A high-speed rail line in Spain that connected the cities of Toledo, Albacete, and Cuenca was closed less than six months after it opened, due to extremely low usage. Renfe, Spain's national rail company, launched the line on December 19, 2010, as part of a larger infrastructure project called the Madrid-Levante corridor. The service included three daily round trips, but it was shut down on July 1, 2011, after reports showed that the line carried only nine passengers per day on average during its six-month operation. According to data released by Renfe during a press conference in June 2011, the Toledo-Albacete route had an average of nine passengers per day, while the Toledo-Cuenca route carried seven passengers per day. This resulted in an overall occupancy rate of just 4.7 percent. The high-speed trains, which could hold over 200 passengers, were running with the capacity of a small bus. Over six months, the line transported about 2,796 passengers, while the service cost the company 18,000 euros per day, totaling over 3.2 million euros. Renfe had launched the service at the request of local mayors, who believed the infrastructure would benefit their communities. However, the difference between the political promise and the actual use of the train proved to be a major problem. The line is seen as an example of the Spanish economic bubble between 2008 and 2010, during which large infrastructure projects were built without checking if there was enough demand for them. This situation is similar to underused airports built during the same period, such as Ciudad Real, which remained largely without commercial flights. After the service was canceled, Renfe reorganized its approach by focusing on the essential travel between Madrid and Toledo. The direct high-speed AVE service was replaced with two new Avant links, which offered lower prices. Travelers who wanted to go to Cuenca or Albacete now had to transfer through Madrid. A combined ticket, which was cheaper than the original AVE fare, allowed passengers to make these transfers. This change reflected the need for the service to be self-sustaining through ticket sales, as high-speed rail is typically not subsidized. Without enough customers to cover the costs, the direct line had no economic justification. Today, the Madrid-Levante corridor is still well-served, but through different operational models that all pass through Madrid.