High-speed rail beats out air travel for the first time
Airlines experience 28 straight months of decline due to higher taxes and fewer routes
For the first time ever, high-speed rail has outpaced air travel in Spain. Figures released by the National Statistics Institute (INE) this week show that 1.9 million people used the country's extensive AVE network in January compared with 1.8 million people who bought plane tickets.
This represents a 7.3-percent year-on-year drop for airplane travel and a 22-percent rise in high-speed rail journeys.
For the aviation sector, the number is the 28th straight month of decline, while the railway network has seen 11 back-to-back months of growth.
The AVE has become more popular ever since the Public Works Ministry made the decision to lower the fares in February of last year. Meanwhile, airlines have experienced a hike in taxes and a cut in their flight routes.
