ARCHIVED - Cut in travelling times to and from Madrid as the AVE high-speed rail service nears the city of Murcia

Shuttle trains will connect Murcia and Cartagena with the AVE in Orihuela as of next Monday

It has been confirmed that the AVE high-speed rail service between Madrid and Orihuela, in the south of the province of Alicante, is to come into service on Monday 1^st February, and although no date has yet been set regarding the completion of the link to Murcia the operation of a shuttle service will make it possible to travel to the national capital from the city of Murcia in just 3 hours and 9 minutes.

This represents a reduction of 23 minutes from the current minimum journey time, and the shuttle train also operates connections to Cartagena and other stops on the Murcia-Cartagena line. The shaving of 29 minutes off the current journey between Madrid and Cartagena results in a new journey time of 4 hours and 9 minutes.

Tickets between Murcia and Madrid are priced at 71.10 euros in Tourist class and 85.30 euros in Tourist Plus, although initially discounts are available.

TIMETABLES

Two services a day are timetabled in each direction. In the morning the AVE leaves Madrid at 6.55, calling at Cuenca, Albacete and Elche before reaching Orihuela at 9.30, and the shuttle services departs from Orihuela at 9.50, reaching Murcia at 10.20, Balsicas at 10.59, Torre Pacheco at 11.02 and Cartagena at 11.14.

Meanwhile, another shuttle sets out from Cartagena at 4.41, calling at Torre Pacheco and Balsicas before reaching Murcia at 5.41 and Orihuela at 6.03. The AVE then departs at 6.28, arriving at the Atocha station in Madrid at 8.50.

In the evening, the AVE leaves Madrid at 19.55, calling at Cuenca, Albacete and Elche before reaching Orihuela at 22.18, and the shuttle services departs from Orihuela at 22.35, reaching Murcia at 23.04, Balsicas at 23.40, Torre Pacheco at 23.45 and Cartagena at 23.58.

In the other direction, the shuttle service sets out from Cartagena at 19.08, calling at Torre Pacheco and Balsicas before reaching Murcia at 20.09 and Orihuela at 20.29. The AVE then departs at 20.48, arriving at Atocha at 23.20.