Renfe has started the transport services on the Avant Granada – Málaga high-speed line due to the the construction of two high-speed branch towards Gobantes and Bobadilla which allow direct connection between Málaga María Zambrano and Granada stations within 1 hour and 10 minutes.
The ceremony was attended by the President of Junta de Andalucía Juanma Moreno, the Regional Minister for Public Works, Infrastructure and Territory Planning, Marifrán Carazo, and the Andalusian Government delegate, Pedro Fernández.
Speaking on the importance of rail transport and its impact on the economy, Moreno said that “the need to promote rail passenger transport and also freight as well as making the Atlantic and Mediterranean corridors a reality” is essential to the communities.
The direct connection is provided due to the integration of a 7.5 km rail connection link of Granada – Antequera-Santa Ana and Málaga – Córdoba high-speed lines, creating a variant that avoids transfers at the Antequera-Santa StationAna and a reduction in travel times of 30 minutes.
“The launch of the new train services is one more example that the Government continues to make progress in improving rail connections in Andalusia which for the first time in its history will link these two capitals by high speed. I am convinced that both cities will benefit from each other, especially the tourism and business sectors, without forgetting the importance of this connection for territorial and social cohesion,” the Delegate of the Government in Andalusia Pedro Fernández said.
The initial schedule for the new rail service is four daily trains, two in each direction, with trains have an intermediate stop in Loja and at the new Antequera Alta Velocidad station when will be opened.
The Avant trains that from March 4 are connecting the capital of Granada and Málaga offer more than 6,600 weekly seats to travel between both provinces. This initial offer will be increased in a second phase with one more train in each direction as mentioned in the Public Service Obligation (OSP) contract that Renfe maintains with the General State Administration.
The Avant 104 series trains operating the Granada – Málaga high-speed line are currently providing services on the other rail links in Andalusia and have a common model for providing services over medium distances through high-speed lines. They are made up of four cars, with 237 seats, one of them being adapted for people with reduced mobility. The trains are capable to operate at a commercial speed of 250 km/h.
With this new service included in the company’s Public Services offer, there are now three Avant connections that Renfe operates in Andalusia covering Seville – Córdoba – Málaga, Seville – Córdoba – Granada and Granada – Málaga rail routes.
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