Liberalized high-speed rail doubled travelers without matching investment in maintenance

The liberalization of high-speed rail in Spain has led to a significant increase in passenger numbers, doubling from 22.4 million in 2019 to 44.5 million in 2025. However, investment in infrastructure maintenance has not kept pace, rising only 23.6% since 2019, despite the network expanding by 1,300 kilometers. Spain allocates only 16% of its rail budget to maintenance, compared to over 30% in countries like Germany and France. This discrepancy raises concerns about the sustainability of the high-speed rail system, especially given recent accidents and the increasing demand for services.