The reopening of the Canfranc-Bedous border crossing, linking France and Spain along the Zaragoza-Pau line has been one of the most heated debates in the area. Now, the Spanish region of Aragon is asking that the railway, when reopened, will accommodate rolling highway services.
The main issue, in this case, is that France is not as committed as Spain to the reopening of this border crossing. From the Spanish side, the government and the Aragon region are already busy with feasibility studies and infrastructure upgrades. The President of the Aragon region, Jorge Azcón, is urging France to be as involved as Spain.
Concerning France, the Nouvelle Aquitaine region showed significant interest in the project, with its president Alain Rousset predicting a possible reopening in 2028. However, the French national government still seems reluctant to reinstate traffic along the line. For example, in February 2023, the French Infrastructure Orientation Council, an advisory body under the Ministry of Transport, suggested that no budget should be allocated for this project.
History of the Zaragoza-Pau line
The Zaragoza-Pau railway has been closed since 1970 after an accident involving a freight train destroyed the Pont de l’Estangue rail bridge. In its heyday, the line was vital to move products (especially food) and people between France and Spain. Reopening it would provide a railway line across the Pyrenees mountains and add a rail border crossing between France and Spain on the Atlantic side, where there currently is only one (Irun-Hendaye). Currently, trains can run on the Spanish and French sections, but the link connecting the two countries remains closed.
‘It should be called the Goya Line’
A final remark from Azcón is that the railway should be named after Spanish painter Francisco Goya, who was born in Fuendetodos, in the Aragon region. The 200th anniversary of his death will take place in 2028, which is the hoped reopening date put forward by the Nouvelle Aquitaine region. Having trains running again along this railway might boost the modal share of rail freight, stuck at 4 per cent in Spain and dropping to 1.5 per cent when it comes to cross-border traffic to France.