Quote:
Originally Posted by mrnyc
you may not have guessed this — the number two country for high speed rail is ... spain!
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The rapid delivery and reach of the AVE network for an advanced economy is a massive achievement. I enjoyed my experience on the network, but there are lingering doubts over AVE’s viability, particularly around the persistently low ridership, which reached 22.37mn just before Covid-19. That might sound impressive compared to Amtrak ridership, but when accounting for population, AVE has far lower ridership levels than equivalent HSR and non-HSR intercity networks in other European states. Factor in the cost and maintenance of the network and the arithmetic looks questionable.