Friday, August 04, 2006

Culture Shock and Spain trains

While Culture Shock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette - Spain (published October 2005, although the original edition dates 1993) is clearly a book for those willing to spend more than a week in Spain, but it does not hurt to browse through, especially if this is your first time outside the United States or the first time in Europe.

Since Spain is a Western-type country, the customs are not that different. But there are "the little differences" such as kissing your friend's cheeks when meeting (opposite sex only), dressing to the latest fashion, keeping your hands above the table while dining. The book if full of advice on everything from how to exchange greetings to what you need to know to start your own business. While customs take longer to change, I must question many of the specific references to the laws and bureaucracy of Spain. Since this book has been likely only updated from its previous issue, chances are that some of the laws have dramatically changed, as Spain became a more prosperous member of the European Union.

Case in point: I opened the book to the chapter on trains. The first statement is: In general, RENFE, the government-run railroad, is below par by European standards. The first high-speed train between Madrid and Seville made its debut just in time for the 1992 expo. I can see clearly that this section has not been properly amended. While traveling between Barcelona and Madrid will probably still require a night train ride (in a comfortable setting), the network of high-speed trains has bloomed in the rest of the country, brining Spain's network up to par.

For a better look at Spain's modern railroads, check out RENFE on the web (Spanish only).
Here is an impressive list of Alta Velocidad (high-speed train) and Larga Distancia (long-distance trains - or train hotels) from their website (I took the liberty to include some train packages that you can book for your traveling pleasure):

Alaris
Packages with Alaris:

Altaria
Packages with Altaria:
Alvia
Packages with Alvia coming soon

Arco
Packages with Arco coming soon

AVE
Packages with AVE:
Diurno
Packages with Diurno coming soon

Estrella
Packages with Estrella:
Euromed
Packages with Euromed coming soon

Intercity
Packages with Intercity coming soon

Talgo
Packages with Talgo:
Talgo 200
Packages with Talgo coming soon

Trenhotel
Packages with Trenhotel:

Enjoy!

Posted by eurotripper at 8/04/2006 09:18:00 AM

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