Railways in Spain
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The first railway in Spain opened on 28th October, 1848 between Barcelona and Mataro. Although the standard gauge of 1435mm had by then been adopted in several European countries, the new line used a broader gauge of 1674mm (6 Castilian feet). This was generally adopted for new main lines in Spain and of course resulted in a break of gauge at the French border when trains eventually reached it. Neighbouring Portugal had a slightly different gauge of 1664mm which did permit interoperation; however with increasing speeds in the late 19th / early 20th centuries ride and wear became a problem so the systems of both countries were gradually reconfigured to a compromise gauge of 1668mm, which became known as Iberian gauge.

Unlike the break of gauge situation between Great Britain and Ireland, which involved a sea crossing anyway, or between Russia and the rest of Europe which historically was never a heavily used land crossing for political reasons, overland international traffic between Spain and neighbouring France has always been significant. Elaborate gauge-changing facilities at Irun and Hendaye on the Atlantic coast, and Port Bou and CerbÃ¨re on the Mediterranean, allow both freight and passenger trains to conduct a relatively uninterrupted journey across the French border. At one time, there was even a Madrid to Moscow sleeping car service, which involved two changes of gauge.

As well as the Iberian gauge network, there were also a great number of narrow gauge lines, mainly metre gauge. Many of these remain in operation.

The first dedicated high speed line (AVE) between Madrid and Seville opened in 1992 with a gauge of 1435mm. This enabled the project to use essentially off-the shelf French technology, but is not without its own problems, not least that the new lines required their own infrastructure into the city centres that they serve. Automatic gauge changing facilities are provided for trains that run beyond the high speed network onto existing lines.

In late 2022, Catalan rail authority FGC launched studies into four projected tram-train networks. Three of these would serve the areas around Amposta, Girona and Manresa; the fourth would connect with the existing RENFE line near Urtx-Alp and run via AndorraâLa Seu dâUrgell Airport to destinations in Andorra.

Main line and regional railways

RENFE passenger and freight operator on the national broad gauge network and passenger operator on the former FEVE network of narrow gauge lines in the north of the country

Avlo low cost, book in advance high speed train services operated by RENFE

Iryo independent operator of high speed train services

Ouigo independent operator of high speed train services

Captrain EspaÃ±a independent freight operator

TracciÃ³n Rail independent freight operator

Transfesa independent freight operator

Constru-Rail freight operator on the former FEVE network of narrow gauge lines in the north of the country (Site in Spanish)

ADIF infrastructure authority for the national broad gauge network and the former FEVE network of narrow gauge lines in the north of the country

EuskoTren Basque regional operator. Also operates steam tourist trains and the Reinata funicular in Bilbao

FGC Catalan regional operator. Also operates tourist steam trains, and several funiculars

Infraestructures.cat infrastructure authority for the Catalan region (Site in Catalan and Spanish)

Port and Industrial Railways

The port of Ferrol has an extensive rail network serving the Inner Port, connecting with the national network. An extension to the Outer Port is projected, which, amongst other things, will require a 5.6km tunnel and a 600m viaduct (Website contains links to PDF documents in Spanish)

Fesava operator of internal rail services in various locations, including Algeciras port and Cepsaâs La RÃ¡bida refinery.

Tourist & Museum Railways

AREMAF offers rides in a historic diesel railcar on a short stretch of Iberian gauge line at the Delicias Railway Museum in central Madrid. Operates typically one Saturday each month throughout the year (Site in Spanish)

The Basque Railway Museum in Azpeitia offers steam hauled passenger train rides on a 5km, metre gauge line between Azpeitia and Lasao. Operates weekends, Easter to early November

Bulnes underground funicular in the Asturias, 2.2km in length with a rise of 400m. Operates daily throughout the year. Before the funicular was opened in 2001 the only way to reach to Bulnes was by a steep mule track, there being no road access (Site in Spanish. An English version is available, but is poorly translated. Better results can be obtained using Google Translate - or similar - to interpret the Spanish site)

Gelida historic funicular connecting the RENFE station with the village. Metre gauge, with a rise of 100m in a length of 884m. Operates daily throughout the year

