In February 2008, the first high-speed train Velaro (manufactured by Siemens) arrived from Madrid to Barcelona. The trip through half of Spain took 2 hours 38 minutes (the distance between the two largest cities of the country is 630 kilometers). Conventional trains spend on this path for six hours. According to statistics, 53 per cent of Spaniards travelling on this route still chose an airplane, another 38 per cent went on the road by car or bus, and only 9 per cent bought a train ticket. By 2010, the country's authorities intend to ensure that at least forty percent of passengers were transferred to train cars.

The leaders of the Spanish Railways want to provide people with the same comfort as in the plane. No unexpected delays are allowed. Punctuality is the motto of railway workers. In case. if the train arrives at its destination six minutes late, the full price of the ticket will be refunded to the passengers.