Málaga Without High-Speed Rail for Holy Week: Tourism Sector Fears Losses in the Millions

A Landslide Isolates the Costa del Sol

High-speed rail connections between Madrid and Málaga will remain severed during Holy Week 2026, after Adif confirmed that reopening will not occur before the last week of April. The news is a devastating blow to the Costa del Sol tourism sector during one of the busiest periods of the year.

The crisis originated on February 4th, when heavy rains caused a landslide in the town of Álora (Málaga), destroying approximately 300 meters of retaining wall and blocking the tracks. According to Adif, the damage was "much more serious than anticipated" and the remaining terrain "does not guarantee the necessary stability" to safely restore service.

Unprecedented Tourism Impact

The economic consequences are enormous. The President of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, has estimated losses at over €1.3 billion and has announced that he will ask the central government to assume that cost. José Luque, president of the Costa del Sol Hotel Association, warns that the lack of a direct connection "will prevent many people from traveling or cause them to change their vacation destination."

The data already reflects the damage:

• A drop of up to 30% in hotel reservations in the city of Málaga.
• A 25% decrease in the inland areas of the province.
• An 18% reduction in occupancy on the coast.
• Approximately 1,800 potentially affected workers.

Javier Frutos, president of the Málaga Hospitality Association, expressed his frustration: "It's disheartening, because they've given us several dates that haven't been met."

Rail Operators in Crisis

The disruption not only affects Renfe, but all operators on the line. Iryo has had to implement a temporary layoff scheme (ERTE) for its personnel assigned to this route, while Ouigo has completely suspended its services between Madrid and Málaga.

The current alternative consists of a bus transfer system at the Antequera-Santa Ana station, which increases travel time to approximately 4 and a half hours, compared to less than three hours for the direct AVE journey.

Political Tension Between Government and Regional Authority

The crisis has sparked a political battle. The Junta de Andalucía threatened legal action if service was not restored before Palm Sunday (March 29th). The Minister of Economy, Carolina España, described the situation as "a betrayal of the people of Málaga."

For his part, the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, defended the pace of the works: "We cannot work more hours or put in more machinery or more workers. We will take as long as humanly possible." Adif reviews its estimates every 15 days based on the progress of the work and the conditions of the terrain.

An Uncertain Horizon

When the line finally reopens, it will do so in a first phase with a single track and speed limits of between 30 and 80 km/h on the affected section. The full recovery of the double track could be delayed until mid-year, and the complete completion of the works is not expected before the end of 2026.

Meanwhile, Málaga faces a Holy Week marked by uncertainty, with a tourism sector demanding urgent solutions and an institutional conflict that only exacerbates the perception of crisis in one of Spain's most important tourist capitals.