The agreement covers the design, construction and future operating framework for the terminal. SICAN will prepare the project and contract the works, with Adif involved in coordination.
The terminal will cover 140,343 m² next to the Palencia–Santander railway line. Its location will give the site direct access to Spain’s General Interest Railway Network, which is managed by Adif.
After completion, Adif and SICAN will each own 50% of the rail terminal. SICAN will operate the facility directly or through a third party, while Adif will lease its share to SICAN for the terminal’s operation.
Llano de La Pasiega is planned as part of a larger logistics area in Cantabria. The wider project is intended to cover 200 ha and combine rail, road and port access, including links to the Port of Santander.
The terminal has been requested for several years by the Cantabrian government. A financing agreement was reached in 2024, and the current approval allows the parties to proceed with the formal agreement for project design and construction.
The project is included in Spain’s Mercancías 30 programme, which targets a 10% rail freight modal share. Spain’s rail freight share remains low compared with several other European markets, making intermodal terminals a recurring part of national freight policy.
