Blank travel information screens spark confusion on Costa del Sol trains

Some trains on the service between Malaga and Fuengirola are running with the monitors switched off, which is particularly an issue for tourists and non-Spanish speakers

Ignacio Lillo

Malaga

Tuesday, 1 October 2024, 10:29

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Blank journey information monitor screens on local Cercanías trains are causing confusion among commuters travelling along the Costa del Sol on the C1 line between Malaga and Fuengirola.

There has been a steady stream of people contacting SUR to complain about the issue, which causes confusion particularly among non-regular train users, especially if they're tourists and don't speak Spanish.

"The public address system usually works but, because the carriages are so full, you can't hear it well," said Francisco Moya, a passenger who travels daily from Torremolinos to the centre of Malaga city, and who has earned the nickname of 'the scourge of Renfe' for his determination to bringing to light the problems endured on this service.

Additionally, the names of stations broadcast over the public address system often do not refer to the municipality in which they are located (Montemar, El Pinillo, La Colina), which causes even more chaos among non-regular users. This issue is also a common issue when buying tickets from the automatic ticket machines.

As a result, many older English-speaking Spanish commuters help people who are confused in getting to their final destination.

'Occasional errors'

There has been some speculation about the blacked-out screens after information on the screens appeared for several days in Catalan some months ago, and with references to the Rodalies services. "Before it goes wrong again, it looks like they'll just switch them off," one commuter said.

A spokesperson from Renfe said there are "occasional errors in the train screens, but not in the rest of the passenger information systems, such as the public address system and the mobile phone application".

Meanwhile, there have also been complaints about another issue, such as the signs on the platforms of some stations, especially the one at the Guadalhorce industrial estate.

When the train stops here, next to its station name there is another sign that points to the airport, which confuses many people that they have actually arrived at Malaga Airport. "We have to be aware of those travelling with suitcases and warn them," Francisco Moya said.

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