Madrid AVE up and running
The service to the capital takes two hours and 10 minutes from Elche
THE INAUGURATION of the high-speed train (AVE) service between Monforte del Cid, Elche Alta Velocidad and Orihuela Miguel Hernández stations – which will link them with Madrid – was attended by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday.
He was accompanied by regional president Ximo Puig, transport minister José Luis Ábalos, local mayors and the presidents of state rail companies Adif and Renfe.
There were around 90 passengers on board the inaugural service from Madrid, as travel between regions is still restricted to certain circumstances under the state of emergency.
The PM assured that this new infrastructure will help to strengthen the economy of the region and all of Spain in important sectors like tourism, industry, agriculture and logistics.
“The pandemic has not delayed those projects which we believe to be powerful,” he said.
“If limiting mobility has made it possible to protect the public during this health emergency, it will be the recovery of mobility, thanks to the vaccine, which will make the economic reactivation possible in 2021.
The mayors of Elche, Carlos González and Orihuela, Emilio Bascuñana both said it was a ‘historic achievement’.
Sr González assured the AVE would be ‘an incentive for the city’s economy, especially tourism and related activities but also the shoe industry’.
He also took the opportunity to call for more government investment in Elche, including modernisation of the local train service between Murcia and Alicante and connecting it with the AVE station and the airport.
Sr Bascuñana said the stop in Orihuela was sorely needed for the Vega Baja area, ‘and a great opportunity for our tourism and development in general’.
He also called for improvements to local train services, as it takes over an hour to reach Alicante when the AVE takes just over two hours to Madrid, and mentioned the recent proposal
for a train to Orihuela Costa, Torrevieja and the whole coast.
The transport minister promised to come back and discuss these issues, as well as the N-332, the N-340, the unfinished third lane of the A-7 and the AP-7 tolls.
Sr Puig said that ‘from now on, the inhabitants (of Elche and Orihuela), as well as their shoe businesses and the fruits of their market gardens are a little closer to the centre, Madrid and soon will be closer to Europe’, when the Mediterranean Corridor goods and passenger network is eventually completed.
The AVE service is now running twice per day in each direction, offering a connection with the capital in two hours and 10 minutes for Elche and 2h22m for Orihuela.
Renfe is also offering the AVE as part of its long-distance service between Madrid and Murcia region, with shuttle trains between Orihuela and
Murcia del Carmen, Balsicas, Torre Pacheco and Cartagena.
After the 48.4 kilometre section between Monforte del Cid, Elche and Orihuela, there is only another 15km to be finished for the AVE to reach Murcia city.
Orihuela town hall has agreed with ADIF to let the various bus companies working in the municipality use the docking bays of the bus station that is built into Miguel Hernández station.
Passengers can get on or off their or change to other buses, explained transport councillor José Galiano.
The town hall will pay ADIF €24,000 to rent the facilities for these purposes for the next four years.
Elche city hall is setting up a bus service between the city and the AVE station in Matola.
It will cover the Altabix neighbourhood, the city centre and Avenida de la Libertad and fares will cost the same as an ordinary ticket, explained mobility
councillor Esther Díez.
The inauguration happened to coincide with the 80th anniversary of Renfe, for which the company is offering AVE tickets for just €15.
These can be acquired until February 14 to travel between June 23 and December 11 inclusive from www.renfe.com, travel agency offices and websites, Renfe ticket machines, stations, by telephone and Correos post offices.
Costa Blanca News readers should be aware that Elche Alta Velocidad station is referred to as ‘Elx AV’ on the Renfe website.
Signposts to Elche AV station have been put up around the municipality by the local council, while the ministry for transport will install signs for it on the A-7 and N340.
All AVE trains are double certified by AENOR and SGS for their health, cleaning and disinfection protocol.