Montserrat (Catalunya) a rack railway connects the FGC rail station Monistrol de Montserrat with the monastery and museum. From the upper station of the rack railway near the monastery entrance, two funiculars operate: one ascending to the church of St John at the summit of the mountain; the other descending to the Holy Cave on the historic pilgrim route to the monastery. All operate daily throughout the year

Pola Giverola Resort near Tossa de Mar has a private funicular linking the hotel complex with its sports facilities (Site contains little information relating to funicular)

Tren del Ciment (Cement Train) 3.5km section of a 600mm gauge former industrial railway, now used to convey tourists from La Pobla de Lillet (Alt Llobregat) to the Cement Museum at Castellar de nâHug. Operates daily, April to early November

Tren de la Fresa (Strawberry Train) tourist train using historic passenger coaches on the ADIF line between Madrid and Aranjuez, 44km

Tren dels Llacs historic diesel hauled train or modern railcar on the Iberian gauge FGC line between Lleida and La Pobla de Segur, a distance of about 89km. Operates Saturdays, mid April to mid August

Cremallera de NÃºria rack railway from Ribes-EnllaÃ§ to NÃºria in the Pyrenees, 12.5km, metre gauge. Operates weekends in May and November, daily June to October.

Miniature Railways

AAAF 5in (127mm) gauge miniature railway about 660m in length, at a railway museum in Torrellano. Steam or battery electric hauled. Operates every Saturday and some Sundays throughout the year (Site in Spanish)

AAF Reus 5in (127mm) gauge miniature railway, about 500m in length, in the Parc del Trenet, Reus. Steam or battery electric hauled. Operates most Sundays throughout the year (Site in Catalan)

AFEVI 5in (127mm) gauge miniature railway, almost 700m in length, in the Parc de Ribes Roges, Vilanova i la GeltrÃº. Steam, diesel or battery electric hauled. Operates Sundays throughout the year

AFRA 5in (127mm) gauge miniature railway, about 600m in length, in the Parque TemÃ¡tico del Ferrocarril, Gimileo (No website located at present)

ASAFEGI 5 / 7Â¼ inch (127 / 184mm) gauge miniature railway, about 700m in length, in the Parc de lâEstaciÃ³, Fornells de la Selva. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates Sundays for most of the year, except in August (Site in Catalan and Spanish)

Carrilet de Vilamanya 7Â¼ / 15 inch (184 / 381mm) gauge miniature railway, about 500m in length, located on the TP3211 road between Riudecanyes and Castell dÂ´Escornalbou. Steam or diesel hauled (Facebook page in Spanish, no details of opening times)

CEMFES 7Â¼ / 10 inch (184 / 256mm) gauge miniature railway, over 3km in length, in the Parc de Catalunya, Sabadell. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates Sundays throughout the year (Site in Catalan)

CFVRt 5 inch (127mm) gauge miniature railway, 680m in length, in the Parque Municipal Maldonado, Riba-roja de Turia. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates Sundays throughout the year (Site in Spanish, links for English and French versions not functional when last checked)

Circuit Ferroviari de Cal Gavatx 5 / 7Â¼ inch (127 / 184mm) gauge miniature railway, almost 500m in length, at the Centre d'Estudis Ferroviaris Via Oberta, Les Franqueses del VallÃ¨s. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates Sundays, September to June (Facebook page in Spanish)

Ferrocarril del Alamillo 5in (127mm) gauge miniature railway, over 600m in length, in the Parque del Alamillo, Sevilla. Steam, diesel or battery electric hauled. Operates Sundays throughout the year (Site in Spanish)

Ferrocarril de Can Mercader 5in (127mm) gauge miniature railway, over 1.5km in length, in the Parc de Can Mercader, CornellÃ de Llobregat. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates most Sundays and Public Holidays throughout the year (Site in Catalan)

Ferrocarril Central de Galicia 5in (127mm) gauge miniature railway, about 470m in length, in the Parque Ferroviario de Os Carrileiros, Ourense. Diesel or battery electric hauled. Operates Sundays throughout the year (Site in Spanish)

