Cristina Hodgson
AT 12.33 p.m. on December 23, 2007, eight minutes ahead of schedule, the AVE arrived at a brand new María Zambrano Station, the first high-speed train to connect Malaga with Madrid.
Last Friday, December 23, said rail service celebrated its 15 years of history.
This milestone completely changed the connection between Malaga and the Spanish capital, connecting both cities in less than two and a half hours—almost three hours when stopping in Antequera and Cordoba.
With the connection, Malaga became the first coastal city to be served by the high-speed train.
“It was a spectacular project, with all the most advanced technology of the time and with a very complicated orography in the area near Malaga”, said Ángel García, Adif’s Deputy Director of Southern Stations and head of María Zambrano Station, during a meeting on the platform in Malaga to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the infrastructure.
The works that developed the 150-kilometre track lasted six years with a €2,500 million investment.
Since then, more than 30 million people have used this line connecting the two cities, a link that has proved to be one of the most influential factors in boosting Malaga’s economy, tourism and culture.
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