These are the extra trains planned as Renfe bolsters local rail services for this year's Malaga fair

Ignacio Lillo

Malaga

Wednesday, 17 July 2024, 11:50

Local Cercanías trains will run every 20 minutes instead of every half hour during this year's Malaga feria in a bid to combat overcrowding in the carriages and on railway station platforms.

Angry passengers, Malaga city council and mayor Francisco de la Torre demanded action from Spain's state railway company after serious issues last year. Renfe responded by announcing that from 17 to 24 August, line C1, the coastal line, which is the most in demand, will have a train every 20 minutes during the evenings, which is the highest possible frequency. This will happen from 9.30pm until the end of the service.

Renfe also announced the service will be extended from 11.30pm until 12.10am, with trains running every 20 minutes. Also, on the Fuengirola line, a special train has been scheduled to take fairgoers home after the night's partying, departing at around 5.35am from Victoria Kent every day. There will be one more early morning train in addition to the current two, departing at 5.20am and 5.55am from the Centro Alameda in the city centre.

There will also be improvements on the C2 line, which serves the Guadalhorce valley, between 17 and 24 August to benefit residents of towns such as Cártama, Pizarra and Álora. There will be a special night-time service at around 11.40pm (the usual last departure is at 9.40pm). For the return home, a train will leave Malaga at around 5.45am on 18 August (the first Sunday, as Monday will be a public holiday) and on 24 and 25 August (Saturday and Sunday).

These are the improvements that are being considered currently, when there is still a month to go before the start of Malaga city's festivities, although it is not ruled out that more could be added. "We are analysing the possibilities of increasing the offer, not only in the early hours of the morning, as has been the norm, but also in the later hours of the day," according to Spain's ministry of transport.

Meanwhile, according to these sources, regarding the request for occasional reinforcement of the Cercanías during the period of the fair, Renfe will increase the information and customer services at the Malaga-Centro Alameda stations, for those going to the centre, and at Victoria Kent, for those going to the Cortijo de Torres area.

The news leaves a bittersweet taste for the train's regular passengers: it is positive as the service is improved during these August holidays; although it will be insufficient, unless an extra train is scheduled during the busiest hours of the morning to return home.

"Everything that is done to improve mobility is welcome, that's something, but I think the night timetable is very fair," said Francisco Moya, an active user and staunch defender of the public service on Malaga's Cercanías line. "If I go by train to see a performance in the auditorium I can't take a train back. The normal thing during the fair is to return home at 1am, 2am or 3am, so the timetable should be similar to that of Easter, when there are trains during the early hours of the morning."

During the week of the Easter processions, in the early hours of Wednesday to Thursday and Good Friday, line C1's last departure from Malaga-Centro Alameda towards Fuengirola was at 2.50am. Meanwhile, on the nights of Monday to Tuesday and Wednesday, there was a return train from the centre to the coast until 1.50am. And on Palm Sunday, the last departure was at 12.50am, the same as on Good Friday night.

Moya said the reinforcements that have been scheduled (for the moment) will favour above all families with children, who tend to go home earlier. But on this point, he also called for more security both inside the carriages and in the stations, due to the mix of people under the influence of alcohol and the crowds that are expected.