Basque Y

railway

Cities

Bilbao

Spain

Vitoria

Spain

San Sebastián

Spain

Distance

175km

new

175km

rehabilitated

– km

existing

– km

Cost

$7.9b

$7,866,000,000

Phases

underConstruction, 2028

Objective

To establish a modern, high-capacity mixed passenger and freight connection that integrates the Basque region with the rest of Spain and the French border. It replaces obsolete, slow narrow-gauge lines to drastically cut regional travel times and unlock seamless Iberian rail freight corridors.

Description

A 175-kilometer high-speed "Y"-shaped rail network connecting the three Basque capitals (Bilbao, San Sebastián, and Vitoria-Gasteiz), featuring 80 kilometers of tunnels, 25 kilometers of viaducts, and standard European track gauge

History

The Plan de Infraestructuras 2000-2007 formalised this high-speed triangle linking Bilbao, San Sebastián, and Vitoria-Gasteiz. Construction was delayed by years of intense funding disputes between the Spanish central government and the autonomous Basque government, alongside security disruptions from the separatist group ETA, before structural works safely advanced in 2006.