BREAKING: Malaga without direct high-speed train connections until at least 23 March

There will be no direct trains between Malaga and Madrid (or, for that matter, Zaragoza, Barcelona and Cordoba) at least until 23 March.

SUR learnt about this after speaking to private operators Iryo and Outigo, which have started to cancel trains and refund tickets. According to them, state rail infrastructure company Adif has released an internal statement to inform them of the new delay.

This creates uncertainty as to whether the Easter travel campaing, which starts on Friday, 27 March, will run smoothly.

The high-speed line between Malaga and Madrid was initially cut after the Adamuz train crash on 18 January. That streth, however, is now open, but the collapse of a slope in Álora (5 February) hinders reopening the line in Malaga province.

According to Adif, the terrain in Álora, which soaked a lot of water during the recent storms, complicates the stabilisation process. This is what makes setting a deadline difficult.

As an alternative, state railway operator Renfe has established 14 daily services (seven in each direction), with a bus transfer from Malaga to Antequera, after which passengers can continue up north by train. The same process takes place in the opposite direction.

The state of the high-speed rail will be the central topic at the next city council meeting in Malaga on Thursday.

Mayor of Malaga Francisco de la Torre has expressed his concerns over the situation. According to him, there are serious maintenance and investment questions that must be resolved.

The suspension of the high-speed line has a serious effect on tourism in Malaga. According to the provincial authority, the financial loss due to the lack of high-speed trains amounts to almost 110 million euros, with lower hotel occupancy and tourist expenditure than a year ago.