Clúster

The opening of the AVE line to Ourense and initiatives such as the Tourist Trains of Galicia make this means of transport gain weight in the tourist field.

The train is once again becoming a means of transport of great interest for visitors who come to Galicia and also for Galicians who want to discover and enjoy their land. In the case of the former, the opening of the AVE line linking Madrid with Ourense has not only increased the transport options for those who have to travel for various reasons between the Spanish capital and Galicia, and vice versa, but has resulted in a direct increase in the tourist flow, with a positive impact on the city of Las Burgas.

Last Easter, many visitors took advantage of the AVE to travel from Madrid and Galicia. This avalanche of visitors arriving by train had a direct reflection in the good occupancy data of hotels in Ourense, which exceeded 5,000 travellers, a record figure not only with respect to previous years during the same holiday period, but also in relation to any other month (except August) of past years. Now that the summer season has begun, the hope of the tourism sector is that this dynamic will be confirmed and consolidated.

However, the AVE is not the only railway alternative for those who want to enjoy Galicia with the help of the railway. Once again this year, the Xunta de Galicia, through the Galicia Tourism Agency and Renfe, together with the Inorde, are collaborating to make the Galician Tourist Trains available to visitors and invite them to enjoy many of Galicia’s attractions with themed routes: Lighthouses, Pazos and gardens, Ribeira Sacra Sil, Ribeira Sacra Miño, Valdeorras-Ribeira Sacra, Rías Baixas, O Ribeiro-Rías Baixas, Monterrei, Lamprea, Monasteries, Ways of St. James, Cheese Route, and As Mariñas.

The trips began on 4 June and will take place every Saturday until 15 October with ticket prices for each day of 45 euros for adults and 20 euros for children between 3 and 13 years old. The tickets give the right to make the round trip by train from the starting city of each route (A Coruña, Ferrol, Santiago de Compostela, Ourense and Pontevedra), as well as having a bus service to travel from the stations of the itinerary to the points of interest and the accompaniment of a guide.