At the commemorative event for the 20th anniversary of the AVE high speed train, the Minister for Public Works, Ana Pastor, underlined during her appearance at the commemorative event that:

• The government’s plan to invest 4.2 billion Euros in high speed in 2012 is aimed at continuing to boost this mode of transport in order to complete the network in the country as a whole, bringing together and balancing it territorially
• It is necessary to be better connected with the rest of Europe, and to this end her Ministry has made it a top priority to establish a high speed link between Spain and France via Catalonia, with an investment of 350 million Euros in 2012
• It is essential to finalise over 1,700 kilometres of high speed rail now in progress, including those in the Basque Country, and the AVE to Galicia and Alicante, among others
• Spain currently has the largest number of high speed kilometres in service in Europe and is second in the world (only behind China), and that thanks to this cross-cutting, meshed network of tracks “social cohesion, economic growth and citizen mobility are facilitated”
• Spanish railways are an example of quality worldwide due to their fine service and punctuality (the ratio is 99%), this being a highly favourable argument for any international investor thinking of setting up in our country.
• Over the past 20 years over 46 billion Euros have been invested in high speed, the railway sector being one of the prime assets of the Spanish economic system
• The technology and commercial experience acquired during the past 20 years guarantees the solvency required to bring to successful conclusion an endeavour that has become a true example of the development of transport infrastructure to serve citizens in order to enhance their well-being

In addition, she reviewed in figures what high speed in Spain has entailed:

• Almost 3,000 kilometres of railway infrastructure that have transported a total of 141 million passengers
• 300 trains circulating daily, providing services to 100,000 passengers
• Approximately 10 million Spanish and foreign tourists use this means of transport annually

(Source: ADIF)