When travelers think of a European fast train ride, the magnificent French Grande Vitesse (TGV) or the beautiful German white ICE trains often come to mind.
Visitors to Italy have no doubt encountered Trenitalia's Frecciarossa (Red Arrow) or the stunning red trains of its fierce rival Italo.
But Europe's longest railway network does not exist in Italy, Germany, or France.
That reputation is dominated by Spain, where billions of euros have been invested in new railways from Madrid over the past 30 years.
At 3,567 kilometers, it is the second-longest railway network in the world, although less than 10% of what China has built over the past decade.
Compared with China's lightning strikes, the construction of Spain's new high-speed railways has been relatively cold, the capture of national and regional politics, ambitious goals and inconsistent decisions, especially in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis.
However, new railway sections continue to open up thanks to the overwhelming support from the European Union as Spain works to achieve its dream of providing faster connections between Madrid and its regional capitals.