Madrid–Extremadura High-Speed Rail: New Study Returns to 2008 Alignment (xataka.com)

• Ministry of Transport approves new study for Madrid–Extremadura AVE, reverting to the 2008 plan with branch lines at Pantoja.
• Talayuela–Cáceres section nearly complete; Cáceres–Badajoz high-speed link operational since December 2025 (50 min).
• Toledo routing dispute persists: viaduct over Tagus River opposed locally; alternative alignment still under study.

"Spain's Ministry of Transport has approved a new study for the Madrid–Extremadura high-speed rail line, proposing two branches from the Andalusian corridor at Pantoja, returning to the plan discarded in 2008 and abandoned in 2017. The Toledo section remains contentious due to a required viaduct over the Tagus River, facing local opposition. The Talayuela–Cáceres section is nearly complete, and since December 2025, a high-speed link connects Cáceres and Badajoz in 50 minutes. However, the full connection to Madrid has been delayed for 25 years, with travel times still comparable to 1970."