Seven new trains to boost Malaga to Fuengirola line in huge €66m upgrade

Rail travel along the coast is improving all the time, and now some extra good news has arrived for those who rely on the local trains, as the Malaga to Fuengirola line gets a mega upgrade.

High-capacity trains coming to Malaga to Fuengirola line

Spanish operator Renfe has announced plans to add seven high-capacity trains to the C1 line between Malaga and Fuengirola to ease constant overcrowding. The strategy targets the busiest stretch of the network, where overcrowding often leaves passengers squeezed into overflowing carriages during busy hours.

Starting in 2028, Renfe will roll out seven new S452 train models built by Alstom, in a €66.7 million investment. Each new 100-metre train features six carriages, providing 245 seats and room for up to 900 passengers total when counting standing room. Rail engineers decided to buy bigger trains rather than running more of them. The line carried over 15.5 million passengers in 2025, with peak trains frequently running at 150 per cent of seated capacity.

Track layout prevents more frequent departures

Adding extra trains to the schedule unfortunately isn’t an option on this route. The 32-kilometre track between Malaga Maria Zambrano and Fuengirola has several single-track bottlenecks. Double tracks do exist in places, including Malaga Airport, Los Alamos, Benalmadena, and Torremuelle, but they are broken up by single-track sections. This layout prevents operators from lowering waiting times below 20 minutes, making larger trains the only practical way to move more people.

Station upgrades and new maintenance depot planned

The investment also runs over into station improvements. Renfe plans to start building a €40 million maintenance depot in Malaga in 2027 to service the new fleet. A further €6.81 million is set aside to upgrade three busy stops:

El Pinillo: Overhauled parking and access, platforms extended to 100 metres to fit the longer trains, improved underpasses, and new panoramic lifts.
Los Alamos: Updated station building, new platform canopies, improved fencing, and panoramic lifts.
La Colina: Redesigned car park, better access routes, updated underpasses, and new lifts.

The incoming fleet replaces older Civia 464 models, bringing the first fresh trains to the local line in over 20 years.