DRINK & TRAVEL

Dear Jennifer:

Feel Secure

THE high-speed rain war on the Alicante to Madrid line goes up another notch on Friday as Iryo launches its service with low-fares to tempt customers.

Iryo - run by Italy's main train operator, Trenitalia, in association with Spain's Air Nostrum and Globalvia - joins Renfe's Avlo and French-owned Ouigo in battling for travellers.

The Madrid-Alicante Iryo service will stop at Albacete and tickets have been sold since the start of the year with a company spokesman claiming that sales had gone 'very well'.

Two services in each direction will be run daily and there are four basic ticket categories starting from €18 one way.