“…Public authorities play a key role here. Since they usually (co-)fund the development of highspeed lines, the geography of HSR is a mix between geo-economic factors (which shape the geography of the demand) and political considerations (Dobruszkes and Moyano, 2021). In Spain, for instance, the most relevant corridor for developing HSR based on potential demand is Madrid-Barcelona, i.e., the country's two largest cities.…”