The La Cabezuela train, an essential railway branch for the transport of goods from the Port of Cádiz, is still not operational despite the completion of works at the end of 2025. Neither the Ministry of Transport nor Adif has provided an estimated date for its inauguration, as a crucial technical report is still pending.

This infrastructure connects Bajo de La Cabezuela with the Cádiz-Seville line, enabling the transport of bulk goods by rail directly from the Port of Puerto Real. Currently, these goods are distributed by truck, creating a logistical bottleneck that the new line aims to resolve.

Consulted sources indicate that the opening depends on certification from the State Agency for Railway Safety, an entity within the Ministry responsible for auditing such projects. The route includes a viaduct of almost one kilometer and has successfully passed load tests conducted last summer.

The business sector in Cádiz has expressed confusion over the delay, especially after the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, visited the site in January 2025 and announced its service commencement for early 2026. The four-year construction project had an initial budget of over 20 million euros, with an additional cost of 1.3 million due to issues with electrical services.

The new line will allow for direct loading of goods onto trains from the port, eliminating the need to transport them to the Jerez railway terminal. The Jerez terminal, however, will continue to operate for cargo arriving from the Canary Islands that requires rail transport.

The contract for the works, which began in January 2021, was awarded to the UTE formed by Dragados and Tecsa Empresa Constructora. Funding was provided by Puertos del Estado, with Adif acting as the executor and responsible for adapting the project to current interoperability and operational requirements.