High Speed Rail & Rail Transit in Spain
Dates: December 6, 2008 through December 13, 2008.
The tour begins and ends in Madrid.
Please join us for an exciting firsthand look at Spain's astonishing high-speed rail and rail transit programs – along with some of the most dramatic economic growth and real estate development stories anywhere in the world. A little over a generation ago, tourists visited Spain came primarily for its history – magnificent Moorish castles, Renaissance cathedrals and customs that dated back to the same periods as the buildings. They did not come for modernity.
What a difference today! The country has emerged as a leader in high-speed rail development and the exploding economic growth and real-estate development that go with it. The national government has committed over $5 billion per year for 15 years to upgrade existing lines for freight and passengers and to build new high-speed passenger lines.
When these systems are complete, no city in the entire country – a territory embracing an expanse equal to the distance from Minneapolis to Pittsburgh and from Kansas City to Detroit - will be more than three hours away from Madrid by train.
But our visit to Spain isn't just about high-speed rail. New light rail lines are opening all around the country. Spain's cities are aggressively expanding their local transit systems as economic growth fuels both urban redevelopment and the opening of entirely new suburbs. Madrid has doubled the size of its transit network in the last decade. The city's conventional commuter lines are being upgraded. Meanwhile, the new high-speed rail lines have turned former long-distance trips into commutes as 155-mph commuter trains enable people to live 100 miles or more outside the city and still get to their jobs in under an hour.
Our trip will let you see first-hand how these investments have changed Spain's economy, making its businesses more competitive and its people richer while opening up new travel possibilities for Spaniards and tourists alike. We will hear from local leaders about how the systems are developing and what they've done for Spain's economic growth and social development.
Here are a few of the highlights:
- A ride on the Talgo 350. Designed to operate at 217 mph, our Talgo will traverse spectacular mountain terrain that posed huge engineering challenges. (Did you know Spain is the second most-mountainous country in Europe after Switzerland?)
- A tour of a new suburb designed around a light rail line. (They built the rail line first to attract developers – just like Chicago's elevated).
- A ride on a line equivalent to the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative.
- Presentations from the leaders of RENFE, the Spanish train operator, ADIF, the Spanish railroad infrastructure company, and other leading players in Spain's bustling railroad scene.
- A presentation on city-sponsored bicycle rental programs.
The Society of International Railway Travelers, which facilitated our successful European trip in 2006, will also facilitate this trip. We have limited the trip to just 25 participants.
Cost
We are targeting a cost of no more than $3,500 plus airfare. A fully-refundable deposit of $500, made payable to the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, will hold your place as planning is completed. You can make your final decision when the details are complete.
(FYI: High-speed rail has made day-trips to the key tourist sites in Cordoba, Seville, Toledo and Zaragoza possible from our hotel in Madrid. We recommend spending a couple extra days to enjoy the sites.) |
