Irritated by the news that the AVE, or most of them, from Alicante, Valencia and Murcia would not stop in Atocha and would go to Chamartín to die, they put on warm cloths from Adif. The Railroad Infrastructure Manager defended himself by arguing that this way Levante trains would be further connected to the Northern corridors, as Chamartín is where the roads to Galicia and the Bay of Biscay diverge.
They omit a nuance from Adif. A direct trip from Valencia to Valladolid, Santander, Gijón or Santiago de Compostela was not possible. From Alicante yes, no less than thirty years. My annual trips to Valladolid started in 1996. I remember my Valencian colleagues at the Valladolid Film Festival had to transfer to Madrid to come to Seminci. Also, the Valencia-Madrid train was called Alaris and had a different composition from Altaria and Alvia. More claustrophobic, airplane type.
It was also in the mid-nineties when I started my visits to the Gijón Film Festival and later to the Santander UIMP Courses. There were daily direct trains from Alicante to both destinations.
I remember very well what it was like to pass through two stations in Madrid. The stop at Atocha-Cercanías is very short, but only one minute. He stopped in Chamartín for fifteen minutes. Giving time for controllers and drivers to take turns.
Of course, these Alvias, who went to Santander and Gijón as of 2013, eternalized their time in Madrid with their transfer to High Speed lines. Now, an hour passes from the time they arrive in Atocha until they leave Chamartín.
It is always good to remember fact and reliable data. For those who forget.
Source: Informacion
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.