(13 November 2019) – The reopening of a disused rail connection between France and Spain has invigorated local economies, improved transit options for passengers and freight and provided opportunities for tourism.
The Spain-France border spans more than 650 kilometres of mostly difficult mountain terrain, making rail and road crossings costly and difficult.
The only train connection in the central Pyrenees managing to cross the border was closed down in 1970 when a bridge on the French side collapsed.
The EU-funded CANFRANEUS project set out in 2011 to reinstate that crossing to boost freight and passenger transport through the Pyrenees.
The new line is now open and provides a vital cross-border link supporting local economies and communities along the route.