelona railway is the conventional railway line linking the Spanish capital Madrid with the country's second largest city of Barcelona, Catalonia. It now primarily serves local commuter rail services and regional traffic since the opening of the Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line in 2008, prior to which only 1.98 million annual passengers travelled between the two cities.