Budget fare high speed train gets passengers back on track

THE AVE high-speed train service between Malaga and Madrid carried an extra half a million passengers this summer, thanks to a new budget airline style pricing.

This 18% year-on-year increase in passenger numbers was the largest out of all AVE routes, which operate between the Costa del Sol and main Spanish cities including Barcelona and Valencia.

Heavy discounts of between 11% and 70% across the network lured an extra 775,000 passengers in total between June and September this year.

The Ministry of Development introduced the discounts to counter the affect of the financial crisis.

Tickets between Malaga and Madrid now cost €79 (€10 less), while a Barcelona – Malaga trip costs €116, €30 less than last year.