New EU regulations threaten last connection between Lisbon and Madrid

[Giugiaro]

This is a part of an article about cross connections between Portugal and Spain, exposing how new European safety regulations have severely increased cross-border costs, putting at risk the last connection between Lisbon and Madrid that can be realistically done within a single day:

Demand for safety certificates threatens what remains of existing international rail services.
Train drivers must know the technical regulations and the language of the neighbouring country, even if it is for a short trip between border stations.

"Only for 1200 metres? But that's absolutely ridiculous!"
This was the interjection of an official from DG Move (Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport), of the European Commission, who was on board the Connecting Europe Express, when confronted with this procedure.
But the venting of the European officials can do nothing about a regulation they themselves made, that CP will be forced to apply and threatens what remains of the international links between Spain and Portugal, namely the daily connection between Entroncamento and Badajoz.

In this case, the same driver who takes the train from Entroncamento to Elvas continues for another 10.7 kilometres in Portuguese territory until it enters Spain, and then travels another 4.7 kilometres until it enters the Badajoz railway station.
Because of this last stretch, CP will have to, as of January, provide its drivers with a safety certificate, which implies, among other things, a B1 command of Spanish.
Alternatively, a Spanish colleague will have to accompany the Portuguese driver between the two stations.

Both solutions imply an increase in costs, so, as it is a regional service with little demand and low revenues, CP is considering simply putting an end to this service, limiting the passenger service on the "Leste" Line to the Entroncamento - Elvas route only.

However, Community directives from Brussels have increased the safety requirements for train drivers to drive outside of their own country.
As a consequence, the AESF (Spanish state agency for railway safety) and the IMT (Portuguese transportation and mobility institute) have required a safety certificate, now compulsory, whenever an international train crosses a border with the same driver.

Curiously, the language skills that are required of driving staff to operate across borders have no parallel in the staff at border stations responsible for managing rail traffic.
IP (the Portuguese road and rail infrastructure manager) and Adif (the Spanish rail infrastructure manager) staff understand each other in "Spaintuguese" during the regulatory phone calls to request and grant advances for trains.

Before Portugal and Spain joined the EEC, international rail relations operated under much more flexible bi-lateral cross-border regulations, some of which are still in force (such as the relationship between Elvas and Badajoz, up until the end of 2021).
But this is disappearing as a result of EU regulations, that bring new requirements.

In 1986, there were 20 trains a day (ten in each direction) connecting the two countries: two between Lisbon and France, two between Lisbon and Madrid, three between Porto and Vigo and three between Lisbon, Entroncamento and Badajoz.
Today there are only three trains in each direction crossing the border.

Translated with DeepL and reviewed/modified by Tiago Miranda
Full article source: Público

 

[OldandRambling]

A simple solution would be for a national of the destination country to accompany the existing driver across the border, as with a guide who "pilots" drivers over unsigned for routes, without taking the controls. (Basically, the new driver boards the train at the last stop before the border, but does not take control until the border is crossed.)
Of course, they should all speak English anyway, needless to say. (Joke!)

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

That article says that might be too expensive.

Alternatively, a Spanish colleague will have to accompany the Portuguese driver between the two stations.

Both solutions imply an increase in costs, so, as it is a regional service with little demand and low revenues, CP is considering simply putting an end to this service, limiting the passenger service on the "Leste" Line to the Entroncamento - Elvas route only.

 

[RT4038]

Of course, no such limitations on bus operators.....

 

[Giugiaro]

A simple solution would be for a national of the destination country to accompany the existing driver across the border, as with a guide who "pilots" drivers over unsigned for routes, without taking the controls.

That article says that might be too expensive.

A "co-driver" from the destination country gets a full day salary just for that task.
The driver has to be shipped from their depot by road to the station on the opposite side of the border, take the train on both ways, then return back to post (again by road).
By the time of arrival at their depot, they either have no trains to drive, or are already way into their shift to take care of one, so they are dismissed.

This doesn't happen with the Celta Porto-Vigo, since both CP and Renfe drivers are already qualified to run on both networks, as the journey goes well beyond the station right next to both sides of the border.
Medway and Takargo drivers also have such qualifications to operate cross-border.

But it's true that "to the border" services between Spain and Portugal are basically going extinct. Renfe used to have Regionales that last called at Valença, in Portugal, and the Sud/Lusitania Express required a Spanish diesel locomotive to travel to the Portuguese side of the border and swap with, or from, a Portuguese electric locomotive, because the Spanish side is neither electrified, nor do they use the same electrification as Portugal (3kV DC vs 25kV AC).

 

[DanielB]

Of course, no such limitations on bus operators.....

