Malaga s train connections to the rest of the country via Maria Zambrano train station saw 20 cancellations in just a week, with many more delays allegedly due in large part to a lack of trains.
Between Monday, July 8, and Friday, July 13, in the middle of Malaga’s high season for tourism, the sunny Andalusian hotspot has suffered difficulties with its transport connection to the rest of Spain, particularly with the Renfe national train service.
Renfe claims the trend is a ‘one-off’; however, it is speculated that the issues come from a lack of available trains, either due to maintenance issues or other connections being prioritised in number by rail company Renfe.
Endemic Issues
In 2023, the Spanish National Commission on Markets and Competency found that trains between Madrid and Malaga were the most affected by delays; 8.6 per cent of trains between the two cities were delayed by 15 minutes or more, more than double the rate of delays in 2022 of 3.9 per cent.
In 2021, a similar string of delays and cancellations plagued the city when the light rail system, Cercanias which services towns outside the Malaga metro area such as Torremolinos and Fuengirola was beset by a lack of drivers, causing similar issues for passengers.
In 2023, the industry was shaken up by the opening up of the market, allowing new companies to compete in the rail transport sector. Industry newcomer Iryo has now been allowed to compete and may give passengers an option, but data on their delays on a large scale has yet to be released.
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Written by
Tristan Kirkland
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