We walked to the newly updated Santiago train station just before daybreak. The new station has been under construction for as long as we can remember, but the final result is impressive.
Sorry about the closeups of Jim’s finger. Linda is here negotiating the steps, carrying her backpack and daypack.Made it!Much larger new restaurant.Nice large train arrivals/ departures status board, much more efficient checkin cue and baggage scanning/security area.We collected our bags and a few steps later took the escalator down to our “via” (boarding platform).A 20 minute wait for our train to arrive.Sitting snd waiting the final 10 minutes with some Santiago residential housing behind us.“Here comes da train”.All aboard in very comfortable “comfort” seating. Fare for the three hour Santiago to Madrid trip was 48€.A look around behind us.
The following is a brief journal of our train ride from Santiago to Madrid. Photos are a challenge when the sun is rising on your side of the train and seats on “better lighting” side are occupied. Also, interior train lights and other light sources create reflections that are picked up in photos taken through the windows. Further, the photo subjects outside are appearing and disappearing at 180 mph most of the way. So, please forgive the photo quality chronicling our ride down to Madrid.
Just after leaving Santiago, shooting toward sunrise, high speed.This screen gave us the train speed continuously. 301 km/hr is about 180 mph!Ourense, at around 8:50, an hour into our journey.Ourense, at slow speed, prior to our first stop.At the halfway point of our trip.A fellow passenger sleeping soundly at 180 mph.Nearing ZamoraStill clicking along.As we got closer to Zamora, the colors were more brown than green, the green aided by visible irrigation systems. And mountains were less prominent.A lake near ZamoraTypical countryside approaching Madrid.Getting closer to Madrid.Still going full speed a half hour out of Madrid.Some Madrid skyscrapers a few minutes from the Charmatin train station.Walking to a very well organized taxi area with a zillion taxis… no waiting for us.All our stuff using today’s backpack transport service!And ditto for Jim.Our room at the Madrid Airport Hilton.Upscale bathroomLunch at nearby eatery. Gazpacho for Jim, chickpea salad for Linda.Cheesecake on slate.
After lunch we chilled a bit in our comfortable room and re-organized our packs again. (backpack and carry-on).
The temperature in Madrid got to 101F by mid-afternoon, so we were glad to not be walking. Looking back, the temperature in Santiago this afternoon was 87F.
So, we walked across Spain, took a train to Madrid and tomorrow it’s a jet to Charlotte/Greenville.
We’ll do a wrap-up on Camino2025 when we get back home.
Jimandi 