SYSTRA was selected together with TYPSA by the concessionaire of the international section of the Perpignan - Figueras high speed line for a mission of technical assistance.

The new line is 45 km long or so, 8 of which under the Perthus tunnel, standard European gauge, and will be travelled by high speed trains as well as freight trains.

It ranks among the priority projects for the trans-European rail network and will be equipped with ERTMS. By 2009, the travelling time between Barcelona and Perpignan will be cut to 50 minutes, and Paris will be five and a half hours away.

TP Ferro, the beneficiary of the concession for the construction and operation of the international section, pools such building contractors as ACS and Dragados (Spain) and Eiffage (France).

Within the consortium led by TYPSA, SYSTRA is in charge of checking the conformity of the project produced by the building contractors with the terms and conditions in the concession agreement.

The mission is scheduled throughout construction (2004-2009) and will call upon many experts in a wide range of fields.

A permanent team will be installed at Figueras from the beginning of the works phase.