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Did Spain build trains too big for tunnels?

Two top Spanish transport officials have resigned over a botched order for new commuter trains that cost nearly €260m ($275m; £230m). The trains could not fit into non-standard tunnels in the northern regions of Asturias and Cantabria.



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The Santiago de Compostela derailment occurred on 24 July 2013, when an Alvia high-speed train traveling from Madrid to Ferrol, in the north-west of Spain, derailed at high speed on a bend about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) outside of the railway station at Santiago de Compostela.

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France is an exception to this rule. Cars drive on the right, but trains run on the left. This is because the early railways were mainly built using British expertise and standard equipment “out of the box”.

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Most passenger trains are managed by Renfe, Spain's state-owned company whose acronym stands for Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles.

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The UK and France are about 21 miles apart at their nearest point. However, the 3 tunnels are 35 miles long as they run to terminals inland at Folkestone and Calais.

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Spain's railways are the fastest ways to cross long distances with most lines converging in Madrid. High-speed trains and slower regional trains provide locals and visitors a quick, comfortable, and convenient way to explore the country.

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Launched by Spanish authorities last year to help tackle the cost-of-living crisis for residents, the free train travel period was due to end this spring. However, authorities extended the program to December 2023, meaning travelers visiting Spain this summer can now take advantage.

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What is the Oldest Running Train in the World? The Fairy Queen is the oldest running train in the world. As the Guinness Book of Records documented, the Fairy Queen in India is the steam locomotive with the oldest running history worldwide.

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What is the Oldest Running Train in the World? The Fairy Queen is the oldest running train in the world. As the Guinness Book of Records documented, the Fairy Queen in India is the steam locomotive with the oldest running history worldwide.

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Seven UK railways are operated or partly-operated by Dutch state railway Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), including Merseyrail, Scotrail and the West Midlands Railway. Seven railways are operated fully or partly by French state railway SNCF, including Transport for Wales and the Thameslink.

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“Competition between state-owned train company Trenitalia and privately owned Italo on the main high-speed line has driven up quality and passenger numbers, but pushed down prices by between 20 and 25 per cent,” he explains. “It's to the benefit of everyone except domestic airlines.”

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The French state originally took 51% ownership of SNCF and invested large amounts of public subsidies into the system. Today, SNCF is wholly owned by the French state.

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Track design. High-speed railway track construction in France has a few key differences from normal railway lines. The radii of curves are larger so that trains can traverse them at higher speeds without increasing the centripetal acceleration felt by passengers.

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Why are train tickets so expensive in France? The rail network announced a decision to raise prices last November because of the increase in energy costs. Christophe Fanichet, CEO of SNCF Voyageurs, said the company was “facing additional costs of 13 per cent in 2023.”

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Rail systems are so popular in Europe because they can get loads of passengers to their respective destinations en masse — with much less of an impact on the environment. National governments, looking to reduce carbon emissions and put pro-environmental policy into practice, subsidize or own entire rail networks.

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