Extensive Development of Communication and Transport Infrastructures
An expressway system linking the region to the European network:
Midi-Pyrenees is at the crossroads of 2 major turnpike itineraries.
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East-west route between the Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean basin:
- A61-A62 (Atlantic-Mediterranean) turnpike: Bordeaux/Toulouse/Narbonne to Perpignan & Barcelona southwards, to Montpellier, Marseilles and Italy eastwards
- A64 turnpike: Basque Country/Tarbes/Toulouse
North-south route between northern Europe and the Iberian Peninsula:
- A20 : Paris/Orléans/Limoges/Toulouse to Barcelona
- A75 : Paris/Clermont-Ferrand/Millau/Montpellier (in service by 2006)
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The two north-south turnpikes, A20 and A75, reinforce Midi-Pyrenees’ position at the heart of the European logistics strategies by offering alternative solutions to the traditional traffic corridors which have become saturated. |
Examples of travel times from Toulouse: *
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Bordeaux |
Marseille |
Lyons |
Paris |
Lille |
Le Havre |
Via
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2:14 |
3:45 |
5:00 |
6:24 |
8:37 |
8:19 |
Via
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3:50 |
6:15 |
7:51 |
10:32 |
13:26 |
12:55 |
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Barcelona |
Bilbao |
Madrid |
Milan |
Frankfurt |
Rotterdam |
Via
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3:37 |
4:07 |
8:53 |
8:23 |
12:45 |
11:16 |
Via
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6:06 |
6:44 |
13:54 |
13:49 |
21:52 |
22:18 |
* The minimum times are calculated for tractor-trailers weighing over 12 tons. They respect applicable regulations and include a relay of drivers after 9 hours behind the wheel.
A rail network designed for freight traffic:
A network radiating from Toulouse with two main itineraries:
North-South: Paris/Orléans/Limoges/Toulouse
East-West: Bordeaux/Toulouse/Vintimiglia
Over 140 clients linked to the SNCF freight network
5.4 million tons of goods carried
Privileged trade relations with Spain (30%) as well as with Germany, Italy and the UK
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PRIVILEGED RELATIONS WITH SPAIN
Trade with the Iberian Peninsula accounts for over half the international freight traffic in Midi-Pyrenees. The Port Authorities of Bilbao and Barcelona are developing close relations with logistics operators in our region.
Trade with Spain has grown 76% since 1990. This growth has stimulated construction of complementary routes, particularly through the central Pyrenees with the tunnels of Puymorens and Somport, to lighten the traffic on saturated coastal itineraries.
While 16,000 tractor-trailer rigs now cross the Pyrenees each day, by 2020 their number will grow to 30,000, meaning 1 every 3 seconds, making the TCP Central Pyrenees crossing project (road-rail freight tunnel from Toulouse to Saragossa) more relevant than ever. |
International Airport Facilities:
Toulouse-Blagnac Airport:
15 minutes from central Toulouse
1st airport hub in France, outside Paris, for freight and postal traffic in 2004 with 51,851 tons of goods carried
5th airport in France for passenger traffic serving 5,612,178 flyers in 2004
Daily flights to 19 international destinations including 17 European cities
15 domestic destinations, including 38 daily turnarounds to the international airport in Paris (1 flight every half hour to Paris: 75-minutes flying time)
Destinations from Toulouse-Blagnac:
5th charter airport in France
Second busiest airport in Midi-Pyrenees
2 daily connections to Paris
90 destinations, mainly to the Italy, Ireland, Belgium, UK and Germany |
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Major Infrastructure Projects |
The Oversize Load Itinerary (IGG)
This multimodal solution (maritime, river and road) runs from the Port of Bordeaux to Toulouse to transport the oversize loads from German and British Airbus plants which build sections of the A380. These loads measure as much as 14 meters in height, 8 in width, and up to 50 in length.
To see the route : DRE Midi-Pyrenees |
Millau Viaduct : the world’s highest bridge (343 m)
This exceptional construction on the A75 turnpike between Paris and Montpellier is in service since December 2004.
Specifications:
- 2460 meters long comprised of 8 braced trussed, the longest spanning 343 m
- 4-lane road surface, 270 m above the Tarn River
- 7 pylons, the highest standing at 340 m , the same height as the Eiffel Tower |
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The LGV Bordeaux-Toulouse
To face the increasing request of the needs for displacement of travellers and trade and to connect at high speed Toulouse and Midi-Pyrenees in Paris, a project of railway line at high speed between Bordeaux and Toulouse were proposed (Toulouse will be then with 3h00 of Paris in the TGV).
The public debates concerning this project proceed from June 15 to November 18, 2005. |
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TCP – Central Pyrenees Crossing
In 2020, surface freight traffic between the Iberian Peninsula and Europe will exceed 200 million tons, with 30,000 trucks crossing the Pyrenees each day. TCP, a major European rail infrastructure project was conceived to cope with this exponential growth.
The route will follow the Agen-Tarbes-Saragossa line, then will fork west to Madrid and east to Barcelona. This rail itinerary will link the development zones of southwestern Europe to the industrial regions of the northern and central parts of the continent.
Planned construction:
French Side:
- upgrading of existing rail infrastructures
- construction of a low altitude tunnel through the Central Pyrenees Iberian
Peninsula side:
- installation of standard European gauge rails
- construction of links between existing sections |
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