The Portet-Saint-Simon - Puigcerdà railway is a secondary railway line in southwestern France. It connects Portet-sur-Garonne, 11 km south of Toulouse on the Toulouse–Bayonne railway, to Latour-de-Carol and Puigcerdà, towns located on each side of the French/Spanish border in Cerdanya. The railway was opened in several stages between 1861 and 1929.[3][4]
Since the closure of the railway from Pau to Huesca via Canfranc in 1970, it is the only railway crossing the Pyrenees main chain. It is used daily by Corail Lunéa trains from Paris to Latour-de-Carol and Transport express régional, (TER) trains from Toulouse to Pamiers, Foix, Ax-les-Thermes and Latour-de-Carol. Most freight and long-distance passenger trains use either the Bordeaux–Irun railway around the western end of the Pyrenees, or the Narbonne–Portbou railway around the eastern end.
Today, SNCF service terminates at the French side of the border at Latour-de-Carol. The service between Latour-de-Carol and Puigcerdà and onwards to Barcelona is provided by the Spanish Railway (RENFE) for which the gauge is 1,668 mm (5 ft 5+21⁄32 in). The RENFE train from Latour-de-Carol connects directly with Barcelona but in July 2014 there are only five trains a day to Barcelona (and four from the city).
It is line RFN 672 000 of the French National Rail Network.
At most train stations along the route the altitude is engraved in a block of stone (sometimes specified: altitude du rail). These elevations are inaccurate now because the altitude system is now different (IGN-69).
One curiosity of this route is the spiral tunnel at Saillens.
Note that this line is a section of a railway between Toulouse and Barcelona requiring a change of train at Latour-de-Carol and a journey of 7:00hrs between the two cities, but it avoids, having to use the much more expensive trains such as the AVE (via Perpignan, a route not requiring any changes).
A full price ticket costs €30 full price via Latour de Carol compared to between €65 and €90 by TGV or Talgo (May 2011 prices) via Narbonne and / or Figueras.
^ abDirection Générale des Ponts et Chaussées et des Chemins de Fer (1869). Statistique centrale des chemins de fer. Chemins de fer français. Situation au 31 décembre 1869 (in French). Paris: Ministère des Travaux Publics. pp. 146–160.
^ ab (in French). Archived from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
December 15, 2023
portet, saint, simon, puigcerdà, railway, portet, saint, simon, puigcerdà, railway, secondary, railway, line, southwestern, france, connects, portet, garonne, south, toulouse, toulouse, bayonne, railway, latour, carol, puigcerdà, towns, located, each, side, fr. The Portet Saint Simon Puigcerda railway is a secondary railway line in southwestern France It connects Portet sur Garonne 11 km south of Toulouse on the Toulouse Bayonne railway to Latour de Carol and Puigcerda towns located on each side of the French Spanish border in Cerdanya The railway was opened in several stages between 1861 and 1929 3 4 Portet Saint Simon Puigcerda railwayLatour de Carol Enveitg stationOverviewStatusOperationalOwnerRFFLocaleFrance Occitania Spain Catalonia TerminiPortet Saint Simon stationPuigcerda railway stationServiceSystemSNCFOperator s SNCFHistoryOpened1861 1929TechnicalLine length155 km 96 mi Number of trackssingle track 1 Track gauge1 435 mm 4 ft 8 1 2 in standard gaugeElectrification1 5 kV DC 2 Route mapLegendLine from Toulouse11 7 Portet Saint SimonLine to Tarbes and Bayonne13 6 River Garonne17 4 Pins Justaret23 0 Venerque le Vernet33 4 Auterive39 8 Cintegabelle48 4 Saverdun56 0 Le Vernet d Ariege64 2 Pamiers73 5 Varilhes77 3 Saint Jean de Verges82 2 Foix88 8 Saint Paul Saint Antoine98 0 Tarascon sur Ariege108 5 Les Cabannes115 0 Luzenac Garanou123 3 Ax les Thermes133 1 Merens les Vals144 0 Andorre l Hospitalet150 3 Porte Puymorens163 0 Latour de Carol EnveitgLine to Villefranche Vernet164 750 8 FranceSpain48 7 Puigcerdato BarcelonaSince the closure of the railway from Pau to Huesca via Canfranc in 1970 it is the only railway crossing the Pyrenees main chain It is used daily by Corail Lunea trains from Paris to Latour de Carol and Transport express regional TER trains from Toulouse to Pamiers Foix Ax les Thermes and Latour de Carol Most freight and long distance passenger trains use either the Bordeaux Irun railway around the western end of the Pyrenees or the Narbonne Portbou railway around the eastern end Today SNCF service terminates at the French side of the border at Latour de Carol The service between Latour de Carol and Puigcerda and onwards to Barcelona is provided by the Spanish Railway RENFE for which the gauge is 1 668 mm 5 ft 5 21 32 in The RENFE train from Latour de Carol connects directly with Barcelona but in July 2014 there are only five trains a day to Barcelona and four from the city It is line RFN 672 000 of the French National Rail Network At most train stations along the route the altitude is engraved in a block of stone sometimes specified altitude du rail These elevations are inaccurate now because the altitude system is now different IGN 69 One curiosity of this route is the spiral tunnel at Saillens Note that this line is a section of a railway between Toulouse and Barcelona requiring a change of train at Latour de Carol and a journey of 7 00hrs between the two cities but it avoids having to use the much more expensive trains such as the AVE via Perpignan a route not requiring any changes A full price ticket costs 30 full price via Latour de Carol compared to between 65 and 90 by TGV or Talgo May 2011 prices via Narbonne and or Figueras Contents 1 History 2 Rolling Stock 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory editThe railway was built by the Compagnie des Chemins de fer du Midi The first section that was opened in 1861 led from Toulouse to Pamiers The line was extended to Foix in 1862 3 The line was extended from Foix to Tarascon sur Ariege in 1877 and further to Ax les Thermes in 1888 Finally in 1929 the section from Ax les Thermes to Puigcerda was opened 4 Rolling Stock edit nbsp TER train model AGC B81500 nbsp TER train model Z 27500TER connections are currently provided by electric multiple unit trains model SNCF Z 27500 Autorail a grande capacite which in the 2000s replaced the SNCF Class Z 7300 The direct connection Latour de Carol to Paris is provided by the Intercites de nuit night train See also editList of highest railways in EuropeReferences edit RFF Network map PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2011 07 18 RFF Map of electrified railway lines PDF a b Direction Generale des Ponts et Chaussees et des Chemins de Fer 1869 Statistique centrale des chemins de fer Chemins de fer francais Situation au 31 decembre 1869 in French Paris Ministere des Travaux Publics pp 146 160 a b Toulouse Latour de Carol Une ligne au superlatif in French Archived from the original on 10 July 2011 Retrieved 11 August 2011 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Portet Saint Simon Puigcerda railway amp oldid 1087279820, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
