If you’re a train enthusiast, Spain is the place to be right now. After decades of investment, the country’s high-speed rail network is finally being revealed in all its glory. And what’s more is that new routes between cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville aren’t just supremely fast – they’re gob-smackingly cheap, too.
And now the Spanish government has unveiled yet another spectacular new high-speed route. This one goes from the capital Madrid down to the south-eastern city of Murcia and runs four times daily in each direction. It launched on December 20.
Two of those daily services are direct trains that take two hours and 40 minutes, whilst the other two stop at the beachside city of Alicante and take three-and-a-half hours. All trains are on the AVE low-cost rail network, which is run by national rail operator Renfe.
So what’s there to do in Murcia? The capital of the autonomous region of Murcia and the seventh-largest city in Spain, Murcia is known for its baroque buildings, towering cathedral and huge religious festivals. Much like the rest of southern Spain, it’s also pretty hot and dry all year round.
Tickets for the Madrid-Murcia route start at just €19 (£17, $20) and you can buy ‘em on the Renfe-AVE website. So what are you waiting for? Time to get exploring Murcia!
Did you see that a new high-speed train links Barcelona and Madrid for just €18?
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