Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[Peter Robins]

Ivar has kept us all informed on the arrival of budget airlines in Galicia. For anyone interested in Spain's ambitious (and hugely expensive) plans for high-speed trains - AVE, for Alta Velocidad Española - there's an excellent site with info in English at http://www.altavelocidad.org/trazados/index_en.htm - a private initiative, not an official site, which may be why it's so good

The plan is that by 2010 all the main Galician cities will be < 3 hours by train from Madrid (though quite why anyone would be in such a hurry to get to Madrid . . . ).

Edit 21.9.06: looks like there's no longer any info in English on this site.

[ivar]

I think it is more that you are in a hurry to get away from Madrid....

...and to Santiago maybe?

The AVE tracks are already ready out from Santiago station and almost down to Padron. But there is lack of money, and talk about delays.

As they say, Poco a Poco.

Ivar

[Peter Robins]

I think it is more that you are in a hurry to get away from Madrid....
...and to Santiago maybe?

well, lots of Madrilenos do have holiday homes in Galicia

[Deborah]

Oh Peter, we LOVE Madrid!

We were there for Semana Santa 3 years ago and it was simply spectacular! We didn't book rooms.. just looked for signs as we walked. Never paid more than $30 per night.

Madrid was one of my favorite spots in Europe and Spain MUST be one of the most beautiful.

(Deborah ducks so her Portuguese relatives don't toss eggs at her)

[Peter Robins]

In a visit to Santiago yesterday, the EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Danuta Hübner, promised EU funding for the high-speed lines linking Galicia with both Madrid and Porto.
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/se_galicia ... TO=4827027

By a curious coincidence, Prof. Hübner is herself from Galicia - the Galicia in Poland.

[Peter Robins]

in a further high-level meeting, this time between the Xunta president and Portugal's president, it was announced that the train link Vigo-Porto would cut journey time to an hour or less (from the current 3.5-4).

Don't hold your breath though - currently scheduled for 2013.

http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/se_galicia ... TO=4916698
http://www.elcorreogallego.es/index.php?idNoticia=61810

[Peter Robins]

revealed today that completion next year of the first stage of the northern AVE line, between Madrid and Olmedo south of Valladolid, should cut journey times between Madrid and Galicia by more than an hour.
http://www.elcorreogallego.es/index.php ... icia=85539