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The Culture Train: A Literary Journey Through Spain

Madrid's Book Fair launches an initiative connecting cities and authors via a special train journey.

Interior of an old Renfe train carriage with books and ambient light.
IA

Interior of an old Renfe train carriage with books and ambient light.

The 85th Madrid Book Fair has launched the "Culture Train," an initiative using railways to promote reading and connect authors and readers across various Spanish cities.

The 85th Madrid Book Fair has initiated an original project named #TrenDeLaCultura (Culture Train), aiming to celebrate literature and foster reading habits through a special train journey. This idea, praised for its simplicity and effectiveness, seeks to place books, their creators, editors, and readers at the center of attention.
The journey evokes the spirit of past Pedagogical Missions, utilizing modern trains to transport passengers into the world of books. The initiative draws inspiration from numerous literary works that feature trains as a central setting or element, from Bohumil Hrabal's Rigurosamente vigilados to Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, and includes titles by authors such as Elena Poniatowska, Jorge Semprún, Patricia Highsmith, Antonio Orejudo, Viola Ardone, Miyazawa Kenji, Rosario Raro, Dacia Maraini, Haruki Murakami, J.K. Rowling, and L. Tolstói.
This cultural event has traveled through various cities, including a stop in Córdoba, the "capital of three cultures," before heading to Madrid. The presence of writers and literary figures alongside the special train has garnered media attention, highlighting the significance of the written word and the act of reading.
The text reflects on the train travel experience, idealizing a tranquil environment conducive to reading, but also critiques current deficiencies in the Renfe service, such as lack of air conditioning or delayed responses to incidents. It expresses a desire for a return to the quality and care of services from the past, when Spain's railway infrastructure was a benchmark.
The "Culture Train" initiative aims to be a catalyst for literature to occupy a central place in society, inspiring contemporary authors like Leila Guerriero, Javier Cercas, and Emmanuel Carrère to narrate stories that connect life and train journeys.