Ferrocarril de las Delicias 5in (127mm) gauge miniature railway, 265m in length, at a railway museum in central Madrid. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates most Sundays throughout the year (Site in Spanish)

Ferrocarril de Farja 5 / 7Â¼ inch (127 / 184mm) gauge miniature railway, over 1km in length, in the Parc del Trenet, BenicÃ ssim. Diesel or battery electric hauled. Operates Sundays and Public Holidays throughout the year, a few other days for special events, and on Fridays for prebooked school parties (Site in Spanish)

Ferrocarril de la Granja 7Â¼ inch (184mm) gauge miniature railway, over 1km in length, in the Parc Municipal de La Granja, Burjassot. Steam or diesel hauled. Services currently suspended for essential maintenance, no date given for reopening (Site in Spanish)

Ferrocarril del Masnou 5in (127mm) gauge miniature railway, over 200m in length, in the Parc de Caramar, El Masnou. Steam or diesel hauled. Currently open only occasionally for special events (Facebook page mainly in Catalan)

Ferrocarril Vallesequillo 5in (127mm) gauge miniature railway, about 200m in length, in the Parque de Vallesequillo, Jerez de la Frontera. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates Sundays and a few other days throughout the year (Facebook page in Spanish)

Ferrocarril de VallparadÃ­s 5 / 7Â¼ inch (127 / 184mm) gauge miniature railway, 340 in length, in the Parc de VallparadÃ­s, Terrassa. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates Sundays for most of the year, except in August (Site in Catalan)

Iraetako Trena 5 inch (127mm) gauge miniature railway, 270 in length, in the Iraeta Railway Park, near Zestoa. Steam, diesel or battery electric hauled. Operates alternate Saturdays from March to October (Site in Basque and Spanish)

Muferga the Galician Railway Museum in Monforte de Lemos has a 5 inch (127mm) gauge miniature railway about 650m in length. Operates Tuesdays to Sundays throughout the year (Site in Spanish)

Tren Alcoy-Gandia 5in (127mm) gauge miniature railway, over 500m in length, at the railway museum in Almoines. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates Sundays throughout the year (No website located at present)

Tren de lâOrenata 5 / 7Â¼ / 10 inch (127 / 184 / 256mm) gauge miniature railway over 600m in length in the Parc de lâOrenata, Barcelona. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates Sundays ans Public Holidays throughout the year (Site in Catalan with autotranslate to English and other languages)

Tren de Palau 10 inch (256mm) gauge miniature railway almost 3km in length in the Parc de lâHostal del Fum, Palau-solitÃ i Plegamans. Usually diesel, occasionally steam hauled. Operates most Sundays and Public Holidays, September to June

Trenet de la Vall dâAro 5 inch (1276mm) gauge miniature railway, about 700m in length, in the Parc de lâEstaciÃ³, Castell dâAro. Steam or diesel hauled. Operates Sundays throughout the year (Facebook Page mainly in Catalan)

Metros, trams and urban funiculars

Madrid

Metro and trams (Site in Spanish)

Tranvia de Parla (Site in Spanish)

Alicante local railway and tram-trains (Site in Spanish)

Barcelona

Metro and the MontjuÃ¯c funicular

Trams

Bilbao

Metro

Trams, and La Reineta funicular

Artxanda funicular

CÃ¡diz tram - trains (Site in Spanish)

Donostia - San SebastiÃ¡n Monte Igueldo funicular

Granada trams (Site in Spanish)

MÃ¡laga light rail metro

Murcia trams (Site in Spanish)

Parla trams (Site in Spanish)

Sevilla

Metro (Site in Spanish)

Trams

Tarragona proposed trams (No website located at present)

Valencia local railways and trams (Site in Spanish)

VÃ©lez-MÃ¡laga trams, not operational since 2012, reopening proposed (No website located at present)

Vitoria - Gasteiz trams

Zaragoza

Trams

Monorail serving the Plaza Imperial commercial centre (No website located at present)

See also:

Railway station names in Basque

Illes Balears

Islas Canarias

There are no railways in the Spanish coastal enclaves and offshore islands of North Africa.