Adif Alta Velocidad has awarded a €112.76 million contract for the supply and delivery of 680,400 high-performance sleepers, known as aerosleepers, for the renewal of the Mejorada del Campo–Calatayud section of the Madrid–Barcelona high-speed line.
The successful bidders have not yet been disclosed, as the public procurement portal has not been updated.
This is the first contract of its kind on the route. The works aim to restore the section to as-new condition and increase the commercial operating speed from the current 300 km/h to 350 km/h, matching the infrastructure’s design speed. The contract is split into four lots covering the stretch between Mejorada del Campo and Calatayud.
The aero sleepers, developed through a public–private partnership, mitigate ballast flight by improving train–track aerodynamics. Their design reduces aerodynamic loads on the ballast bed by 21% and enables speed increases of up to 12% without compromising safety or maintenance costs.
The programme is complemented by the renewal of baseplates across the entire line and upgrades to viaducts on the Guadalajara–Calatayud section, with additional investment exceeding €20 million.
To take advantage of the higher commercial speed, Renfe has already tendered for 30 high-speed trains which, like the Class 103, will be capable of operating at 350 km/h.