Logical: for bus operators there is no need to have safety critical communications with foreign signallers.

This rule is not really new either: disruptions between Liège and Maastricht occur every now and then when SNCB has no Dutch speaking drivers available for example.

Although it's a bit surprising that this now happens between Spain and Portugal, which have languages that are different but still have significant similarity. The cases causing regular issues are mainly seen where languages are really different AFAIK. Like Dutch and French in above example, whereas the Dutch - German border is much less an issue in terms of cross-border communication.

 

[Beebman]

There was a language issue with communications between Dutch and French speaking signallers which contributed to the Pécrot train crash in Belgium in 2001:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pécrot_rail_crash

This shows that language problems don't necessarily only affect international operations.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The obvious solution is to adopt English as a lingua franca, as air-traffic controllers do...

 

[Roast Veg]

Worth bearing in mind that this journey wasn't possible during covid restrictions without travelling via Vigo.

 

[Giugiaro]

The obvious solution is to adopt English as a lingua franca, as air-traffic controllers do...

The same way we are (supposedly) working towards a common infrastructure.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Eurostar seems to manage OK, UK-FR-BE.
What happens to ES services in NL?
THALYS must have a similar situation.

 

[RT4038]

Eurostar seems to manage OK, UK-FR-BE.
What happens to ES services in NL?
THALYS must have a similar situation.

I don't think it is a problem technically, more of a problem that the cost of compliance renders the service uneconomic and liable to withdrawal.

 

[30907]

Eurostar seems to manage OK, UK-FR-BE.
What happens to ES services in NL?
THALYS must have a similar situation.

They are presumably fully qualified for the substantial distances involved.
4.7km is rather different, though it won't be the only example across EU borders (the Hungarian loco with an Austrian driver at Ceske Velenice comes to mind).
If the principle of subsidiarity cannot come into play, then perhaps they could physically separate the two systems at Badajoz, and declare the relevant section to be Portuguese? ADIF would lose a couple of useful sidings though... and as a fast through route is being built, a longer-term solution is in sight.

 

[Giugiaro]

If the principle of subsidiarity cannot come into play, then perhaps they could physically separate the two systems at Badajoz, (...)

Adina Vălean already said the EU isn't planning subsidies for international links, particularly for night trains.
The free market should come forth with solutions and the links should be economically viable.

Source: Jornal de Negócios

 

[DanielB]

Eurostar seems to manage OK, UK-FR-BE.
What happens to ES services in NL?
THALYS must have a similar situation.

There's a pool of Dutch drivers driving Eurostar services into the Netherlands. Thalys is a mixture of Dutch and probably also Belgian drivers.
Also Dutch drivers are driving ICEs and Nightjet to Köln and Frankfurt. And even the regional Hengelo-Bielefeld trains are partially driven by drivers from Keolis Netherlands.

However in those cases the drivers are fully certified for driving abroad. This situation between Spain and Portugal is more of a short border crossing.
More like the situation between Maastricht and Liège I mentioned earlier where there's only the requirement to spreak Dutch, but drivers don't need to be fully certified for the Netherlands.
(Actually more like Essen - Roosendaal, but obviously there's no language issue there )

 

[30907]

Adina Vălean already said the EU isn't planning subsidies for international links, particularly for night trains.
The free market should come forth with solutions and the links should be economically viable.

Source: Jornal de Negócios

Sorry - subsidiarity (subsidiariedade in PT.) is about decision making being done at the lowest possible level, nothing to do with subsidy.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Eurostar seems to manage OK, UK-FR-BE.
What happens to ES services in NL?
THALYS must have a similar situation.

Eurostar, Thalys and international ICE drivers from the UK, France, Belgium & Germany (and a handful of cases elsewhere, Czech/Hungarian crews in Austria for example) have exhaustive language training requirements in at least one additional language. Whilst this training takes time it’s not an insurmountable hurdle.

Why RENFE/CL can’t pull their pulgar/dedão out of their culo/bunda and get similar training underway I could not say….

 

[AlastairFraser]

Eurostar, Thalys and international ICE drivers from the UK, France, Belgium & Germany (and a handful of cases elsewhere, Czech/Hungarian crews in Austria for example) have exhaustive language training requirements in at least one additional language. Whilst this training takes time it’s not an insurmountable hurdle.

Why RENFE/CL can’t pull their pulgar/dedão out of their culo/bunda and get similar training underway I could not say….

They're languages with most dialects being mutually intelligible. It shouldn't be an issue and I doubt it is on the ground, most Portuguese along the border especially already understand Spanish to a decent level.
For the few who weren't at the level required, then, yes, language courses would be good and a transferable skill for that employee.
Win-win.

