An update to my last post: along with the closing of both main downtown Malaga stations, the schedule is shifting a bit as well. Be prepared to hop your normal train about 10 minutes ahead of schedule, since at least for the endpoints of the C1 line this is the supposed difference in schedule. But don’t get your hopes up yet of an actual improvement in the train frequency – for now the trains will still only come by every 30 minutes. The Minister of Public Works declared back in 2005 that we would be seeing trains every 20 minutes once the stretch between Benalmadena and Fuengirola was widened, but that still only remains a possibility by the end of this year. (The reason: they say new houses are in the way of this happening, houses that weren’t shown in the original expansion plans.) Compare this to more streamlined timetables such as in Barcelona, Madrid, Seville and San Sebastian, where they hone down the frequency to as low as 5 and 10 minutes at peak times.

The next big change will probably come with the completion of the airport reforms, projected for 2010. This will include a new train station actually located below the new passenger terminal in the Malaga airport, allowing passengers to connect directly from their flight to the AVE (long-range) or Cercanias (regional) trains. The rerouted C1 line of Cercanias will go under the new runway, and rejoin its original route further on. By this time it’s expected that this line will run every 15 minutes or even less, accommodating business travellers like myself and surely making tourists’ lives easier!

Looking for alternatives to the puddle-jumper plane connections or slower regional trains? Renfe is expanding services offered in and out of Malaga by leaps and bounds, especially in regards to newer high-speed trains. December marked a large milestone with the introduction of the AVE link to Madrid, slashing the trip time and price considerably from previous offerings. This connection was largely due to the completion of the high-speed-approved section between Malaga and Cordoba.

Now, the offering has been expanded to include Barcelona and Sevilla in the high-speed range, service on both to start tomorrow. To give you an idea of the time savings, the Barcelona voyage used to take over half a day (13 ½ hours), and the Sevilla trip about 2 ½ hours. Conventional trains will still run to Sevilla alongside the new alta velocidad Avant service.