Spain and France have agreed to defer the removal of Iberian-gauge tracks at Hendaye station, unlocking the extension of the San Sebastián Cercanías network into French territory from the second half of October. This will mark the first international Renfe Cercanías service.
The agreement, reached in Paris between Secretary of State for Transport José Antonio Santano, SNCF Réseau and Adif, ensures the continuity of a key infrastructure for conventional Spanish rolling stock. SNCF had planned to convert tracks 101 and 102 to standard gauge—thereby preventing Iberian-gauge passenger services—and retain a third rail solely for freight.
In parallel, French high-speed services (TGV) have been confirmed to return to Irún from January, linking Gipuzkoa with Bordeaux and Paris. To this end, SNCF Réseau must adapt the electrification system for TGV Euroduplex operation, while Adif is upgrading Irún station to accommodate these सेवices.
Both milestones form part of a joint pilot project aimed at forecasting future passenger and freight demand on the Atlantic and Mediterranean corridors, with a time horizon exceeding four years. The study will define a cross-border service map and the future of Iberian gauge at Hendaye.
The Ministry has also secured authorisation for Class 446 and 447 EMUs to operate on the international section, alongside an extension of the language exemption. Additionally, there has been emphasis on coordinating investment timelines and advancing links such as Zaragoza–Canfranc–Pau.
The last passenger train to traverse this international section was the Connecting Europe Express on 4 September 2021.