A key line along the TEN-T Atlantic Corridor connecting Madrid with France via Irùn, in the Basque Country, has reopened after being closed since May due to a damaged tunnel. With the resumption of rail freight traffic along this section, German operator Kombiverkher is starting a new connection between the Spanish capital and Antwerp, in Belgium.

The damaged infrastructure in question is the Gaintxurizketa tunnel, which runs for roughly 560 metres between Irún and Astigarraga. During a routine inspection on 8 May, cracks were detected at the entrance of the tunnel on the Irún side, which caused its closure and consequently halted traffic to Madrid. The tunnel was undergoing significant upgrades to be enlarged.

This was not the first time that similar problems have occurred. In 2023, enlargement operations of the Gaintxurizketa tunnel had to be halted after 222 metres of the tunnel were adapted “due to reasons beyond Adif’s control”, Esteyco, the company leading the project, pointed out. The line connecting Madrid to Irùn is of significant importance as it is part of the TEN-T Atlantic Corridor.