Let’s face facts, it’s not going to happen in our lifetime, if at all. There is virtually no demand for such a link. There are no plans for a high-speed link between Huelva and Faro. As of now, no official project has been announced or started. Securing the necessary funding for such a large-scale infrastructure project is a significant challenge. This would likely require contributions from both national governments, as well as potential support from the European Union.

Is there a demand for this route?

To even be vaguely viable, there would need to be hundreds of passengers for each train. There is no doubt that there is a big demand for the possibility of traveling from Northern Europe to Portugal by high-speed train. The route will be via Madrid and Lisbon. That route is already under construction or in full operation. According to the EU, all elements necessary for commissioning the 178.6 km Plasencia-Cáceres-Badajoz section of the Madrid-Lisbon high-speed railway are being put into place under an EU-funded project. The track is being assembled; the line is being electrified; and safety, signalling, telecommunications and auxiliary installations are being set up. A direct, but slower, overnight sleeper service is due to begin operation in a few months. Full speeds are due to become operational by 2030. The original sleeper service was discontinued in 2020.

Seville Huelva high speed link

The high-speed rail link between Seville and Huelva represents a transformative project that has the potential to significantly improve transportation in the Andalusian region. By reducing travel times, enhancing connectivity, and promoting economic growth, this project aligns with Spain's broader goals of advancing its transportation infrastructure and fostering sustainable development. As planning and development progress, it will be essential to address the various challenges and ensure that the project delivers maximum benefits to both cities and their residents.

A study is in progress for a 95 km high-speed line between Seville and Huelva is designed for speeds of up to 350 km/h and will have an intermediate station in La Palma del Condado. This will reduce travel time from 1 hour and 30 minutes to only 26 minutes

Onwards from Huelva

From Huelva to Ayamonte is another matter altogether. The line was finished just as the Spanish Civil War started; it was seized by the rebels in August 1936, who put it to military use. The line was eventually opened for civilian use, both passengers and freight, in early 1940. The line was closed to traffic in 1987 and the track was later removed.

To convert this old disused ‘path’ to a high-speed rail line would be a project running into billions, even if that route was suitable. Then you have the ‘minor’ problem of skirting Ayamonte and getting over the river. Then Portugal would have to convert the existing line from Vila Real to Faro to high-speed capacity. Let’s be realistic, Lisbon will be the international rail hub, with connections to high-speed rail to the South and North.

It only sounds like a good idea

A connection between Huelva and Faro may sound like a good idea initially, but a realistic look at the facts, costs and passenger potential leaves only one conclusion. It’s time for a reality check.

The first consideration has to be, is whether there is a high enough demand for such a link? Is there potential to justify the investment in creating this link? We already have a superb motorway connection, uninterrupted and toll-free, between the Algarve and Seville. I have travelled that route many times; it's two hours to Seville, and I have never seen the road overcrowded. If I am Spanish and planning to take a vacation in the Algarve, I would want to bring my car, so why should I rent one on arrival? It’s no great distance and all the motorway is now toll-free.

The original Huelva rail station still exists, but it’s now a bus station. The picture featured shows how it looked before the line was closed.

It’s a dream but not a reality

From the early 20th Century, Portugal had been looking for a link with Spain in the South of the peninsula. In line with this policy, a Portuguese government decree promised generous subsidies to any firm prepared to operate a railway between Huelva and Ayamonte. However, all work on the line stopped when just over 10 percent of the amount budgeted had been spent because of the Great War. That was only as far as Ayamonte. Now we have a fast, free motorway and a bridge between Spain and Portugal. From Albufeira, there are at least three express coaches a day to Seville, prices can start as low as €15. These are rarely full.

I cannot believe there will be any demand, let alone finance for a rail link. It’s just a dream.

Author

Resident in Portugal for 50 years, publishing and writing about Portugal since 1977. Privileged to have seen, firsthand, Portugal progress from a dictatorship (1974) into a stable democracy. 

Paul Luckman