Adif has awarded a EUR 7.1 million contract to install advanced traffic control technology across three of its key railway operation centres in northern Spain. The upgrade involves a new Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) system that will enhance the remote, real-time management of conventional and metre-gauge lines across five autonomous regions.
The project includes implementation at the Circulation Regulation Centres (CRC) in Miranda de Ebro (Burgos), Santander, and Bilbao. These centres oversee train movement across 1,784 kilometres of network in Castilla y León, the Basque Country, Cantabria, La Rioja, and Navarre.
Enhanced functionality and system redundancy
Each of the upgraded CRCs will be equipped with the latest-generation CTC platform, offering improved capabilities and functionalities. A backup control system will also be installed at each site to ensure continued operations in the event of a technical fault in the main system.
The contract also covers deployment of the new CTC technology at 10 Regional Operations Posts (PROs) located throughout the northern part of the network. These support centres play a key role in assisting the main CRCs in their day-to-day functions.
The investment is part of a broader EUR 72 million plan to modernise the technological backbone of Adif’s traffic control operations. The initiative aims to upgrade all 19 CRCs across the Spanish network, ensuring more robust and resilient infrastructure to manage traffic flows effectively and efficiently.
National modernisation underway
The new CTC system has already been rolled out at the CRCs in Barcelona, León, and El Berrón. Deployment is currently underway at Madrid Chamartín, Manzanares, Valencia, and Ourense, with procurement in progress for CRCs in Zaragoza and five centres managing conventional lines in the south: Sevilla, Málaga, Córdoba, Granada, and Ronda.
The Centralised Traffic Control system functions as the “technological brain” of the CRCs. It remotely manages interlockings and other infrastructure elements that control railway signals and track switches, ensuring safe routing for all train movements.
Infrastructure upgrades complement digital systems
In parallel with the technological overhaul, Adif is also upgrading the buildings and facilities that house the CRCs themselves. Refurbishment has already been completed at centres in León, Sevilla, and El Berrón, and work is currently underway in Ourense, Córdoba, and Valencia.
Supporting sustainable infrastructure goals
This initiative contributes to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9, which promotes the development of sustainable, reliable, and high-quality infrastructure. The upgraded systems are expected to improve safety, increase network availability, and support more consistent operations across the Spanish rail network.
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