Alta Velocidad works around Palencia

[fandroid]

I'm on an Alvia train from Madrid to Santander. First time for us. We wizzed through the main tunnel under the Guaderrama mountain range at a cool 250km/h but then came to an almost total stop at Valdestillas, going through a shed with graunching noises. It suddenly occurred to me that we were changing gauge. I checked online and it said the Valdestillas gauge changer had been decommissioned as the standard gauge line had reached Palencia. We proceeded through Valladolid and continued at a fairly stately pace (160km/h max) to Palencia. There were signs there of extensions to the standard gauge line under cobstruction. So, after all that rambling, my question is : are there works at the Northern end of of the high-speed line that have required the Valdestillas gauge changer to be brought out of retirement?

 

[HS2isgood]

Yes, there's never ending works around Palencia, that's why there'll be disruption on the route between August 20 and October 15

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Yes, the Santander services run broad gauge to Valdestillas for the moment - the changer south of Palencia is out of action due to the ongoing works. This causes problems at Valladolid where the broad gauge island platform is very narrow and tricky for long distance passengers with luggage.

The works at Palencia include a flying junction at the north end to the Santander line, and to the south a 'third side' standard gauge link to the Burgos LAV.

---

 

[Paul AC]

Also covered in EGTRE (Enthusiast's Guide to Travelling the Railways of Europe) at https://www.egtre.info/wiki/Spain_-...aldestillas_cambiador_de_ancho_–_Valdestillas
and, for a full list of operable (and former and future) gauge changers in Spain,
see https://www.egtre.info/wiki/Spain_-_General_Information#Gauge_Changers

Yes, there's never ending works around Palencia, that's why there'll be disruption on the route between August 20 and October 15

In fact the Villamuriel de Cerrato (south of Palencia) gauge changer has been out of use since September 2024, similarly the broad gauge direct curve between Palencia and Magaz, for these junction rebuilding works.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Aug 2026 ==

Yes, the Santander services run broad gauge to Valdestillas for the moment - the changer south of Palencia is out of action due to the ongoing works. This causes problems at Valladolid where the broad gauge island platform is very narrow and tricky for long distance passengers with luggage.

The works at Palencia include a flying junction at the north end to the Santander line, and to the south a 'third side' standard gauge link to the Burgos LAV.

---

The standard gauge curve from Palencia towards Burgos opened in July 2022 when the high speed line was extended to Burgos. There's an EGTRE sketch map of the area at https://www.egtre.info/wiki/File:Palencia.png