New Malaga-marbella rail line: Long-term Plans For Faster Connection
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Table of contents
- New Malaga-marbella rail line – Improvement of Provincial Infrastructure
- A Third ‘Cercanias’ Line
- Response to the Current Situation: The Importance of Expansion
- Criticism of Current Lines
- New Malaga-marbella railroad line – Efficiency improvements
- Priorities and Key Locations
- New Malaga-marbella rail line – Long-term Vision and Financing
- Future Prospects and Social Support
New Malaga-marbella rail line – Improvement of Provincial Infrastructure
The Malaga Infrastructure Platform, a group of engineers working to improve the provincial infrastructure, has presented a report with plans for the new Cercanías train connection: Malaga-Marbella Railway.
A Third ‘Cercanias’ Line
The proposed third “Cercanias” line would stop in Churriana, Alhaurin el Grande, Alhaurin de la Torre, Coin, Ojen, Marbella and San Pedro Alcantara.
Response to the Current Situation: The Importance of Expansion
Jesus Martin, one of the engineers behind the plans, said the proposal was a response to the lack of rail transport in Malaga compared to similar cities such as Bilbao, Valencia and Alicante. He also acknowledged the large number of people living outside the capital with few transportation links. The report also cited the difficulty of construction because of the rocky terrain along the coast and the lack of building space.
Criticism of Current Lines
The report also criticized the inability of the current “Cercanias” lines (C1 and C2) to meet demand, with passengers often waiting in long lines and overcrowded trains. The plans do not propose an extension of the current C1 ‘Cercanias’ to Fuengirola, but rather a completely new line.
New Malaga-marbella railroad line – Efficiency improvements
Currently, the trip to Fuengirola takes 45 minutes. If the line were extended to Marbella, it would take about as long as driving by car from Malaga. However, if the new Malaga-Marbella line were built, the trip would take only 40 minutes. In addition to the main line, there will also be an alternative streetcar route from Coin to Marbella, via Monda and Ojen.
Priorities and Key Locations
According to planners, places that will benefit most from the plans will be prioritized in this order: Marbella, San Pedro, Alhaurin de la Torre, Las Lagunas (Mijas), Coin and Alhaurin el Grande. They also highlighted two “essential” locations to include: the Hospital Costa del Sol and Marbella’s bus station. The Platform recommended taking tourism into account, as well as considering high-speed options.
New Malaga-marbella rail line – Long-term Vision and Financing
In an interview with Viva Malaga, Martin stressed that the plans are “long-term” and “costly,” with the two best options costing up to €2.6 billion. The options, with the least investment but highest social impact, could benefit up to 300,000 people.
Future Prospects and Social Support
However, the plans could take up to 10 years to complete, according to Martin’s “conservative estimate. Now the plans are being sent to various associations to get social support and signatures for the proposal. One hopes this will put pressure on the Junta, local councils and the Ministry of Transport to seriously consider the plans.
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