More trains, more choices: Iryo plans huge Malaga-Madrid boost for 2027

Rail passengers in the Malaga region are about to get far more choice when travelling to Madrid, with Iryo planning a major expansion of its Malaga service during 2027.

Spain’s private high-speed operator has announced that its Madrid to Malaga services will increase by 63.7 per cent next year, taking the total to 3,514 trips. The expansion forms part of a much wider increase in services across Andalucia.

For Costa del Sol residents, the news means more opportunities to travel to the Spanish capital for business, appointments, shopping, weekends away or connecting journeys.

Malaga-Madrid trains get biggest boost

Iryo’s Madrid-Malaga route will receive the largest increase in absolute terms anywhere in its network, adding 1,367 operations compared with 2026.

Journey times currently stand at around 2 hours 55 minutes between Malaga Maria Zambrano and Madrid Atocha, making high-speed rail a practical alternative to flying for many travellers.

More services should also give passengers greater flexibility when choosing departure times, particularly for people wanting to travel to Madrid and return to the Costa del Sol on the same day.

Iryo’s expansion comes after a difficult year for rail passengers in southern Spain, with services affected by the Adamuz train accident and later damage caused by a landslide near Alora. Direct Madrid-Malaga high-speed services eventually returned on April 30.

Sevilla and Cordoba also benefit

Malaga is not the only Andalucian destination receiving a major boost. Iryo plans to increase Madrid-Sevilla services by 39 per cent, reaching 3,884 operations during 2027. Cordoba will also see 2,779 additional stops, representing a 40.8 per cent increase.

Those extra services should make journeys around Andalucia and between the region and Madrid easier to plan, with more options available throughout the year.

Three more trains joining the fleet

Iryo plans to operate 22,764 services across Spain during 2027, 2,762 more than in 2026. That represents a 13.8 per cent increase in its overall operation.

Three new trains will join the fleet to help deliver the expansion, while Iryo also plans to add more early-morning departures and late-afternoon return services.

More than 6,000 departure options and over 8,200 return options are planned across its network, particularly helping business travellers who want to complete a trip to another Spanish city in a single day.

For Costa del Sol residents, though, the headline figure is clear: many more chances to catch a high-speed train between Malaga and Madrid in 2027.