Bordeaux–Irun railway
Encyclopedia
The railway from Bordeaux to Irun is an important French
235-kilometre long railway line, that connects the southwestern city Bordeaux
to northern Spain
. The railway was opened in several stages between 1841 and 1864.
. At Lamothe
the line to Arcachon
branches off, and the line turns south. At Dax
the line leaves the Landes forest, and the line to Puyoô
and Paubranches off. The railway continues downstream along the right bank of the river Adour
until Saubusse
, where it turns west towards the Atlantic coast
, and then south. It crosses the river Adour in Bayonne
, and turns southwest. It passes along the ocean resorts Biarritz
and Saint-Jean-de-Luz
. It crosses the Spanish
border between Hendaye
and Irun
, where the railway ends. France and Spain have different rail gauges (standard gauge
and Iberian gauge
, resp.), which requires change of trains. The section between Hendaye and Irun has tracks with both gauges.
and its predecessor Compagnie du chemin de fer de Bordeaux à La Teste. The first section that was opened in 1841 led from Bordeaux
to Lamothe
, a section that is shared with the railway to Arcachon
. The line was extended to Dax
in 1854. The section between Dax and Bayonne
was opened in 1855. Finally in 1864 the line was extended from Bayonne to the Spanish border town Irun
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
235-kilometre long railway line, that connects the southwestern city Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
to northern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The railway was opened in several stages between 1841 and 1864.
Route
The Bordeaux–Irun railway leaves the Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean in southwestern direction. The first approximately 145 km of its course runs through the Landes forestLandes forest
The Landes forest or the Landes of Gascony , in the historic Gascony region of southwestern France now known as Aquitaine, is the largest maritime-pine forest in Europe...
. At Lamothe
Le Teich
Le Teich is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-See also:*Communes of the Gironde department*Parc naturel régional des Landes de Gascogne-References:*...
the line to Arcachon
Arcachon
Arcachon is a commune in the Gironde department in southwestern France.It is a popular bathing location on the Atlantic coast southwest of Bordeaux in the Landes forest...
branches off, and the line turns south. At Dax
Dax, Landes
Dax is a commune in Aquitaine in south-western France, sub-prefecture of the Landes department.It is particularly famous as a spa, specialising in mud treatment for rheumatism and similar ailments....
the line leaves the Landes forest, and the line to Puyoô
Puyoô
Puyoô is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-Geography:The town is situated on the Gave de Pau, a river running through the region, and some of the river's tributaries, including the streams of Lataillard, Espérance and Loulié...
and Paubranches off. The railway continues downstream along the right bank of the river Adour
Adour
The Adour is a river in southwestern France. It rises in High-Bigorre , at the Col du Tourmalet, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Bayonne. It is long, of which the uppermost as the Adour du Tourmalet. At its final stretch, i.e...
until Saubusse
Saubusse
Saubusse is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France....
, where it turns west towards the Atlantic coast
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, and then south. It crosses the river Adour in Bayonne
Bayonne
Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
, and turns southwest. It passes along the ocean resorts Biarritz
Biarritz
Biarritz is a city which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in south-western France. It is a luxurious seaside town and is popular with tourists and surfers....
and Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Saint-Jean-de-Luz is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.Saint-Jean-de-Luz is part of the province Basque of Labourd and the Basque Eurocity Bayonne - San Sebastian .-Geography:...
. It crosses the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
border between Hendaye
Hendaye
Hendaye is the most south-westerly town and commune in France, lying in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department and located in the traditional province Lapurdi of the French Basque Country...
and Irun
Irun
Irun is a town of the Bidasoa-Txingudi region in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain...
, where the railway ends. France and Spain have different rail gauges (standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
and Iberian gauge
Iberian gauge
Iberian gauge is the name given to the track gauge most extensively used by the railways of Spain and Portugal: namely ....
, resp.), which requires change of trains. The section between Hendaye and Irun has tracks with both gauges.
Main stations
The main stations on the Bordeaux–Irun railway are:- Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean
- Gare de Dax
- Gare de BayonneGare de BayonneBayonne is a railway station in Bayonne, Aquitaine, France. The station is located on the Bordeaux - Irun, Toulouse - Bayonne and Bayonne - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port railway lines...
- Gare d'HendayeGare d'HendayeHendaye is a railway station in Hendaye, Aquitaine, France. The station is located on the Bordeaux - Irun and Bilbao - Hendaye railway lines. The station is served by TGV , Lunéa , Intercités and TER services operated by the SNCF and Alvia , Talgo, Arco, Estrella and EuskoTren services operated...
- Irun railway stationIrun railway stationIrun is a railway station in Irun, Basque Country, Spain. The station is located on the Bordeaux - Irun, Bilbao - Hendaye and Hendaye - Madrid railway lines...
History
The railway was built by the Compagnie des Chemins de fer du MidiChemin de Fer du Midi
The Chemin de Fer du Midi, often abbreviated to CF du Midi, was an early French railway company.In 1934 it merged with the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans to become part of the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans et du Midi ....
and its predecessor Compagnie du chemin de fer de Bordeaux à La Teste. The first section that was opened in 1841 led from Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
to Lamothe
Le Teich
Le Teich is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-See also:*Communes of the Gironde department*Parc naturel régional des Landes de Gascogne-References:*...
, a section that is shared with the railway to Arcachon
Arcachon
Arcachon is a commune in the Gironde department in southwestern France.It is a popular bathing location on the Atlantic coast southwest of Bordeaux in the Landes forest...
. The line was extended to Dax
Dax, Landes
Dax is a commune in Aquitaine in south-western France, sub-prefecture of the Landes department.It is particularly famous as a spa, specialising in mud treatment for rheumatism and similar ailments....
in 1854. The section between Dax and Bayonne
Bayonne
Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
was opened in 1855. Finally in 1864 the line was extended from Bayonne to the Spanish border town Irun
Irun
Irun is a town of the Bidasoa-Txingudi region in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain...
.
Services
The Bordeaux–Irun railway is used by the following passenger services:- TGVTGVThe TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
from Paris to Irun on the whole line, and from Paris to Tarbes on the section between Bordeaux and Dax - IntercitésIntercitésIntercités is a brand name used by France’s national railway company, SNCF, to denote medium-distance passenger rail services in France. SNCF established the Intercités system in January 2006 as an upgrade of the former Corail network...
from Hendaye to Toulouse on the section between Bayonne and Hendaye - TER AquitaineTER AquitaineTER Aquitaine is the regional rail network serving the Aquitaine région, France.- Rail :- Road :* Agen - Villeneuve-sur-Lot* Ossès - Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry* Dax - Mauléon* Bordeaux - Pauillac - Le Verdon* Mont-de-Marsan - Hagetmau...
regional services on the section between Bordeaux and Hendaye