SNCF: La Tor de Querol
SNCF: La Tor de Querol

SNCF: La Tor de Querol (Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg)

Inicio --> SNCF --> línea La Tor de Querol / Foix / Toulouse --> La Tor de Querol

Inicio --> SNCF --> línea La Tor de Querol / Vilafranca de Conflent / Perpinyà --> La Tor de Querol (Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg)

Idioma / Language >

La Tor de Querol-Enveig, officially called Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg in French, represents a key railway infrastructure in Northern Catalonia. Located in Upper Cerdanya, specifically within the municipality of Enveig, this station serves as a cross-border node between Spain and France.

At an altitude of 1,232 meters, the station is located at a geographically strategic point, offering connectivity between various regions and serving as a transition platform between different European railway systems.

The development of the railway line through the Ariège began with the train arriving at Tarascon in 1877 and then at Ax les Thermes in 1888. However, the continuation of the project to Latour de Carol was delayed.

The international agreement necessary for this section was not signed until 1904, and the work faced multiple technical challenges, including the complex topography of the region, the construction of an extensive tunnel in Puymorens de more than 5 kilometers long, and the disturbances caused by the First World War.

Although the two tunnel entrances were completed by Christmas 1914, the rest of the line's infrastructure was not completed until 1923. Renfe trains began operating to Latour de Carol on 5 June 1928, and almost a year later, on July 22, 1929, the French trains arrived at the station, already in electric service.

Technical configuration

The uniqueness of La Tor de Querol-Enveig lies in its track configuration, which incorporates three different track widths. These are:

  • International width (UIC): 1,435 meters. Mainly used by the Portet-Saint-Simon – Puigcerdà line which heads towards Toulouse de Llenguadoc, electrified at 1,500 volts DC via catenary.
  • Metric Width: 1,000 meters. Belonging to the Yellow Train line that goes to Vilafranca de Conflent, it uses a third side rail system and is electrified at 850 volts DC.
  • Iberic width: 1,668 meters. This width is used in the line that connects Ripoll with Puigcerdà, also electrified at 3,000 volts DC per catenary.

This diversity of gauges allows the station to function as a unique interchange center in Europe, managing interconnections between trains from different regions with different technical requirements.

Services and operations

The station complex consists of a multi-storey passenger building housing essential services such as ticket offices, a kiosk, health services, as well as a bar and restaurant. The design of the building takes into account the ease of access and the comfort of travelers, being located to the right of the tracks when looking towards Toulouse.

The station has two main platforms: a covered one associated with the passenger building and a secondary one, uncovered and in more precarious conditions. The main platform serves international and Iberian gauge tracks, while the secondary platform is used for metric gauge tracks.

The station officially stopped receiving goods on December 12, 2004.

The station's tracks are strategically distributed to optimize operations and train movement logistics. The international gauge track is destined to be the starting point for SNCF traffic towards France, while the Iberian gauge welcomes trains arriving from Barcelona, with Renfe Operadora trains. The metric gauge is dedicated exclusively to the Yellow Train, providing a picturesque route through Cerdanya.

Number of Passengers

According to official SNCF data, the number of passengers at this station follows an irregular but upward trend:

  • Year 2015: 51,611 travelers.
  • 2016: 48,806 travelers.
  • 2017: 49,671 travelers.
  • 2018: 47,425 travelers.
  • 2019: 56,705 travelers.
  • 2020: 37,219 travelers.
  • 2021: 53,545 travelers.
  • 2022: 76,304 travelers.

Conclusion

Latour de Carol station was built with the intention of being an emblematic station on the border between France and Spain. However, it did not have the expected impact and the line ended up having only local use. Its supposed international function has become nothing more than an illusion.

Technical disparities starting with track width, together with the lack of coordination in timetables—six round trips from the French side and four from the Spanish side, with no connection between them—reflect the lack of interest from both the Spanish and French authorities to turn this line into a real connection

Photos of La Tor de Querol station (Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg)

Més informació