LGV Montpellier–Perpignan

Montpellier to Perpignan high-speed line
Route of the LGV Montpellier-Perpignan
Overview
Native nameLigne nouvelle de Montpellier à Perpignan
StatusPlanned
OwnerSNCF Réseau
LocaleFrance
Termini
StationsMontpellier, Béziers, Narbonne, Perpignan
Service
TypeHigh-speed railway
History
Planned opening2034
Completed2044
Technical
Line length150 km (93 mi)
Number of tracks2
CharacterMixed (passengers and freight)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Electrification25 kV AC, 50 Hz
Operating speed350 km/h (220 mph)
SignallingETCS Level 2, KVB

The LGV Montpellier–Perpignan (or Ligne nouvelle Montpellier - Perpignan) is a planned high-speed rail line between the French cities of Montpellier and Perpignan. It represents the missing link in a larger project to connect the Spanish rail network to the existing LGV Méditerranée. The new line will connect the Contournement Nîmes – Montpellier to the 45 km LGV Perpignan–Figueres, which crosses the French-Spanish border at Le Perthus to reach Barcelona.

The project includes two new stations in Béziers and Narbonne. The sections MontpellierBéziers and RivesaltesToulouges will be for mixed traffic (freight and passenger), with Béziers–Toulouges being for passenger traffic only.

The ultimate goal is to enable a Paris–Madrid connection in six hours by the 2040s. The journey would emit significantly less greenhouse gases compared to air travel and would be competitive in terms of travel time for intermediate routes, such as Lyon–Madrid or Paris–Barcelona.