Luxury tourist train will not stop in Almeria

Almeria has once again been left out of the luxury tourist train that travels through Andalusia.

The Railway Defense Committee of the province raised concerns over two years ago, but Renfe, the railway operator, hasn’t acted on them. The luxurious Al Andalus train will soon resume its journeys across Andalusia, but Almería won’t be part of its route.

Last Friday, the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Oscar Puente, and Renfe’s president, Raul Blanco, unveiled the 2024 season of Renfe’s Luxury Tourist Trains, including Al Andalus. Unfortunately, according to the plans, Almería, along with Huelva, will once again be excluded from the route.

The train only visits World Heritage sties.

Renfe’s reasoning for excluding Almería in the past was that the luxury train was meant to visit World Heritage Sites. However, this argument doesn’t hold up when considering places like Jerez de la Frontera, which lacks such sites. Renfe justified including Jerez due to its proximity to World Heritage Sites.

Renfe intends to run up to 22 trips through six provinces of Andalusia with the Al Andalus train, starting from May 31 until November 3, with the last route from Malaga to Seville.

The minister and Renfe’s president highlighted the significant role of the Spanish company in the synergy between tourism and railways in Spain, emphasizing Renfe’s position as a global leader in luxury tourist trains, with 67.6 percent of passengers being international.

The Al Andalus will travel between Seville and Malaga, passing through Cádiz, Granada, Jaen, and Córdoba.