Following its inauguration by the king of Spain on Saturday the first direct high speed rail link between Madrid and Valencia opened to the public yesterday.

The AVE train, which can travel up to 294 kilometres an hour, takes just 95 minutes one way between the Spanish capital and Valencia.

On its first day in public service it carried 7000 people. The price of a return ticket is 126.40 euros. The train stops in Cuenca and Requena-Utiel before reaching the Joaquín Sorolla station in Valencia, its final destination.