Transport news: La Vanguardia has updated its information on Spain's high-speed train network. Currently there is a high-speed line running from Madrid to Seville and a semi-high-speed line from the French frontier through Barcelona and Valencia to Alicante. Some portions of this line are normal speed and the rest of it allows trains to go 220 kph; the trains on the true high-speed Madrid-Sevilla line can do 350 kph. Under construction are the Madrid-Barcelona-French frontier line, which will be a truly high-speed job; an extension on the Mediterranean line from Alicante and Valencia to Albacete, which will eventually be connected to Madrid through Cuenca; a spur off the Madrid-Seville line from Córdoba to Málaga; and the Madrid-Valladolid-Burgos line, which will eventually run through Bilbao and San Sebastián to the French frontier at Irún.

In a similar vein, just in case you were interested, the ten most expensive streets on which to rent a commercial space in Spain are Preciados and Serrano in Madrid and Portal de l'Ángel and Paseo de Gràcia in Barcelona, all well over 1000 euros / sq. meter / year; and Rambla de Catalunya and Avenida Diagonal in Barcelona, the Gran Vía in Bilbao, Colón in Valencia, Tetuán in Sevilla, and Jaume III in Palma de Mallorca, at 600-800 euros / square meter / year. The most expensive commercial space in the world is now at Fifth Avenue and 57th Street in Manhattan, at 7600 euros / sq. meter / year.