Renfe will incorporate seven Alstom s452 trains to the C-1 Málaga-Fuengirola line starting in 2028. The investment reaches €66.7 million and aims to alleviate the saturation of a line with 150% occupancy.
The Málaga Cercanías network will receive a historic boost with the arrival of seven high-capacity s452 trains, manufactured by Alstom, which will be allocated to the C-1 Málaga-Fuengirola line. The operation, confirmed by Renfe, involves an investment of €66.7 million and responds to the growing demand for a service that operates at the limit of its capabilities.
The C-1 line, which spans 32 kilometres, combines sections of double track with others of single track, preventing frequencies from being reduced below 15 minutes. Currently, trains run every 20 minutes and the infrastructure does not allow for more regular services. Therefore, Renfe has opted to increase the capacity of each train rather than increase the number of trains.
The new vehicles, which will have six carriages and be 100 metres long, will offer 245 seated places and accommodate up to 900 passengers including those standing. This configuration will allow for more passengers to be transported per service without compromising punctuality, as explained by the operator in a statement.
The announcement comes after the Málaga Cercanías network recorded 15,542,731 passengers in 2025, largely concentrated on the C-1 line, which at times reaches an occupancy of 150% over seated capacity. These figures highlight the unique importance of this service within the Renfe network and justify that the new trains are primarily directed towards this line.
This measure is part of the fleet renewal plan for Public Service Obligation, the first in over 20 years. The Málaga network currently operates eight Civia series 464 trains, with an average age of 18.9 years, one of the youngest fleets in Spain. Since their entry into service, these units have required an investment of €13,130,608 in maintenance.
In addition to the trains, Renfe plans to build a new maintenance workshop in Málaga, with an investment of €40 million and construction starting next year. Accessibility improvements have also been planned for the stations of El Pinillo, Los Álamos, and La Colina, with a budget of €6.81 million. These works will include interventions on platforms, elevators, lighting, and underpasses.
For travellers on the Costa del Sol, the arrival of these trains will provide relief on daily journeys to Málaga city, especially during peak hours, where occupancy far exceeds seated capacity. The progressive improvement of the service will be complemented by the new workshop and accessibility measures, which aim to ensure sustainable and cohesive transport for thousands of daily commutes.
Renfe has stated that the incorporation of high-capacity material is the best alternative to strengthen the network, given that the characteristics of the infrastructure limit the possibility of reducing frequencies. The company is confident that this solution, along with station improvements, will meet the consolidated and growing demand for a key line for the province's mobility.
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