The idea for a 34-mile railway along the Costa del Sol region of southern Spain (which connects many of the country's most popular tourist destinations) was a dream for about 35 years, but has yet to come true.
But the hotly anticipated trains that connect Nerja with Malaga, Marbella, Fiengairola, Estepona and Arguesila are now one step closer to becoming a reality.
As part of a feasibility study launched last December, 15 companies submitted bids for the project.
The study, commissioned by the government, has a maximum budget of 1.2 billion euros (£999 million) and will run for 18 months.
The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has received proposals from both national and international companies specializing in railway infrastructure, and is a temporary joint venture (UTES) based in Malaga, Madrid, Valencia, Vizcaya and Pontevedra. Seven bids have been submitted through
Currently, the C1 commuter line connects Malaga to Fuengirora and offers access to major locations such as Malaga Costa del Sol Airport, Torremolinos and Benalmadena. However, this does not reach high demand regions like Marbella and Estepona, which can greatly boost tourism.
According to Olive Press, the expensive study evaluates the potential expansion of the railway corridor between Nerja, 31 miles east of Malaga and Argesilas near the Strait of Gibraltar.
The 32-mile Nerja-Malaga section is expected to generate 27,000 trips daily, equivalent to 18% of the zone's travel demand. Meanwhile, the Malaga-Fuengirola section is expected to generate 70,000 trips (255 million people a year).
The Fuengirola Marbella and Marbella Estepona sections, which are totally 32 miles long, currently have no rail infrastructure, but have the potential to be 55,615 trips per day, or 20.3 million trips per year. This represents 16% of the daily mobility of the region.
Finally, the 31-mile Estepona-Algeciras section is projected to attract nearly 13,400 trips every day.
This study also includes demand analysis based on a specific model and financial and socioeconomic profitability assessments to determine the viability of the project.
This initiative is in line with the European Commission's Sustainable, Safe and Connected Mobility Strategy 2030. It aims to reduce reliance on private vehicles, improve local connectivity, achieve environmentally friendly conversions, and increase resilience in future crises.
In 1975, the Sercanias Malaga Commuter Railway was opened, linking Malaga with Fuengirola. After its opening, it was proposed to extend it to Marbella. Although it has been planned since the 1990s and the expansion has been described as “urgent,” the project to build the line has not been realized.
In January 2018, a new survey estimated that the project cost between 2 euros and 3.8 billion euros (£3.1 billion). Andalusia announced in 2023 that it is seeking a 2 billion euro (£1.6 billion) European fund from the next generation EU fund to support its construction.
