The number of trains from Málaga to the popular hiking trail Caminito de del Rey has been increased. This makes it much easier to reach the hiking trail near El Chorro by train on weekdays and Saturdays. And also to travel back on the same day. From the station, the popular and spectacular hiking trail El Caminito del Rey is easily accessible by shuttle bus that leaves every 20 minutes.
Before March 2023, you could only board trains from Málaga Maria Zambrano train station, a train station on the outskirts of the city centre. Here you could take the medium-distance train (media distancia) from Málaga to Seville, which stops at El Chorro station.
However, from March 20, on Monday to Saturday, seven trains will run to and from María Zambrano Málaga station with stops at Álora and Las Mellizas. Nine trains will run on this line on Fridays and Sundays. Four new services have also been added with Civia trains that will run from Málaga Centro Alameda to El Chorro. This train will stop at Málaga María Zambrano, also at Victoria Kent, Los Prados, Campanillas, Cártama, Aljaima, Pizarra, Álora and Las Mellizas stations. With this new timetable, the authorities do not simply want to increase the number of visitors. The main aim is to reduce the arrival of vehicles in the area, as parking is very complicated there due to lack of space.
Journey time less than an hour
The journey takes 53 minutes from Málaga Centro Alameda and 50 minutes from Málaga María Zambrano to El Chorro/Caminito del Rey station. The first trains leave at 8.24 am from Málaga María Zambrano and at 9.40 am from Málaga Centro. The last train back to the capital departs from El Chorro at 8.18 pm. Furthermore, train times are as close as possible to the duration of a walk, tickets can be bought in the station at the ticket machine.
Historic day
Present at the launch of these new services were the secretary of state for transport, mobility and urban agenda, David Lucas, the government’s delegate in Málaga, Javier Salas, the mayor of Alora, Francisco Martínez, the mayor of Pizarra, Félix Francisco Lozano, and members of both municipal councils. The mayor of Álora, Francisco Martínez, stressed that “this is a historic day” because “travellers from the Costa del Sol or from Torremolinos, can now change in María Zambrano to visit the Caminito del Rey and return by train in the afternoon”.
The mayor of Pizarra, Félix Francisco Lozano, added that this new service makes tourist arrivals ‘more sustainable at a time when we have to take great care of the environment’. He stressed that with the extension of the services of this train, the two demands they had made were met: that the train reach the Caminito del Rey and that more visitors would return after the pandemic. He also stressed that this train will benefit both the Caminito del Rey and all municipalities in the Guadalhorce Valley region.
Also read: Visit Caminito del Rey
