The AVE train line between Madrid and Alicante was opened yesterday. Prince Felipe presided and many politicians attended. The inauguration was timed so that the train line would be up and running before Hogueras de San Juan, which will be celebrated on June 23 and 24.
Summer travel and vacation schedules seem to justify the decision to start using a line that won't reach full capacity until December. Spain is the second only to China in high-speed train lines, and this transportation technology is a major connection between the Peoples' Party and the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party.
Far from cutting Zapatero's plans, Rajoy intends to invest 25 billion euros in the next ten years. The AVE's advantages are undeniable, but there are doubts about whether Spain needs to keep widening its service when the country's economy continues to struggle.