 

[RT4038]

Why RENFE/CL can’t pull their pulgar/dedão out of their culo/bunda and get similar training underway I could not say….

I expect because for one train a day, carrying only a handful of passengers, they don't see the point of the expense. Better replaced by buses that don't have such requirements.

 

[Giugiaro]

I expect because for one train a day, carrying only a handful of passengers, they don't see the point of the expense. Better replaced by buses that don't have such requirements.

Like the Celta, for instance, since it just goes through the border all the way to Vigo/Porto, and the DMU is equipped with both CONVEL and ASFA.
The drivers for that service, both from Spain and Portugal, have already been qualified to drive the whole route under the new regulations.


I'm also assuming that SNCF and RENFE Renfe will also consider ending their services next year between Puigcerda and Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg, and between Portbou and Cèrbere.
The service between Irún and Hendaye is already dead, though the Euskotren link is going to remain, since the link in metre gauge is solely managed by them.

 

[RT4038]

I'm also assuming that SNCF and RENFE Renfe will also consider ending their services next year between Puigcerda and Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg, and between Portbou and Cèrbere.
The service between Irún and Hendaye is already dead, though the Euskotren link is going to remain, since the link in metre gauge is solely managed by them.

You may well be right, although I seem to remember from my last visit to Latour that there was no interaction between SNCF and Renfe tracks, so no need to be communicating with signallers. Not sure of the position at Port Bou/Cerbere - only been there once, in the dark!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

You may well be right, although I seem to remember from my last visit to Latour that there was no interaction between SNCF and Renfe tracks, so no need to be communicating with signallers. Not sure of the position at Port Bou/Cerbere - only been there once, in the dark!

There must be suitable arrangements for the joint HSL service between Perpignan and Figueres via the Perthus tunnel, though the technical details will be common.
The historic border crossings are covered by the 1864 treaty to allow working to the "foreign" port, complicated by the dual-gauge track involved.

 

[Starmill]

There must be suitable arrangements for the joint HSL service between Perpignan and Figueres via the Perthus tunnel, though the technical details will be common.
The historic border crossings are covered by the 1864 treaty to allow working to the "foreign" port, complicated by the dual-gauge track involved.

In this case it must be as others have said that SNCF train crews are already qualified for working abroad in Spain.

 

[RT4038]

There must be suitable arrangements for the joint HSL service between Perpignan and Figueres via the Perthus tunnel, though the technical details will be common.
The historic border crossings are covered by the 1864 treaty to allow working to the "foreign" port, complicated by the dual-gauge track involved.

There will be, but that is a main service which will be able to pay for the additional training requirements of the train staff. The point being made is that this cost is likely not seen as justified to retain service at the minor crossings (in particular that of Elvas/Badajoz) and possibly the others on the Spanish/French border. Nobody is refusing the staff of the other country [i.e. reneging on the 1864 treaty], it is EU rules regarding language skill standard requirement that are putting the economics of the services in doubt.

 

[Giugiaro]

... EU rules regarding language skill standard requirement that are putting the economics of the services in doubt.

Not just language, but also full certification on the other country's signalling system.

If it was just for language requirements, the Elvas-Badajoz and the Portbou-Cèrbere short links wouldn't be at risk.
Certification on another country's signalling system to run a couple of yards is what's unacceptable.

 

[Roast Veg]

The service between Irún and Hendaye is already dead, though the Euskotren link is going to remain, since the link in metre gauge is solely managed by them.

This hardly adds much to journey times.

 

[dutchflyer]

There is a fairly simple solution-but it involves national identity etc: just make that short section nominally Portuguese-and install a kind of barrier between the ''PT'' track and the rest of RENFE at Badajoz. probably also then gets immense fights about who has to pay for this.
I think same applies to the also short, like 1-2 Kms, stretches of dead end LUX track into France-though of course language does not really has an impact there

 

[RT4038]

There is a fairly simple solution-but it involves national identity etc: just make that short section nominally Portuguese-and install a kind of barrier between the ''PT'' track and the rest of RENFE at Badajoz. probably also then gets immense fights about who has to pay for this.
I think same applies to the also short, like 1-2 Kms, stretches of dead end LUX track into France-though of course language does not really has an impact there

Is it that simple at Badajoz? Doesn't look like it (on Google Earth) to me.

 

[peteb]

If this article is correct it'll put paid to my proposed Lisbon to Madrid trip in January. I guess it will also affect the Porto to Vigo service currently run by RENFE?

 

[Roast Veg]

If this article is correct it'll put paid to my proposed Lisbon to Madrid trip in January. I guess it will also affect the Porto to Vigo service currently run by RENFE?

Porto to Vigo should be unaffected, and will remain the only cross border service.