The Canary Islands are planning to build a railway: the first agreements have been signed.
The Canary Islands are planning the construction of intercity railways in Tenerife and Gran Canaria, which should improve transport links and reduce CO2 emissions.
They are planning to build a railway in the Canary Islands!
Recently, officials signed important documents regarding the construction of railways on the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria. These will be intercity routes. To start construction, detailed plans need to be developed.
The first section of the railway in the south of Tenerife is expected to be built in a year and a half. It will cost about 950 million euros.
Representatives of the Spanish government, local authorities of the Canary Islands, and the island of Tenerife participated in the signing of the documents. They want the project to be properly funded and developed. For this, money will even be reserved in the state budget.
A bill on environmentally friendly transport is currently under consideration, which is important for the Canary Islands.
Previously, there was already a project for the first section of the southern railway (from San Isidro to Costa Adeje), but its validity expired. A new project is currently being prepared, which should be ready in a year and a half. The second section will connect Santa Cruz and San Isidro. Thanks to this, it will be possible to get from the capital to Adeje in 39 minutes.
For the northern railway, a competition of ideas was announced, in which three companies are participating. All proposals should be analyzed by the beginning of 2026. It is said that this project is more complex than the southern one due to the mountains and the large population.
The Spanish government has already allocated more than 50 million euros for railway projects in the Canary Islands. Officials also hope to receive money from the European Union.
Local authorities say that this is a historic day for the Canary Islands, as they have been dreaming of a railway for decades.
The railway in Tenerife should connect the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the southern airport, and popular tourist destinations (Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, and San Isidro). Initially, it is planned to build the San Isidro – Adeje section. This will cost 800 million euros. The length of the section is 30 kilometers, and the travel time is 13 minutes.
The railway will connect important places, such as the Las Chafiras industrial zone, the airport, the port of Los Cristianos, and the El Mojón hospital. Currently, 100,000 cars travel daily on the TF-1 highway. Thanks to the railway, CO2 emissions will be reduced by 72,000 tons per year. The cost of the Santa Cruz – San Isidro route will be 1.5 billion euros. Its length is 51 kilometers, and it will be able to carry 67,000 passengers daily.
In March 2024, representatives of the Spanish government and local authorities agreed to create a working group to deal with railway construction issues.